Taking Captives, First Thing This Morning

by ObtainingMercy, posted in A Door of Hope, Just My Thoughts

Do you ever wake up, before your feet even hit the floor, and feel defeated?  Or sad?  Or angry?  Or despondent?

It's not a good way to start the day, is it?

For me, the two things that can start my day off in a very negative way are pain and dreams.  This morning, it was a dream.  About Isaac.  About someone hurting Isaac. 

I woke up angry and sad and feeling unequal to the task of starting a brand new day.

These are the mornings that I must immediately begin to practice the truths of Scripture, particularly this one:

 

II Corinthians 10:5 "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought
to the obedience of Christ;"

 

Bad dreams are not reality.  They are imaginations.  And if they are contrary to reality, they are contrary to the knowledge of God.  They must be brought into captivity.

 

How can we bring a thought into captivity?

  1. Ask the Lord to remove the images from your memory.
  2. Pray for forgiveness of any waking thoughts or fantasies that could have encouraged the dreams.
  3. Deliberately refuse to relive the scenes of the dream in your mind.
  4. Begin to quote Scripture or sing a song of praise to focus your mind on true things.
  5. As soon as possible, find time to read God's Word so that the Lord can fill the emptiness left by the dream you have cast down.

I know these seem very simplistic, but this is the only process I have found to combat the negativity that can overwhelm me when I wake from a nightmare.

Finally, let me encourage you that today can be a day of victory and peace for you.  You simply must ask the Lord for courage to face the day, resting fully in the truth of the Word:

 

Joshua 1:8-9 "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt
meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according
to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way
prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
 Have
not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid,
neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee
whithersoever thou goest."

 

Those are bold words, aren't they?

Let's begin our day by trusting in these promises of God…by leaving behind the things that weigh down our spirit…and by meditating on His Word to find the good courage that will lead us to success!

I am praying that you have a great day, despite the way it started,

Alesha