Are You Being a “CAPTIVE” Audience?

CAPTIVE -- a person or animal who has been taken prisoner or confined; detained, in captivity, imprisoned, locked up.

Ever have one of those days, weeks or months, when everything you do seems to be inadequate, at least in your own eyes? Your parenting skills, being a loving and kind spouse, your efficiency at work, being a great friend. You’ve endeavored to be the best you can be, and it just doesn’t seem to measure up. “A good parent would have known their child was sick or on drugs or was missing school.” “A great spouse wouldn’t be so insensitive and unsupportive.” “An efficient employee wouldn’t be making so many mistakes.”

I hear those voices, too. “A great friend would stay in better touch.” “You talk too much.” “You’re too old to do that.” I’m here today to tell you AND me “Don’t listen to the lies of the enemy of our souls because he wants to take us CAPTIVE to those voices!” 2 Corinthians 10:5 says “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into CAPTIVITY to the obedience of Christ.”

YOU ARE a good parent. You ARE a great wife or husband. You are a wonderful friend and daughter or son. You are an outstanding employee. The enemy of our souls wants us to believe otherwise. Sure, maybe there are areas that we could do better and we can always strive to be the best version of ourselves for others, but don’t, for minute, listen to the lies of the enemy. He has one goal in mind, and that’s to take us, and our thoughts – CAPTIVE – always wanting us to think less of ourselves than God does.

The accuser lies to us all the time. God is always for us and reminds us that even when we feel spent and insignificant and too little and we’ve let the enemy take our hearts CAPTIVE, God will not have it. Through it all – the ups and the downs, the mistakes we make and the worries we carry – our messes are not too much for Him. “My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness (our messes).” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Maybe you can relate to what I’m sharing today. Are you wrapped in a bunch of lies about your inadequacies that weigh you down and wear you out? Please allow me to encourage you with this thought. Jesus doesn’t sit across the table from you or me saying “Your situation is beyond My pay grade.” In fact, I’m quite sure He leans in close, looks into our eyes, and says, “I will not ever leave you or forsake you and you will NOT be held CAPTIVE any longer.”

Jesus is our patient friend. Sometimes He speaks boldly through others and other times, He speaks directly to us with truth from His Word. Either way, when we’re tempted to believe one lie, or maybe three, we charge back with God’s truth instead.

God bailed us out of Satan’s prison. We are no longer CAPTIVE. Let’s take Satan CAPTIVE and imprison every one of his thoughts, emotions, and lies to listen to God’s voice and His truths. When we do, those negative voices don’t stand a chance!