Taking Every Thought Captive: Winning the Battle of the Mind

This sermon addresses the critical spiritual battle that takes place in the mind of every believer. Pastor emphasizes that "stinking thinking" - wayward thoughts, negativity, and mental distractions - is a universal challenge affecting Christians of all ages and maturity levels. The message centers on 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, teaching that while we live in human bodies, we fight spiritual battles with divine weapons capable of destroying strongholds and taking every thought captive to Christ's obedience. The pastor explains how thoughts progress into words, actions, habits, character, and ultimately destiny, making mental discipline essential for spiritual victory. He challenges the congregation to recognize common thought patterns like inadequacy, worry, greed, jealousy, anger, and impurity that steal focus from God. The solution presented is threefold: presenting ourselves as living sacrifices, experiencing mind renewal through God's Word, and putting on the full armor of God - particularly the helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit. The sermon concludes with a call to honest self-examination about what occupies our thinking and an invitation to surrender these thoughts to Christ at the altar.