Taking Thoughts Captive part 3 - Retaliation Minded

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh - 2 Corinthians 10:3

Naturally, there will be times of disagreements, confrontations, and words spoken without the loving attitude that we would like but that is not what this writing is addressing. This “Taking Thoughts” section is dealing with after the initial words have been said or offensive action made. Many times we do the right thing in holding our tongue at the time of the trial. But then afterwards…

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we begin to think… and play it over in our minds… and over… and we stew… and we boil. “You know… I should have said this…yeah…then I should have said that…”, “Can you believe she spoke to me like that”, “He got some nerve…” Yet, the issue is not just being able to let things go because many times they do still need to be addressed, but the point is that we are deceived if we believe that we can just continually play out these grudges and scenarios even in our own minds without consequence.

Being “retaliation minded” hurts us on so many levels. One, it takes up so much of our time that could have been spent praying about or declaring to receive God’s peace for the situation.  Two, When we feel that we have the right to these thoughts, we replace the Spirit of God as ruling authority in the matter and stay in that confused state. Three, we position ourselves for a “pride fall” because our ego can’t take the thought that somebody got the upper hand or one-up’ed us. And it can continue to spiral downward from there. But as our text verse speaks, although we live in a natural world, being born again, we have access to spirit empowerment to handle things in a spiritual (or word based) way, yes, even in our own thinking.  We can cast the care or hurt upon the Lord, receiving His peace to move forward, while standing in vocal spirit-strengthened resistance to giving any more of precious time to retaliation minded-ness. Note that without the Spirit of God, this is not only hard, it is impossible. Without Christ there is no access to Spirit empowerment. Be sure that this is sure in you first.


Powerful, gracious Father, it gives me such delight to delight in you. You are so worth my mind’s time. Order in my life, peace in my life, stability in my life, increase in my life, and sooo much more are directly affected by my willingness to yield my mind’s time to You in prayer and meditation of Your greatness. When I have that, I know that I want nothing and I lack nothing. This spiritual fulfillment then spills over and then floods every area in my life until it is as lack free as I am spiritually. Thank you for setting me free from my flesh, not You will one day when I feel it, but You HAVE set me free indeed. And every day I continue to walk out that freedom and every day it is seen, more and more, both in me and through me. I know that vengeance is Yours and I will let You do what You do best concerning that part. But I am thankful that I no longer need “that last word” in confrontations. Because of you I am free to love and forgive in the same way that You loved me with an everlasting love. I refuse to hold grudges because you hold no grudges against me. My mind is free to hear from You that I may walk upright and clearly know how to proceed with any and every situation. In the name of Yahshua (Jesus) I pray.

   

In the name of Yahshua (Jesus) I declare that I am not my own. I have been bought with a price. Therefore I will glorify my God with my mind, body, and spirit in a way that honors Him because they are His. I refuse to live retaliation minded. I refuse to continue to feed this foolishness. I don’t have control over the thoughts and actions of everyone else but, by the Spirit of God, I have complete authority over mine. I am not dominated by thoughts of revenge, paybacks or “what I should-a said”. I declare that I overcome evil with good according to the word of God. Flesh, settle down and conform to the image of the Son. Ego and pride, you die and die now. Satan, I resist your enticements and refuse your weaponry. I love my brother and my sister. I speak blessing and only blessing upon them. Flee and be gone, you stripped, and defeated liar. This is the temple of the living God!   

Psalm 19:14; Jeremiah 31:3; 1 Corinthians 6:20