Spiritual Warfare: 'Taking Every Thought Captive'

God's Power for Our Battles — Friday, July 17, 2026

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. ... We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Today's Prayer

Lord, thank You for reminding me that this is war - mental war. Many thoughts pop into my mind that should be removed, discarded, rejected, and eliminated. Help me to have the willpower to do just that. Help me to reject them, remove them, abstain from them, and replace them with good thoughts and wholesome, godly thinking. And grant me the discernment to know when this is happening to me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Illustration

Illustration of 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV — For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. ... We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

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About This Devotional

Spiritual Warfare is a daily devotional about God's power for our battles.

The Prayer for Spiritual Warfare is written by Steve Hemphill.