1-6 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
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; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
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Sometimes things get so bad I have no idea what to do and I am paralyzed. In such times, I just sit and talk with God, pouring my heart out to God, begging God to help me.
The last time this happened, I pled with God to employ every agent of His to help me, Jesus, The Holy Spirit, the angels of God. I began to feel a calm come upon me and I was restored in a matter of minutes and began to read Bible again and to write exhortations to help the church. It was a miracle. God is our only help.
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Other times, a thought will come and I will feel disturbed momentarily until I remember another concept given by God on the subject at hand.
An example: A woman sent me a birthday card and in her card she enclosed a note telling all the things she had planned with her husband, her daughter, her grandchildren for the upcoming holidays.
As I read her note, the Holy Spirit brought the following to my mind, "You are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God."
"That's right!" I joyfully exclaimed.
The thought of being alone on the approaching holiday was replaced with the thought showing truth from God and the sadness which would have been there was turned to joy.
This is the essence of taking every thought captive to bring it to the obedience of Christ.
When we view our lives through God's eyes, our sadness turns to joy when we are following God.
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II Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
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II Corinthians 10:7-11 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's. For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
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12-18 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
(The important thing for each of us is to be recreated in the image of Christ as God does the work in us, not trying to copy another person but allowing ourselves to be recreated as God wills by following that brought to our mind by HIS Spirit.)
But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:
Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
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