1 00:00:02,630 --> 00:00:06,909 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hey friend, Heather Creekmore here. I'm wondering if 2 00:00:06,950 --> 00:00:08,830 Speaker 1: this has happened to you. Let me know if this 3 00:00:08,910 --> 00:00:12,430 Speaker 1: is relatable. You're in the dressing room. Boy, those fluorescent 4 00:00:12,490 --> 00:00:17,030 Speaker 1: lights are awful. Those three-way mirrors, they're not very kind either. 5 00:00:17,050 --> 00:00:20,590 Speaker 1: And you're trying on all the things because you're desperate. 6 00:00:20,610 --> 00:00:22,330 Speaker 1: You have to find a dress to wear to the 7 00:00:22,390 --> 00:00:25,550 Speaker 1: thing and this is your last chance. And you start 8 00:00:25,610 --> 00:00:29,870 Speaker 1: trying on these dresses and boy, do the negative thoughts 9 00:00:29,970 --> 00:00:34,070 Speaker 1: come one right after another. Oh, look at how awful 10 00:00:34,110 --> 00:00:37,490 Speaker 1: you look in this. Oh, what is wrong with your body? 11 00:00:38,670 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: They're actually much worse than that, if we're honest, right? 12 00:00:41,380 --> 00:00:44,240 Speaker 1: There are things you would never say to your worst enemy. 13 00:00:45,060 --> 00:00:49,500 Speaker 1: But negative thought after negative thought is flooding you. You've 14 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: got to pick a dress, but it's too hard. You're 15 00:00:51,940 --> 00:00:58,210 Speaker 1: overwhelmed by this barrage. negative thoughts. So what do you do? Well, 16 00:00:58,950 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: you remember hearing in church one time, or maybe many times, 17 00:01:03,980 --> 00:01:09,300 Speaker 1: about taking your thoughts captive. Ding! That's what I'll try. 18 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: I'll take my thoughts captive. And you try your hardest. No, thought. 19 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:16,869 Speaker 1: Go away, thought. I'm not going to think that anymore. 20 00:01:17,390 --> 00:01:19,730 Speaker 1: I'm not going to see that in the mirror anymore. 21 00:01:20,110 --> 00:01:25,289 Speaker 1: Go away. Bye, thought. Leave. I'm taking you captive. And 22 00:01:25,310 --> 00:01:29,729 Speaker 1: it doesn't work. In fact, maybe what happens is the 23 00:01:29,770 --> 00:01:32,970 Speaker 1: thoughts just start coming so quickly at you. It's almost 24 00:01:33,069 --> 00:01:35,649 Speaker 1: like you've got your little ping pong paddle, you're trying 25 00:01:35,690 --> 00:01:38,449 Speaker 1: to shoo them away, but they are like spitting out 26 00:01:38,490 --> 00:01:41,170 Speaker 1: of a machine, ball after ball after ball, and you 27 00:01:41,230 --> 00:01:46,060 Speaker 1: just cannot keep up with pinging those negative thoughts away. 28 00:01:46,900 --> 00:01:52,590 Speaker 1: Why didn't it work? Why does it not work just 29 00:01:52,730 --> 00:01:57,490 Speaker 1: to take your thoughts captive? Friend, that's where we're going today. 30 00:01:57,550 --> 00:02:01,770 Speaker 1: If I had a dollar for every woman with whom 31 00:02:01,790 --> 00:02:05,580 Speaker 1: I have sat and done a coaching session or just 32 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,239 Speaker 1: had a deep conversation and she started telling me how 33 00:02:08,660 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: she's struggling with certain things and then she would go to, 34 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:15,079 Speaker 1: I know, I just need to take my thoughts captive. 35 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: If I had a dollar for every time that's happened 36 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,630 Speaker 1: to me, I would be very wealthy, right? Because I 37 00:02:21,010 --> 00:02:26,470 Speaker 1: think we believe that taking thoughts captive is like step 38 00:02:26,490 --> 00:02:30,110 Speaker 1: one in our battles. But friend, today we're going to 39 00:02:30,150 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 1: talk about why that's not true. Taking thoughts captive is 40 00:02:33,250 --> 00:02:35,820 Speaker 1: a biblical principle. It's good for us to do. Yes 41 00:02:35,980 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: and amen. But it's not step one. And that's what 42 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:42,660 Speaker 1: we're going to look at. And if you're trying to 43 00:02:42,700 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: make it step one, that may be why it's not 44 00:02:46,090 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 1: working for you. So I'm so glad you're here today. Hey, 45 00:02:50,100 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: we are in the middle of our very last 40-day journey. 46 00:02:53,180 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: You can still get in. There's still four sessions left. 47 00:02:55,620 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: You can go to improvebodyimage.com and look for the 40-day 48 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:03,260 Speaker 1: journey tab. I'm going to take the registration link down 49 00:03:03,620 --> 00:03:06,180 Speaker 1: in one week, so the end of September. But if 50 00:03:06,220 --> 00:03:08,660 Speaker 1: you want into this very last group, I would encourage 51 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 1: you just jump on it. Just do it. Join us 52 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:15,150 Speaker 1: for this last 40-day journey. Now let's get to today's episode. 53 00:03:19,870 --> 00:03:22,750 Speaker 1: Hey friend, well, let's start by looking at where this 54 00:03:22,810 --> 00:03:26,310 Speaker 1: whole concept of taking thoughts captive comes from. And that's 55 00:03:26,310 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: 2 Corinthians 10, 5, where Paul writes about destroying arguments 56 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: and every lofty opinion that's raised against the knowledge of God. 57 00:03:36,700 --> 00:03:41,420 Speaker 1: And he says, and taking every thought captive to obey Christ. 58 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:46,100 Speaker 1: So the church grabbed this concept, rightly so. And we 59 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: hear this a lot, right? You have to take your 60 00:03:48,060 --> 00:03:54,150 Speaker 1: thoughts captive. You have to identify the thought and take 61 00:03:54,190 --> 00:03:56,770 Speaker 1: it captive. What does captive mean? Well, captive is a 62 00:03:56,830 --> 00:04:00,470 Speaker 1: war word. It's what you do to an enemy soldier. 63 00:04:00,730 --> 00:04:03,330 Speaker 1: You don't just ignore him or pretend he's not there. 64 00:04:03,350 --> 00:04:07,570 Speaker 1: You apprehend him. You bring him under new authority. It's like, nope, 65 00:04:08,290 --> 00:04:12,180 Speaker 1: you got a new job now, guy. You are captive. 66 00:04:12,220 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 1: You are a prisoner of war. Here's what I want 67 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:20,789 Speaker 1: you to notice. Paul isn't talking about stray thoughts like, wow, 68 00:04:20,830 --> 00:04:24,950 Speaker 1: these jeans are unflattering. He's talking about a specific type 69 00:04:24,990 --> 00:04:31,650 Speaker 1: of idea. It's ideas, it's thoughts that argue against who 70 00:04:31,990 --> 00:04:36,870 Speaker 1: God is. These are attacks, maybe we want to use 71 00:04:36,890 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 1: the word lies, about God's character. They're lies about God's love, 72 00:04:44,650 --> 00:04:48,300 Speaker 1: God's love for us. And these lies, of course, they 73 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:51,340 Speaker 1: show up in our body and struggles constantly. They show 74 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: up in a lot of our struggles, but they can 75 00:04:54,339 --> 00:04:59,380 Speaker 1: sometimes wear a disguise. We might think something like, God 76 00:04:59,500 --> 00:05:04,350 Speaker 1: must not care that I feel invisible. Or if God 77 00:05:04,430 --> 00:05:06,830 Speaker 1: really loved me, he would have given me a better 78 00:05:06,930 --> 00:05:11,869 Speaker 1: metabolism or he wouldn't have given me this body shape. 79 00:05:13,110 --> 00:05:17,130 Speaker 1: And this is what Paul's talking about. Paul's talking about 80 00:05:17,850 --> 00:05:24,830 Speaker 1: those thoughts that at the heart of them question who 81 00:05:25,070 --> 00:05:30,500 Speaker 1: God is. They really do what we saw the enemy 82 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,979 Speaker 1: do in the garden. Did God really say that? Is 83 00:05:34,020 --> 00:05:39,700 Speaker 1: that really true? Did God really mean that? They question God. 84 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:41,990 Speaker 1: But here's what I see happen, and I mentioned this 85 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:47,270 Speaker 1: a bit in the intro. So many times I hear, 86 00:05:47,300 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 1: I speak to, I counsel Christian women who try to 87 00:05:52,220 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 1: just skip to the taking thoughts captive part, right? They've 88 00:05:55,980 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 1: latched onto this concept. They're having these thoughts, but they're 89 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:06,300 Speaker 1: just trying to make them all prisoners of war. And 90 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 1: it doesn't work. I mean, they're doing the thing, right? 91 00:06:10,770 --> 00:06:14,369 Speaker 1: but it doesn't work effectively. The thoughts keep coming back. 92 00:06:14,450 --> 00:06:16,430 Speaker 1: It's like they escape from prison all the time. And 93 00:06:17,950 --> 00:06:20,670 Speaker 1: there's a reason for that. There's a reason why we 94 00:06:20,770 --> 00:06:26,010 Speaker 1: can't skip to taking thoughts captive as step one. And 95 00:06:26,050 --> 00:06:30,790 Speaker 1: here's the reason. Often we try to do this in 96 00:06:30,970 --> 00:06:33,969 Speaker 1: what I would call the world's way. We try to 97 00:06:34,070 --> 00:06:40,250 Speaker 1: do this taking thoughts captive activity as if It's a 98 00:06:40,330 --> 00:06:43,600 Speaker 1: new age practice. Oh, I hate to say that. But 99 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:47,580 Speaker 1: it's like the Norman Vincent Peale power of positive thinking, 100 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 1: or it's like the literal Jedi mind trick from the 101 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:57,160 Speaker 1: original Star Wars movie, where Obi-Wan Kenobi tells the stormtrooper, 102 00:06:57,180 --> 00:07:01,669 Speaker 1: these aren't the droids you're looking for. And the stormtrooper repeats, 103 00:07:01,770 --> 00:07:05,970 Speaker 1: these aren't the droids we're looking for, right? It's become 104 00:07:05,990 --> 00:07:11,250 Speaker 1: that kind of practice. And that's not what we're talking 105 00:07:11,300 --> 00:07:15,860 Speaker 1: about when we talk about spiritual warfare, right? Versus right 106 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,140 Speaker 1: before verse five, talk about the weapons of our warfare 107 00:07:19,220 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: and spiritual warfare are not carnal, right? They're not things 108 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,110 Speaker 1: that we do with our body and our brain. And 109 00:07:26,330 --> 00:07:30,690 Speaker 1: yet too often we try to make taking thoughts captive 110 00:07:30,870 --> 00:07:36,070 Speaker 1: into just a power of positive thinking, brain wrangling activity. 111 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 1: Taking thoughts captive is not suppressing thoughts. I think we 112 00:07:43,100 --> 00:07:46,630 Speaker 1: hear the word capture and we think that means stop 113 00:07:46,650 --> 00:07:50,290 Speaker 1: thinking it, but it's kind of like that old illustration, 114 00:07:50,350 --> 00:07:52,470 Speaker 1: like try really hard not to think about a pink 115 00:07:52,510 --> 00:07:55,070 Speaker 1: elephant right now. How did that go? How many pink 116 00:07:55,130 --> 00:07:59,450 Speaker 1: elephants are you picturing, right? Taking thoughts captive is not suppression. 117 00:08:00,210 --> 00:08:05,190 Speaker 1: We also need to understand that Not every thought we 118 00:08:05,270 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: have is a sin, right? Jesus was tempted by thoughts 119 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: and he never sinned. A thought showing up at your 120 00:08:13,340 --> 00:08:17,990 Speaker 1: door isn't the problem. The problem is when you dwell 121 00:08:18,060 --> 00:08:20,410 Speaker 1: on that thought. When you invite that thought in for 122 00:08:20,470 --> 00:08:22,530 Speaker 1: dinner and to hang out and to spend a week, 123 00:08:22,550 --> 00:08:27,270 Speaker 1: that's when the thoughts can become a problem or can 124 00:08:27,310 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: become sin. And it's those sinful thoughts that have to 125 00:08:30,860 --> 00:08:35,150 Speaker 1: be made obedient to Christ. It's those sinful thoughts that 126 00:08:35,290 --> 00:08:39,970 Speaker 1: have to be covered and replaced with the truth. And 127 00:08:40,010 --> 00:08:44,770 Speaker 1: speaking of truth, I think sometimes we fail when we 128 00:08:45,330 --> 00:08:49,220 Speaker 1: skip to taking thoughts captive first, because we actually skip 129 00:08:49,390 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: over the belief part of this whole thing. We skip 130 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:58,350 Speaker 1: over What is going on beneath the surface? What is 131 00:08:58,390 --> 00:09:02,550 Speaker 1: going in in our hearts? What do I actually believe 132 00:09:02,570 --> 00:09:07,790 Speaker 1: that is leaving room for this lie, for this negative 133 00:09:07,809 --> 00:09:12,270 Speaker 1: thought to come and hang out? Remember how scripture says, 134 00:09:12,530 --> 00:09:17,459 Speaker 1: out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks, right? 135 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:23,550 Speaker 1: Really what we think about is, is an overflow of 136 00:09:23,630 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 1: what's going on in our hearts. It's what we truly believe. 137 00:09:31,220 --> 00:09:33,540 Speaker 1: And this is where it gets kind of interesting, friends. 138 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:35,439 Speaker 1: This is what I just wrote a book on. It 139 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 1: comes out February 2nd. I'm so excited about it. It's called, 140 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:42,180 Speaker 1: Did I Say the Right Thing? And a Million Other 141 00:09:42,260 --> 00:09:45,470 Speaker 1: Microfears that Christian Women Face. It's for sale right now 142 00:09:45,510 --> 00:09:48,050 Speaker 1: for pre-order if you want the lowest price possible, but 143 00:09:48,130 --> 00:09:52,650 Speaker 1: it releases February 2nd. And this book was written out 144 00:09:53,370 --> 00:09:58,110 Speaker 1: of my decade of conversations with women who are just 145 00:09:58,270 --> 00:10:02,140 Speaker 1: trying to bat away the news. thoughts, who are wondering 146 00:10:02,340 --> 00:10:04,860 Speaker 1: why they still have all these negative thoughts, even though 147 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 1: they've been trying so hard to take them captive, why 148 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:11,079 Speaker 1: it's not working. And what I dig into in this 149 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 1: book is this concept that although many of us as 150 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:18,679 Speaker 1: Christian women, we believe we have the God and Jesus answer. 151 00:10:19,590 --> 00:10:22,290 Speaker 1: We know the truth. I can tell you the verse 152 00:10:22,350 --> 00:10:24,950 Speaker 1: in the passage and I believe I'm going to heaven. 153 00:10:24,970 --> 00:10:27,390 Speaker 1: I believe God is who he says he is. And 154 00:10:27,790 --> 00:10:30,230 Speaker 1: I believe God's done what he says he's done. And 155 00:10:30,250 --> 00:10:35,929 Speaker 1: I believe the truth. And then when we try to 156 00:10:35,970 --> 00:10:41,150 Speaker 1: make it more personal, when we face things like negative 157 00:10:41,250 --> 00:10:46,550 Speaker 1: thoughts around our bodies or around, is God actually good 158 00:10:46,580 --> 00:10:49,110 Speaker 1: to me because he gave me this body? Or is 159 00:10:49,150 --> 00:10:51,510 Speaker 1: God actually good to me because he gave me this 160 00:10:51,550 --> 00:10:55,030 Speaker 1: horrible circumstance that I'm facing? Does God even love me? 161 00:10:55,150 --> 00:10:57,750 Speaker 1: Does he see what's happening in my life? When we 162 00:10:57,970 --> 00:11:03,290 Speaker 1: face negative and, dare I say, sinful thoughts like this, 163 00:11:03,390 --> 00:11:10,439 Speaker 1: temptations to doubt God's character, We have to have a 164 00:11:10,860 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: solid foundation of knowing that we actually believe the truth 165 00:11:16,940 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 1: in order to fight these thoughts. And most of us 166 00:11:21,940 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 1: don't want to go that far. Most of us believe 167 00:11:24,260 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 1: we've got the God and Jesus answers. Check, check. I'm good. 168 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:33,719 Speaker 1: And yet, when push comes to shove, when we start 169 00:11:33,940 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: analyzing those negative thoughts that keep coming back and keep 170 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:40,900 Speaker 1: coming back, we can't take them captive because they are 171 00:11:41,020 --> 00:11:46,699 Speaker 1: attached to a belief. And that belief is a lie. 172 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:52,330 Speaker 1: And that belief contradicts what scripture says about God or 173 00:11:52,370 --> 00:11:56,650 Speaker 1: what scripture says about us. And it makes it really 174 00:11:56,690 --> 00:12:00,650 Speaker 1: difficult to get rid of the thought if the lie, 175 00:12:00,870 --> 00:12:03,930 Speaker 1: if the false belief remains. You know, it might be 176 00:12:03,970 --> 00:12:05,849 Speaker 1: especially hard for those of us who were raised in 177 00:12:05,929 --> 00:12:09,929 Speaker 1: a church or have been in a relationship with Jesus 178 00:12:09,970 --> 00:12:12,900 Speaker 1: for a long time, because we tend to think, well, 179 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:14,980 Speaker 1: I know all that. I know all that. That doesn't 180 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:17,460 Speaker 1: apply to my current problem. I know all that. I've 181 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: got all that down, right? But I'm always willing to 182 00:12:23,059 --> 00:12:26,540 Speaker 1: press in with a woman's and say, I know you 183 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:30,100 Speaker 1: think you know it, but what are you really believing? 184 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 1: How are you really operating? What is actually dictating what 185 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:39,860 Speaker 1: you think about yourself and the world and God and 186 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 1: these circumstances? Is it a situation where you're kind of 187 00:12:44,420 --> 00:12:47,260 Speaker 1: like that father in the book of Mark and His 188 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 1: son is demon possessed and he's flailing around and the 189 00:12:50,059 --> 00:12:53,860 Speaker 1: disciples can't cast the demons out. And Jesus comes and 190 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: he's like, please, you know, can you help my son? 191 00:12:56,420 --> 00:12:59,490 Speaker 1: And Jesus is kind of like, can I help him? Like, 192 00:12:59,500 --> 00:13:01,170 Speaker 1: who do you think you're talking to here, guy? Like, 193 00:13:01,210 --> 00:13:04,069 Speaker 1: of course I can help him. And the father says 194 00:13:04,090 --> 00:13:10,710 Speaker 1: these beautiful words. He says, I believe, help my unbelief. Friend, that's, 195 00:13:11,130 --> 00:13:14,610 Speaker 1: I think, where we're all at, right? I believe, but 196 00:13:14,710 --> 00:13:18,010 Speaker 1: oh goodness, there's times when I don't believe. There's times 197 00:13:18,050 --> 00:13:21,900 Speaker 1: when my unbelief flares and those are the times when 198 00:13:22,140 --> 00:13:26,319 Speaker 1: my thoughts can get out of control. But I want 199 00:13:26,340 --> 00:13:29,620 Speaker 1: you to hear today, right? This exercise of taking thoughts 200 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:36,930 Speaker 1: captive is not about... grit and determination. Like Paul specifically 201 00:13:37,010 --> 00:13:42,500 Speaker 1: says that the weapons of our warfare are divine, right? 202 00:13:42,620 --> 00:13:46,100 Speaker 1: It's about God's power. It's not about your willpower or 203 00:13:46,140 --> 00:13:50,900 Speaker 1: you trying harder or just, you know, gritting your teeth 204 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:54,540 Speaker 1: and just, oh, go away, thought, go away. No, this 205 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:59,960 Speaker 1: is about actually trusting in God at a deeper level 206 00:13:59,980 --> 00:14:04,540 Speaker 1: and surrendering these places in our lives where we are 207 00:14:04,660 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 1: tempted to wrestle unbelief and say, okay, God, this is 208 00:14:09,940 --> 00:14:12,560 Speaker 1: going to be the true test of my faith. Do 209 00:14:12,620 --> 00:14:15,630 Speaker 1: I believe what you say about me is true? And 210 00:14:15,690 --> 00:14:17,810 Speaker 1: if I believe what you say about me is true, 211 00:14:18,490 --> 00:14:21,750 Speaker 1: then I know these thoughts I'm having are not true. 212 00:14:22,370 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 1: They have to be taken away as prisoners of war. 213 00:14:26,250 --> 00:14:30,140 Speaker 1: They have to be taken captive in obedience, in submission. 214 00:14:30,820 --> 00:14:35,070 Speaker 1: to what is true. So as we wrap up today, 215 00:14:35,090 --> 00:14:38,230 Speaker 1: let's talk about some practical steps. What do you do first, right? 216 00:14:38,270 --> 00:14:40,770 Speaker 1: If taking thoughts captive isn't first, what is first? Well, 217 00:14:40,790 --> 00:14:45,820 Speaker 1: I think what's first is being honest. right? You hear 218 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 1: the thought, but remember, you've got to go deeper than 219 00:14:49,580 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 1: that thought. And you've got to be honest with yourself 220 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:54,940 Speaker 1: and name what is underneath that thought. So let's go 221 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:57,820 Speaker 1: back to the dressing room for an illustration. You're looking 222 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,540 Speaker 1: in the mirror and the thought comes, you look horrible 223 00:15:00,580 --> 00:15:02,180 Speaker 1: in this dress. None of these dresses are going to 224 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: look good on you. This is going to be a 225 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 1: horrible event because you are going to look so bad 226 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:09,250 Speaker 1: and there's nothing you can do to make yourself look better. 227 00:15:09,890 --> 00:15:12,970 Speaker 1: Everyone is going to wonder how you dared show up 228 00:15:13,150 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 1: looking so bad. How did you let yourself become like this? 229 00:15:17,860 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: You are so lazy. You have no self-control whatsoever. Oh, 230 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: I can't believe how you let yourself go. And they 231 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:28,540 Speaker 1: just keep coming. Some of you know the way this sounds. 232 00:15:29,070 --> 00:15:31,670 Speaker 1: But what's really underneath all that, right? Of course, you 233 00:15:31,690 --> 00:15:35,830 Speaker 1: can hear the shame. But can you also hear the fear? 234 00:15:37,570 --> 00:15:43,060 Speaker 1: The fear connects us. to this belief. And the belief is, 235 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 1: unless I look a certain way, I won't be loved. 236 00:15:48,140 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 1: I won't be accepted. I won't be approved of, or 237 00:15:51,140 --> 00:15:54,260 Speaker 1: maybe even I won't be worthy of love, acceptance, or approval. 238 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:59,750 Speaker 1: And that's a deep lie, friends, right? Because what does 239 00:15:59,830 --> 00:16:02,670 Speaker 1: scripture tell us? Well, scripture says there's nothing I can 240 00:16:02,750 --> 00:16:06,090 Speaker 1: do to be worthy of God's love. It's an act 241 00:16:06,150 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 1: of his grace alone that he sent Jesus to bridge 242 00:16:09,580 --> 00:16:13,180 Speaker 1: that gap, to cover a chasm that I could never 243 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:17,050 Speaker 1: be good enough to cover. I am loved and accepted 244 00:16:17,170 --> 00:16:21,590 Speaker 1: and approved of through Jesus alone, not because I got 245 00:16:21,630 --> 00:16:25,070 Speaker 1: my body right or I'm not missing out on God's 246 00:16:25,110 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 1: grace because I couldn't get my body right. And so 247 00:16:30,020 --> 00:16:33,100 Speaker 1: that lie, that lie that I'm not worthy of being loved, 248 00:16:33,140 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: I'm not worthy of being accepted, I'm not worthy of 249 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:40,660 Speaker 1: being approved of, that lie does stand in contradiction to 250 00:16:41,590 --> 00:16:47,130 Speaker 1: what God says is true. Now, here's where it gets tough. 251 00:16:48,070 --> 00:16:50,330 Speaker 1: You may have to ask yourself, where did I get 252 00:16:50,390 --> 00:16:53,450 Speaker 1: that lie from? Did I just come up with that 253 00:16:53,550 --> 00:16:56,550 Speaker 1: on my own? Where did that come from? And chances are, 254 00:16:57,620 --> 00:16:59,180 Speaker 1: If you and I were to work together in a 255 00:16:59,220 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 1: coaching situation, we could dig and we could find out 256 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:05,600 Speaker 1: where that came from. Maybe it came from something your 257 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: parents said or just a very strongly held belief system 258 00:17:09,500 --> 00:17:12,440 Speaker 1: in your family of origin. Maybe it came from something 259 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:17,300 Speaker 1: a mean girl said in high school or ex-boyfriend or ex-husband, right? 260 00:17:17,340 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 1: There's different places we can identify where perhaps the enemy 261 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:26,090 Speaker 1: used someone else's words to make this lie take root 262 00:17:26,109 --> 00:17:31,419 Speaker 1: and And really even create it as a alternative belief 263 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:34,440 Speaker 1: system in our hearts where we can say, okay, yes, 264 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:36,460 Speaker 1: I believe that God and Jesus answers. I believe Jesus 265 00:17:36,500 --> 00:17:40,710 Speaker 1: accepts me, approves of me. And I also believe, based 266 00:17:40,730 --> 00:17:43,590 Speaker 1: on this thing that was said to me however many 267 00:17:43,650 --> 00:17:46,870 Speaker 1: years or decades ago, that I will not be worthy 268 00:17:47,350 --> 00:17:50,690 Speaker 1: of love, approval, and acceptance unless I can wear a 269 00:17:50,750 --> 00:17:53,170 Speaker 1: smaller size dress or unless this dress will look good 270 00:17:53,230 --> 00:17:57,369 Speaker 1: on me. Oh, friend, and that gets tough. Because you 271 00:17:57,390 --> 00:18:00,430 Speaker 1: got to go deeper. It's deeper than just, I feel 272 00:18:00,450 --> 00:18:01,950 Speaker 1: like my arms are fat. No one's going to think 273 00:18:01,990 --> 00:18:05,970 Speaker 1: I look good. It's what am I really believing is 274 00:18:06,150 --> 00:18:08,910 Speaker 1: true about myself? What am I really believing is true 275 00:18:08,930 --> 00:18:12,850 Speaker 1: about God? And that's where you have to start. And 276 00:18:12,869 --> 00:18:14,570 Speaker 1: you might not be able to start there alone. I'll 277 00:18:14,590 --> 00:18:16,830 Speaker 1: just be honest with you. Like it's really hard to 278 00:18:16,869 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 1: dig deep. We would much rather stay at the surface. 279 00:18:19,910 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 1: My problem is that my arms are fat. And so 280 00:18:22,060 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 1: what I'm going to do is I'm going to shape 281 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:26,300 Speaker 1: up my arms and then my problem will go away. 282 00:18:27,170 --> 00:18:29,879 Speaker 1: And we love to believe that, right? That's what diet 283 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,359 Speaker 1: companies have been selling us for decades. Like, if you 284 00:18:32,380 --> 00:18:34,659 Speaker 1: just change your body, you won't have these problems anymore. 285 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: So just change your body. And yet, how many of 286 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:40,660 Speaker 1: us have been trying to just change our bodies for 287 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:44,609 Speaker 1: years or decades and not come out at a different place? 288 00:18:44,790 --> 00:18:47,050 Speaker 1: We're still struggling with the thoughts. I mean, I work 289 00:18:47,070 --> 00:18:50,669 Speaker 1: with women every week who have met their goal weight 290 00:18:50,790 --> 00:18:53,890 Speaker 1: and gotten into that size they thought would make them happy. 291 00:18:54,150 --> 00:18:59,909 Speaker 1: And they only... say things like, it didn't work. The 292 00:18:59,990 --> 00:19:04,169 Speaker 1: bar changed. I thought I just needed to make it there. 293 00:19:04,190 --> 00:19:09,770 Speaker 1: And I had to keep going. It wasn't enough. And 294 00:19:09,790 --> 00:19:12,350 Speaker 1: so you've got to be honest about what it is 295 00:19:12,369 --> 00:19:15,310 Speaker 1: you're really believing in your heart. Are you believing what 296 00:19:15,359 --> 00:19:19,980 Speaker 1: God says is true? Are you believing these thoughts, these lies, 297 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: maybe that have been with you for a long time? 298 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:24,280 Speaker 1: Are you believing those as equally true or even more 299 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:26,390 Speaker 1: true than what God says is true? And you may 300 00:19:26,450 --> 00:19:29,550 Speaker 1: need help finding them. You just might. But once you 301 00:19:29,570 --> 00:19:33,359 Speaker 1: find them, that's an opportunity for confession. That's an opportunity 302 00:19:33,820 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: for you to bring to the Lord, God, I'm so sorry. 303 00:19:36,780 --> 00:19:39,920 Speaker 1: I have actually been believing this thing that is not 304 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:43,570 Speaker 1: true about you, about me. God, I've been believing lies. 305 00:19:44,030 --> 00:19:46,010 Speaker 1: Forgive me for that, right? 1 John 1, 9 says, 306 00:19:46,050 --> 00:19:47,930 Speaker 1: if we confess our sins, he's faithful in just to 307 00:19:48,010 --> 00:19:50,340 Speaker 1: forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from 308 00:19:50,460 --> 00:19:53,620 Speaker 1: all unrighteousness. Friend, you've got to confess it. When you 309 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:58,010 Speaker 1: see the sin, confess it. And getting honest about what's 310 00:19:58,170 --> 00:20:01,170 Speaker 1: underneath this barrage of thoughts has got to be your 311 00:20:01,210 --> 00:20:04,870 Speaker 1: step one. And then once you can confess them as lies, 312 00:20:04,890 --> 00:20:08,730 Speaker 1: oh friend, that's a powerful step too. Confess the unbelief. 313 00:20:08,820 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: Confess the sin that's hiding there, pretending to just be innocent, 314 00:20:14,300 --> 00:20:17,400 Speaker 1: negative thoughts about your body, but there's something deeper underneath. 315 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:20,780 Speaker 1: And then step two, after you've confessed that lie you've 316 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:25,180 Speaker 1: been believing, I want you to remember who God actually is. Like, 317 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:27,810 Speaker 1: I think this is what we skip the most, is 318 00:20:28,030 --> 00:20:33,230 Speaker 1: actually growing in our understanding of who God is and 319 00:20:33,330 --> 00:20:36,890 Speaker 1: what his character is. And this is what Paul's whole 320 00:20:36,990 --> 00:20:40,810 Speaker 1: argument depends on. You cannot fight an argument against the 321 00:20:40,869 --> 00:20:45,950 Speaker 1: knowledge of God if you don't actually know God. So 322 00:20:45,990 --> 00:20:50,400 Speaker 1: before you can correct the lie, before you can reorient 323 00:20:50,420 --> 00:20:52,440 Speaker 1: your heart to what is true, you have to know 324 00:20:52,540 --> 00:20:58,180 Speaker 1: the truth. And not generic truth, like specific truth. Does 325 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:04,180 Speaker 1: God care? Is God really compassionate? Well, search scripture. Find 326 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:06,690 Speaker 1: out the answer. Does God really delight in you? Or 327 00:21:06,710 --> 00:21:09,690 Speaker 1: does God really just care about you staying the right size? 328 00:21:10,780 --> 00:21:14,659 Speaker 1: Open up the Word. Look at Zephaniah 3.17. Look at 329 00:21:14,700 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: Psalm 139. Find passages that tell you about the character 330 00:21:21,900 --> 00:21:26,710 Speaker 1: of God. Remind your heart and your mind of what 331 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:32,590 Speaker 1: is true about God. This is how you hold up 332 00:21:32,890 --> 00:21:37,169 Speaker 1: the defense against the lies of the enemy. No, Satan, 333 00:21:37,270 --> 00:21:41,780 Speaker 1: this is what's true. No, Satan, God's word says this. No, 334 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 1: this is what's true about God. This is what I 335 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,359 Speaker 1: believe about God. And you're going to have to preach 336 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:49,420 Speaker 1: the gospel to yourself. Maybe you've heard that expression before, 337 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:52,429 Speaker 1: but you're going to have to tell yourself, no, no, 338 00:21:53,410 --> 00:21:57,180 Speaker 1: I believe this is true. I believe that I am 339 00:21:57,280 --> 00:21:59,940 Speaker 1: wearing robes of righteousness because of what Jesus did. I 340 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:02,399 Speaker 1: believe that I am cleansed of all my sin. I 341 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 1: don't have to be reminded of my sin anymore. It's 342 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:07,540 Speaker 1: been forgiven and cleansed and put as far as the 343 00:22:07,619 --> 00:22:10,540 Speaker 1: east is from the west from me. I believe that 344 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:13,399 Speaker 1: I am accepted. I am loved. I am approved of 345 00:22:13,619 --> 00:22:17,230 Speaker 1: in Christ. I believe I am safe in the shelter 346 00:22:17,290 --> 00:22:21,310 Speaker 1: of his wings, right? Get into God's word. Don't just 347 00:22:21,390 --> 00:22:26,260 Speaker 1: assume you know it. Keep reminding your heart of the truth. 348 00:22:26,820 --> 00:22:31,500 Speaker 1: And this is where I can't overstate enough the importance 349 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,399 Speaker 1: of having people in your life that can speak truth 350 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:38,490 Speaker 1: to you, that you can confess these things you struggle 351 00:22:38,530 --> 00:22:41,810 Speaker 1: with too, but that can just exhort and encourage you. 352 00:22:41,850 --> 00:22:43,410 Speaker 1: And if you don't have anyone in your life like 353 00:22:43,450 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 1: that friend, let me find those people Find them. That's 354 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:50,660 Speaker 1: one of the reasons why we do our coaching groups. 355 00:22:50,859 --> 00:22:52,400 Speaker 1: It's one of the reasons why we've done the 40-day 356 00:22:52,420 --> 00:22:55,139 Speaker 1: journey and now we'll just be transitioning to regular coaching groups. 357 00:22:55,890 --> 00:22:59,230 Speaker 1: But we've done these groups because we do meet women 358 00:22:59,250 --> 00:23:01,129 Speaker 1: all the time that are like, I can't talk to 359 00:23:01,190 --> 00:23:04,670 Speaker 1: anyone else about this stuff. They might think I'm strange 360 00:23:04,750 --> 00:23:07,630 Speaker 1: having an issue with this. Well, come to us because 361 00:23:07,670 --> 00:23:09,330 Speaker 1: we got a bunch of women that are struggling with 362 00:23:09,350 --> 00:23:14,960 Speaker 1: the same things. But having someone speak truth to you 363 00:23:15,340 --> 00:23:21,149 Speaker 1: in love with grace is going to help you as 364 00:23:21,250 --> 00:23:26,170 Speaker 1: you work to solidify, what do I really believe? What 365 00:23:26,430 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 1: is true? It's so important. But by bringing someone else 366 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:33,680 Speaker 1: into your struggle, this is how you take the secret 367 00:23:33,740 --> 00:23:36,179 Speaker 1: struggle out of the darkness and into the light. And 368 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:38,619 Speaker 1: when we shine light on it, Oh, then we've got 369 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:40,880 Speaker 1: a real chance of being set free, right? Then we've 370 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:44,280 Speaker 1: got a chance of seeing it clearly and then seeing 371 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 1: how God can come in and touch these places where 372 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:53,119 Speaker 1: we have doubts, where we have fears, where we're confused, 373 00:23:53,290 --> 00:23:57,610 Speaker 1: where we just need more of his grace. And then 374 00:23:57,690 --> 00:23:59,869 Speaker 1: after all that, friend, this is where I think you 375 00:23:59,890 --> 00:24:02,169 Speaker 1: can take your thoughts captive, right? If you've done all 376 00:24:02,210 --> 00:24:07,820 Speaker 1: those other things right now, thought capturing makes sense. because 377 00:24:07,970 --> 00:24:14,780 Speaker 1: it's not Jedi mind tricks. It's saying, oh, wait, this 378 00:24:14,940 --> 00:24:20,629 Speaker 1: thought is connected to this lie. Lord Jesus, help my unbelief. 379 00:24:20,850 --> 00:24:23,070 Speaker 1: Show me why this lie isn't true. Remind me of 380 00:24:23,109 --> 00:24:28,070 Speaker 1: the goodness of your character. God, I believe who you 381 00:24:28,270 --> 00:24:32,140 Speaker 1: are is true. What you say is true. Thought, you 382 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:34,260 Speaker 1: got to go to You got to go to prison. 383 00:24:34,859 --> 00:24:38,310 Speaker 1: You're gone, thought. You are gone. You do not hold 384 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:42,030 Speaker 1: up to the truth of who God is. You are 385 00:24:42,050 --> 00:24:46,550 Speaker 1: a lie. You are not welcomed here. You must fall 386 00:24:46,650 --> 00:24:50,730 Speaker 1: in submission to obedience to Christ. Get out of here. 387 00:24:52,050 --> 00:24:56,169 Speaker 1: And then you know what happens? It actually works. It 388 00:24:56,430 --> 00:25:02,909 Speaker 1: actually works. You can actually defeat those negative thoughts. and 389 00:25:02,950 --> 00:25:08,450 Speaker 1: begin to win the battle in your mind like never before. Friend, 390 00:25:09,540 --> 00:25:11,940 Speaker 1: I hope this has helped you today. If you've been 391 00:25:12,020 --> 00:25:15,700 Speaker 1: just trying to take thoughts captive without the rest of 392 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 1: these steps, I hope you will try it this week. 393 00:25:19,820 --> 00:25:23,060 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening today. Hey, I hope something has helped 394 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:26,670 Speaker 1: you stop comparing and start living. Until next time, bye-bye.