By David Short

At the beginning of the year my wife and I began a 40 day prayer challenge using the book “Draw the Circle” by Mark Batterson. So far in our journey we have been challenged to believe more, do more, and expect more from God. One thought especially impressed me. Have you ever had a great idea that with time and effort led to something great from God? Instead of calling it a good idea, Batterson calls it a God-idea. When you get a God-idea, you need to take it captive.

Paul told us, “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” (II Corinthians 10:4-5).

Batterson and I agree on the normal response to this scripture. It seems every time this scripture is mentioned people focus on the nega-tive—take captive sinful thoughts and make them obedient to Christ. While that is true, we also need to take captive good thoughts and creative ideas and keep them in our minds. We need to be good stewards of every thought, impression, and revelation that God has inspired us to have through the Holy Ghost.

Keeping a prayer journal helps us remember the things we’re impressed to do. How many times have we had a great idea or thought, but because we were too busy doing something we didn’t take time to stop and record it? Then when we wanted to retrieve it, the inspiration was gone! We need to capture those God-ideas and act on whatever God leads us to do. How many things could, or would God do if we only acted on the things He impressed us to do? I know I need to step out more in faith and believe that He can do all things.

Let me relay a story my pastor, Bro. Orville Bryant, used to tell. He was on visitation with another man from the church. They knocked on the door of a family that they were trying to get to come to church. The man of the house came to the door with a drink in his hand and belligerently told them he wasn’t interested in what they had to offer. As they walked away from the house, the man with Bro Bryant said “Well, we can write him off.” But, Bro Bryant said, “I’m going to win that man.” Bro Bryant took captive the thought that there was no hope for this man and replaced it with the thought of faith that God gave him—this man was going to be saved.

How many people have we “written off” because our thoughts were negative? We already made a determination that they couldn’t be saved before ever giving them to God. What other God-ideas have we rejected before mixing them with faith, prayer, and a little elbow grease?
In case you were wondering, the man to whom Bro. Bryant witnessed many years ago did receive the Apostolic message. He has been pastoring one of our Oklahoma churches for many years. So, won’t you join me in capturing every God-idea and bringing them into the obedience of Christ? There is no telling what miraculous results will result!