Every Thought Captive

• Session 1: Conformed or Transformed

  Watch: Conformed or Transformed (19 minutes)

  Discuss:

  1. Take a moment to think about your typical day. What kinds of thoughts tend to dominate your mind? Where do these thoughts primarily come from (media, relationships, work, some other source)? How might these thoughts be shaping who you are becoming?

  2. Ask someone to read aloud 1 John 2:15–17. In this passage, we are told not to “love the world or anything in the world.” What are some of the ways that the world around you tries to influence your thinking? What are some recent examples of this?

  3. The “rule of exposure” states that whatever we are exposed to the most will shape our thoughts the most. How have you witnessed the truth of this rule in your life? Consider the example in the teaching of Seth Godin listening to motivational content for three hours each day. How could you be more intentional about what you expose your mind to?

  4. Ask someone to read aloud Ephesians 6:12. Mental strongholds are like fortresses reinforced with walls of false thinking and protected by lies that seem impenetrable. Who does Paul say in this verse is behind these strongholds? What does this reveal about the enemy’s intent to keep us locked up in negative patterns of thinking?

  5. Transforming our thinking requires a fundamental rewiring of how we process the world around us. This journey begins with monitoring our exposure. What are some of the things that you are exposing your mind to that could potentially be leading you down the wrong path? What are some of the positive voices in your life that you are listening to?

• Session 2: The Pattern of Distraction (And Insecurity)

  Watch: The Pattern of Distraction (18 minutes)

  Discuss:

  1. There are many benefits that come with our phones. We can quickly contact loved ones, access important information (like driving directions), and save time with all the apps that come with them. But there is no doubt that phones have contributed to increased levels of distraction. If you are feeling bold, take a moment to check your screen time. What patterns do you notice? How might these patterns be affecting your spiritual life?

  2. Ask someone to read aloud the full story of Martha and Mary found in Luke 10:38–42. What similarities do you see between Martha’s distractions and your own? What are some of the “good things” you are doing that might be distracting you from the “better things”?

  3. Notice in the story that when Jesus arrived for a visit, Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said” (verse 39). If Jesus were to visit your home today, what would he observe about your priorities and use of time? What one change might he lovingly suggest?

  4. Ask someone to read aloud James 4:13–15. What does this passage say about the amount of time we have been given on this earth? How might a greater awareness of just how limited our time is in the here and now change how we handle distractions?

  5. Take a moment to review the list of strategies presented in the teaching on how to break free from the pattern of distraction. Which of these strategies would be the most helpful to implement in your life? Which of these strategies would be the most challenging for you?

• Session 3: The Pattern of Offense (And Pleasure and Despair)

  Watch: The Pattern of Offense (18 minutes)

  Discuss:

  1. Today, it can seem as if people are walking around with their guard up and fist raised, just waiting to take a swing at the first person who offends them. Think about the last time you really felt offended. What was your immediate reaction? Looking back now, what underlying fears or insecurities might have been beneath the surface?

  2. Surprisingly, being offended can trigger the release of dopamine in our brains—the “feel-good” chemical—when we experience something pleasurable. This is likely due to anticipation of social reward when we share our offense with others and get their validation. When is a time that you found this to be true? How do you think this release of dopamine in our brains reinforces and perpetuates the pattern of offense?

  3. Ask someone to read aloud Ephesians 4:26–27. What practical wisdom do these verses offer for handling offense? How might anger give the devil a foothold in a person’s life?

  4. The Bible instructs us to stop before we respond to an offense. We pause when we feel offended and ask two important questions: “Where is this anger coming from?” and “What would it be like to be the other person?” Think of a recent time when you reacted in anger because of an offense. How might this approach have changed the outcome?

  5. Ask someone to read aloud Colossians 3:12–14. What does this passage instruct us to remember before we lash out against someone who has offended us? When you look at Paul’s words, what does it look like for you to “forgive as the Lord forgave you”?

• Session 4: Say It Out Loud

  Watch: Say It Out Loud (18 minutes)

  Discuss:

  1. Think about the “recording” that plays the most in your mind. What messages do you hear repeatedly? Where do you think these messages originated?

  2. Ask someone to read aloud Ezekiel 37:1–6. What strikes you about God’s instruction for Ezekiel to speak to the dry bones in the valley? How might this relate to speaking life into “dead” areas of your own life?

  3. Speaking words out loud engages multiple regions of the brain, including the frontal lobe, the temporal lobe, the parietal lobe, and the motor cortex. Speaking something out loud can actually help make it stick in your memory! How would you describe the difference (in terms of impact) between just thinking something and declaring it out loud?

  4. Ask someone to read aloud Proverbs 12:18 and 18:21. When is a time in your life that someone’s words pierced like a sword and brought about death—whether that was the death of a dream, the death a relationship, or the death of something else? When is a time that someone’s words brought healing and life to your situation?

  5. Now ask someone to read aloud Philippians 4:8. Remember, this is the filter through which you should run your words and thoughts to make sure they measure up with God’s truth. What are some words that you say to yourself that you know do not measure up when run through this filter? What needs to change in your thinking regarding these messages?

• Session 5: Win the Morning

  Watch: Win the Morning (19 minutes)

  Discuss:

  1. Think about your typical morning routine. What are usually your first thoughts or actions of the day? How do you see them affecting the rest of your day?

  2. Ask someone to read aloud Mark 1:35. What strikes you about Jesus’ morning priorities? What does this tell you about the importance of how you start your day?

  3. A study published in the Harvard Business Review found that 92 percent of highly productive people follow planned morning routines. What barriers keep you from establishing a consistent morning routine? How might you overcome those barriers?

  4. Ask someone to read aloud Lamentations 3:22–23. The author writes that God’s mercies are “new every morning.” How might this truth impact how you approach each day? How could actively looking for God’s new mercies change your morning mindset?

  5. Morning routines are like compound interest for your soul. Even a small investment in spending time with God each morning will accumulate and yield rewards over time. In what ways have you seen the small yet consistent morning habits you are making (either positive or negative) compound over time in your life?