{"id":48889,"date":"2024-04-27T11:00:37","date_gmt":"2024-04-27T08:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=48889"},"modified":"2025-06-02T16:35:54","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T13:35:54","slug":"how-do-you-know-if-your-understanding-has-been-taken-captive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2024\/04\/27\/how-do-you-know-if-your-understanding-has-been-taken-captive\/","title":{"rendered":"HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR UNDERSTANDING HAS BEEN TAKEN CAPTIVE?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial;\">Question:<\/strong> <em style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial;\">How can you tell if your understanding has been taken captive by the enemy? What are the signs?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Blessed be the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Before evaluating whether our understanding has been taken or influenced by spiritual darkness, we need to first understand what the Bible defines as <strong>true understanding<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. What Is \u201cUnderstanding\u201d According to the Bible?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s look at <strong>Job 28:28<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cAnd he said to man, \u2018Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Biblically, <strong>true understanding is not just intellectual knowledge or common sense<\/strong>\u2014it is moral and spiritual discernment. It&#8217;s the ability to recognize evil and to <strong>turn away from it<\/strong>. According to this verse, someone who does not or cannot separate themselves from evil <strong>lacks understanding<\/strong>. In a spiritual sense, their mind has been taken captive.<\/p>\n<p>This echoes <strong>Romans 1:21<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cFor although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>When a person continues in sin and refuses to separate from evil, their thinking becomes <strong>futile and darkened<\/strong>\u2014this is evidence of a <strong>captive or corrupted mind<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. What Does It Look Like When Someone\u2019s Understanding Is Taken Captive?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>To \u201cshun evil\u201d (as Job 28:28 says) means more than resisting temptation in the moment\u2014it means <strong>actively distancing yourself<\/strong> from sin and anything that leads to it.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Drunkenness<\/strong>: A person with understanding avoids places, conversations, and friendships that encourage it. <em>(See Proverbs 20:1; Ephesians 5:18)<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Sexual immorality<\/strong>: They avoid flirtatious behavior, inappropriate dress, unguarded communication, and any digital content that fuels lust. <em>(See 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:22)<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Gossip and slander<\/strong>: They stay away from conversations and social groups that spread rumors. <em>(See Proverbs 16:28; James 3:5-6)<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Anger, foul language, theft, and corruption<\/strong>: They step away from all environments that normalize or justify such behavior. <em>(See Ephesians 4:29-32; Colossians 3:5-10)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>But if someone continually participates in or is comfortable around these things, it reveals that their spiritual discernment is <strong>either weak or taken over<\/strong>. They are no longer led by the Spirit of God but are operating under the influence of <strong>the ruler of darkness<\/strong>\u2014<strong>Satan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>As Paul warns in <strong>2 Corinthians 4:4<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cIn their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>This kind of spiritual blindness or confusion can affect <strong>anyone<\/strong>\u2014regardless of position or title. Whether you\u2019re a pastor, bishop, prophet, choir member, president, or a highly respected public figure\u2014<strong>if you cannot depart from sin, your understanding has been taken captive<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>As Jesus said in <strong>Matthew 7:21-23<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cNot everyone who says to me, \u2018Lord, Lord,\u2019 will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><strong>3. Can Understanding Be Restored?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Yes\u2014but <strong>not by human effort alone<\/strong>. Restoration is only possible through <strong>God\u2019s grace<\/strong>, beginning with genuine repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Acts 3:19<\/strong>\u2013 <em>\u201cRepent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>When we turn to Christ with sincere repentance, God gives us <strong>the gift of the Holy Spirit<\/strong>, who renews our minds and restores our ability to discern right from wrong.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Romans 12:2<\/strong>\u2013 <em>\u201cDo not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Holy Spirit enables us not just to resist sin but to hate and avoid it\u2014to shun it as Job 28:28 describes. This is how we know our understanding is being restored.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. The Results of Restored Understanding<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Eternal Life<\/strong>: Through restored understanding, we walk in holiness and are reconciled with God. <em>(John 17:3)<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Freedom in This Life<\/strong>: We live with purpose, clarity, and the ability to overcome destructive habits. <em>(John 8:32)<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Spiritual Maturity<\/strong>: We grow in wisdom and make choices that reflect God&#8217;s will. <em>(Hebrews 5:14)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you find that you are unable\u2014or unwilling\u2014to distance yourself from sin, it may be a sign that your spiritual understanding has been compromised. But there is hope. Through repentance and surrender to Jesus Christ, your mind can be renewed, and your understanding restored.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Proverbs 3:5-6 <\/strong>\u2013 <em>\u201cTrust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>May the Lord bless you, open your eyes, and restore your understanding.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class='share-to-whatsapp-wrapper'><div class='share-on-whsp'>Share on: <\/div><a data-text='HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR UNDERSTANDING HAS BEEN TAKEN CAPTIVE?' data-link='https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2024\/04\/27\/how-do-you-know-if-your-understanding-has-been-taken-captive\/' class='whatsapp-button whatsapp-share'>WhatsApp<\/a><div class='clear '><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Question: How can you tell if your understanding has been taken captive by the enemy? What are the signs? Blessed be the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Bef<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1225,"featured_media":41393,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16909,16929],"tags":[],"series":[],"class_list":["post-48889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bible-teachings-en","category-home-en"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/images-28.jpeg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/images-28.jpeg","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/feed\/podcast\/wingu-la-mashahidi","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"T7xDm9AEHt\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2024\/04\/27\/how-do-you-know-if-your-understanding-has-been-taken-captive\/\">HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR UNDERSTANDING HAS BEEN TAKEN CAPTIVE?<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2024\/04\/27\/how-do-you-know-if-your-understanding-has-been-taken-captive\/embed\/#?secret=T7xDm9AEHt\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR UNDERSTANDING HAS BEEN TAKEN CAPTIVE?&#8221; &#8212; Wingu la Mashahidi\" data-secret=\"T7xDm9AEHt\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! 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