"NO ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE!!"

Colossians 2:6-9                        (ESV)

"6 Therefore, as you received CHRIST JESUS the LORD, so walk in HIM,

7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

8 See to it that "NO ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE" by philosophy and empty deceit, according to "human tradition", according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to CHRIST.

9 For in HIM the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,"

The world of espionage has intrigued many people in the past.  Somebody makes themselves out to be friendly to a certain cause while assisting the enemy of said cause.  The DECEIVER (also known as a SPY) usually isn't committed to the cause and is sometimes persuaded to switch to the side they were opposing to begin with!   The consequences are usually pretty grim if they are caught!

Mankind was created in GOD's likeness (Genesis 1:26-27).  Man became "flesh" in Genesis 2:7 when GOD "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life"!  So man's Spirit was created before his body.  For many years I was of the understanding that man (the body) was created before man (the Spirit).  In John 4:24 JESUS says "GOD is Spirit".  Our Spirit is therefore what is most important.  JESUS said in Matthew 10:28 "And do not fear those who KILL the BODY but cannot KILL the SOUL. Rather fear him who can destroy both SOUL and BODY in HELL."

The "great deceiver" has always been about making things appear to be what they are not.  When scripture records that we should make sure "NO ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE", it is not referring to being physically imprisoned.  The Apostles spent many days physically imprisoned because of their belief that JESUS CHRIST was GOD in the flesh, and that HE would return one day!  But they knew their Spirit's were in CHRIST JESUS and could not be taken!

We don't need to be DECEIVED by the enemy into focusing on the natural, but we need to set "our sights on things above" (Colossians 3:2).  Many times have I witnessed on film a lion being DECEIVED into thinking he had some food, only to be trapped by a human. The lion could have torn the human to shreds, but the lion allowed himself to be TAKEN CAPTIVE!  While we focus on the natural, the enemy is spiritually wreaking havoc in our lives!  Please, keep your Spiritual "sights on things above" and make certain "NO ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE"!!