Why do we sometimes feel as if we are held captive and do things we don’t want to do?

The reason is we still live in fallen human flesh with its lust and sin. This will not change until we get our glorious new resurrection bodies. Satan is temporarily “the god of this world [Gk. aion, dispensational age]” (2 Cor 4:4). We are to be ambassadors Christ’s truth concerning “the gospel of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2):

“And you hath he quickened [made spiritually alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world [Gk. kosmos, fallen world arrangement], according to the [Satanic] prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” (Eph. 2:1-2)

We may ‘feel’ we are held captive, but it is our flesh battling against Christ within us:

“But I see another law in my [sin-laden body] members, warring against the [righteous] law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my [physical body] members.

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:23-24)

 “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned [subdued] sin in the flesh: Romans 8:3 (KJV)

Do you believe the truth of this verse?

“For the [operational] law of the Spirit of LIFE in Christ Jesus hath [already] made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2 (KJV)

Well then, Christ has already delivered us! In Christ, we died to sin with Christ when He died not only ‘for us’ but also ‘as us.’

“I am [currently] crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith [faithfulness] of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (KJV)

So, the Bible truth for today’s dispensational age of “the grace of God” is contrary to how we may ‘feel.’

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into [set into union with] Jesus Christ were baptized into his death [not into water]? ⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: ⁶ Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed [rendered of no effect], [so] that henceforth we should not serve sin. ⁷ For he that is dead [with Christ] is freed from sin [from Sin’s dominion].” Romans 6:3-7 (KJV)

We must believe the truth and not our fickle thoughts and ‘impulsive feelings.’ This will be a daily challenge to us as God’s representatives on earth. We must choose between “the lust of the flesh” and “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” indwelling our spirit (cf. 1Cor. 6:17).

“For the flesh [where Sin dwells] lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot [would not] do the things that ye would.”  (Gal.5:17)

Sometimes we may wonder, who is really trying to controlling our thoughts and actions; it is Satan with His firey darted (thoughts). He has no power but the “life.” Yet, we are responsible and need a renewed mindset, having Christ’s wisdom and the power to make wise choices. Daily bombardments from the sinful “mind of our flesh,” the world, and past habits, distort our thinking and then our behavior.

So, when assessing our personal study-prayer time, plan to reduce interruptions i.e. When your mind races with random thoughts that interrupt time with the Father, don’t just accept it. Practice getting off this road of such thinking to…  refocus on the truth of “the Word.” That is to be;

“Casting down [false] imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

In union with Christ and His mindset … we can do it.

Why do we sometimes feel as if we are held captive and do things we don’t want to do?

The reason is we still have the flesh, which has lust and sin. This will not change until we get our glorious new bodies. Satan is temporarily “the god of this world [Gk. aion, dispensational age]” (II Cor 4:4). We are to be ambassadors Christ’s truth concerning “the gospel of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2):

“And you hath he quickened [made spiritually alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” (Eph. 2:1-2)

We may ‘feel’ we are held captive, but it is our flesh battling Christ within us:

“But I see another law in my [sinful body] members, warring against the [righteous] law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:23-24)

 “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: Romans 8:3 (KJV)

Do you believe the truth of this verse?

“For the law of the [operational] Spirit of LIFE in Christ Jesus hath [already] made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2 (KJV)

Well then, Christ has already delivered us! In Christ, we died to sin when He died for us.

“I am [currently] crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith [faithfulness] of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (KJV)

So, the Bible truth for today’s dispensational age of “the grace of God” is contrary to how we may ‘feel.’

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into [set in union with] Jesus Christ were baptized into his death [not into water]? ⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: ⁶ Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed [rendered of no effect], [so] that henceforth we should not serve sin. ⁷ For he that is dead [with Christ] is freed from sin [from Sin’s dominion].” Romans 6:3-7 (KJV)

We must believe the truth and not our fickle thoughts and feelings. This will be a daily challenge to us as God’s representatives on earth. We must choose between “the lust of the flesh” and “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” indwelling our spirit (1Cor 6:17).

“For the flesh [where Sin dwells] lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”  (Gal.5:17)

Sometimes we may wonder, who is really trying to controlling our thoughts and actions; Satan is with His firey dart (thoughts). But we are responsible and need a renewed mindset, having Christ’s wisdom and the power to make wise choices. Daily bombardments from the sinful “mind of our flesh,” the world, and past habits, distort our thinking and then our behavior.

So, when assessing our personal study-prayer time, plan to reduce interruptions i.e. When your mind races with random thoughts that interrupt time with the Father, don’t just accept it. Practice getting off this road of thinking to…  refocus on the Word. That is “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;” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

In union with Christ’s mindset … we can do it.

See also: "He Led Captivity Captive" at https://artlicursi.com/articles/%E2%80%9Che-led-captivity-captive%E2%80%9D