 Okay, let's start by reading Samharadant 3 which says, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Who forgives all your inequities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. So Samharadant is saying, Bless the Lord, O my soul, you know, he's saying everything that is within me, bless His holy name. Another verse is Psalm 34 and verse 1, I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear of it and be glad. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord. Bless the Lord, O my soul, right? And no matter what season, no matter what is happening, says I will bless the Lord. And that I will is so very important because it's a choice, it's a decision which involves our thinking, which involves our mind. And rightfully he says, my soul will make its boast in the Lord. Right after he says, you know, I will bless the Lord at all times. He says, my soul will make its boast in the Lord. So also for us, even as we read through, we see that, you know, out of our emotions, we bless the Lord as well. And also despite our emotions, you know, says bless the Lord, O my soul. And of course, the soul realm, it might be going through ups and downs. So Psalm 34 declares, I will bless the Lord at all times. And then he says, my soul will boast in the Lord, which means that there could be other things in the soul which try to boast, but my soul will boast in the Lord. My soul will magnify, lift up and make big things of the Lord. And so just wanted to remind us of that, that we bless the Lord when we have, you know, we have ample opportunities to bless and praise and give thanks and maybe do that with our soul, with our emotions and thoughts and everything. And maybe also make a conscious choice to bless the Lord. Amen. So why don't we, why don't we just pray right now and take some time to just bless the Lord, right, praise him, talk to him, thank him, magnify his name and magnify his truth above everything else, right? So let's do that. Father, we bless your name. We bless your name, we lift up your name, we magnify your name above everything else, Lord. Yes, Lord, we declare that you are the highest one, that there is no one higher. Lord, your word is the truth and there is nothing, no other substitute, Lord. Lord, we do declare that you are the way, the truth and the life and Lord, we thank you for that exclusive claim, oh God, there can be nothing else, oh God, that is the way, the truth and the life. Yes, Lord, we praise you, we bless your name, we give you thanks, Father God and Lord, no matter what season we could be, Lord, no matter what kind of phase we could be, Lord, we are going through, oh God. Lord, we, as Osama says, we choose to bless, I will bless the Lord at all times. Yes, Lord, we give up, we make that decision, God, and we say, I will bless, we will bless and Lord, even as we do that, we realize that we are proclaiming the truth of Father God. We are, Lord, bringing down every lie of the enemy, we are proclaiming the truth, oh God. Yes, Father God, we bless your name, we bless your name, we bless your name today, God. Oh God, we lift up your name, Father God. Your praise will continually be in our lips, oh God. Your praise will continually be in our lips, oh Father God. We thank you, that you are the one who heals all, oh God, our diseases, you're the one who forgives all our inequities, oh Master. We thank you, Father God, you fill us with good things, oh God, fill us with good things. Yes, Master, we thank you, we bless your name, we are so glad that you are in our lives, Father God. We are so glad that, Lord, your presence makes a difference, your word and your spirit, oh God, empowers us today, God, and glences us, washes us, refreshes us, Lord, and yes, Master, we thank you, we can do this today. We lift your name, we give you all the praise and glory, and Jesus matched his name, we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. We've been studying about staying whole, right? We've been looking at how we can stay in that place of wholeness, inner wholeness, and it's not something very difficult, it's not something, you know, it's not something impossible, right? And we have this, these scriptures, we have these principles and guidelines because it is possible and the Word of God declares so, right? So we look at, we looked at three things, last class, and we, we're looking at the fourth one in order to stay emotionally whole, which is to practice the power of forgiveness, okay? Now forgiveness, we know, it blesses the other person and as we see, forgiveness also releases us, does something deep within us, which sometimes we underestimate, right? Forgiveness releases us, forgiveness frees us, and forgiveness, when we forgive someone, we are also submitting to God, right? What we see in the book of James and it says, submit to God, resists the devil. You know, some of the things, some of the stubborn things in our lives, some of the things that recurring things in our lives, you know, could be because of unforgiveness, right? Says, submit to God, resists the devil, and he will flee from you. So when we submit, when we forgive, sorry, we are actually submitting to God, we are bringing ourselves under the authority of God and we are releasing, you know, we are releasing ourselves from the prison of unforgiveness, we are releasing ourselves from the prison of bitterness. So forgiving others, even as God in Christ forgives or forgave, Ephesians 4 talks about that, God in Christ forgave. So that is the example, that's the model for us, okay? And, you know, as we, as born-again believers, as we are renewing our mind slowly, you know, we are being, we are being transformed into Christ-likeness, you know, we are being changed from one level of glory to another level of glory, right? And we are being transformed into His likeness and this is another area which, which needs transformation, another area which needs transformation because it's, it's easy to talk about it, but we know that, you know, it is, it is something that our minds need to be renewed to, in order to practice, in order to say that, yes, Lord, you know, this is what it is, I, I release forgiveness, I refuse to hold on to my right to unforgiveness, right? And like we said earlier, forgiveness does not mean that we agree and, you know, we condone whatever that person has done, okay? Whatever, ill will the person or ill act, you know, whatever the person has done, said towards us, we're not, we're not saying that that is right, right? But all that we are saying is that we are forgiving, even though that person has done this, we are forgiving. We're not saying that person is correct in, in doing that and that's one of the main things that, that prevents us from forgiving, you know. If I forgive, that means that everything is fine, if I forgive, that means that I'm, I'm saying okay to all that the person, other person said or did, right? And that person is justified in doing it, the truth is far from it, right? Because when the Lord forgave us, this does not mean that what in his eyes that whatever we did was correct, it's just that he is releasing us from the consequence of it, right? He is like, that is what the cross declares over us, right? But in human terms, when we forgive, the other person will, will probably go through the consequence of their action, I don't know if it's something to do with justice, something to do with, you know, any other, for the cause of justice that needs to be done, the person will go through it, but then we have forgiven, right? We are saying that no more are we holding this against the other person, okay? Efficiency 4, 32, or 31 and 32. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice or evil intent, okay? So the list is bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour which is loud quarreling and evil speaking, let it be put away from you. Now all this, the root of that is offence, right? The root of all this bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour is offence, that our pride is hurt and there is, you know, we are holding on to that, the memory of that and therefore that root gives rise to all these things. The fruit of that is, you know, the manifestation of bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and everything. So Paul's exhortation is, let it be put away from you, like let it be put away from you and be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ, forgive you, okay? So we need to do this, when we do this, we are being made whole emotionally. We are being freed in our, in our realm of our soul, right? And all these negative emotions which drain us, which drain the, you know, drain us from walking confidently, which drain us from walking with joy and peace. Now all these negative emotions, we actually put an end to it, we kill it, right? In other words, we are crucifying the flesh because the flesh wants to be bitter, right? The flesh is just asking permission, or sometimes it's, it's, it's just, it's not even asking permission. The flesh is just saying, okay, just I want to do this. Okay, just let me add this. I want to do this and I want to carry this act, right? The flesh wants to, flesh is just screaming literally, but we need to put away with all evil intent, along with all evil intent, or revenge maybe, we need to put that away. And be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving. Be kind, tenderhearted, and forgive. Every time we forgive, we are made whole. And, and the thing is this, every time we forgive, the hook that the enemy has in our lives, right? That, that space that the enemy has to create a further bigger opening or a dwelling place, we are actually closing that. We are denying the enemy the space. We are denying the enemy the foothold in order to step into our lives. We are completely denying. So it actually does a lot of good for us when we, if we, when we choose to forgive and when we, when we actually forgive the person, right? So, so these four things are very important for us to stay emotionally whole. Okay. Any questions? Any practical aspects? Any questions before we move on to the next one? Any questions? Okay. Feel free to put it on the chat. Yes, Jafina. I have a question. So let's say you are forgiving someone, but then there are moments that you still remember those things. So does it mean like you still didn't forgive them? Like if you see that person, you may still remember those things. So sometimes I wonder whether I really forgive. Gave of the heart, yeah. Yeah, so how we will know like you really forgive. Yeah, yeah. So the thing is, you know, forgiveness is, is a continuous thing in the sense we, in an instant, okay, okay, this is how it starts, you know. It need not be so, but I'm just, just, you know, putting forth a natural process, you know, how it could actually work out. You know, it's okay, we choose, right? We come to a, we are so deeply hurt that emotionally we are unable to forgive. Okay. We are absolutely not able to forgive, but then we make a choice. We make a decision. You know, just like the Psalm is saying, Sam 34, Sam 34, I will, right, bless at all times. Okay, the times are bad. Emotionally we are down. We are not able to come to a place of, you know, even saying I forgive you or I forgive this person. But then we make a choice. What do we make the choice on based on, how do we make the choice based on the truth of God's word? Well, this is what God says, Ephesians 432, that I need to forgive the way God in Christ forgave. So that is a standard. So he forgave me even before, even when I was an enemy of the cross. So I'm going to step in and forgive. So we forgive, we make the choice, the decision, and we forgive. So emotionally we may not feel anything. We may not feel as if we are forgiven, but we are making that choice. But when we make that decision, that God enables us, God really enables us. He gives us the ability when we say, okay, God, I am willing. Just want to share, Philippians 2 and verse 13 says, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to do for his good pleasure. That's Philippians chapter 2 and verse 13. It is God who works in you. So God, we are giving actually that permission when we say, okay, God, this is what you're saying, this is what you're doing. So he works in us both to will and to do. So our will becomes stronger, that I will, I choose to, that becomes stronger, that decision-making capacity becomes stronger. So we have to do for his good pleasure. So God works in us, the Holy Spirit works in us. So we come to that place of forgiving, we say, okay, I've released forgiveness and the Holy Spirit actually, there's a deep cleansing, there's a sense of deep release and relief, a sense of God's peace, all that we experience in that moment came. So and even as we persist in forgiving, God even pours out a sense of love, his love, his agape, in our hearts. And Romans 5.5 talks about that, the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. We already have it and God pours more of it and that love finds an expression where all trace of unforgiveness dissipates or disappears. And in that place, we are able to show being tenderhearted or kindness towards that person. Okay, so that's part A or scene one. Okay, then what would happen is as we move from that, we are praising, worshiping, thanking God and then as we move from that place and get on to journeying on, what could possibly happen is certain events, certain places, certain events, certain conversations, it could be anything that could trigger these events or memory of these events. Like somebody says something, it triggers the memory of that. Like for example, when I think of this chocolate perk, it triggers a memory where someone said something to me, it was at the end of a church camp and it was the conversation was around that perk. So it triggers a memory and it was not a pleasant conversation because it was around that we were having that and it was around that. So it triggers a memory. But the fact is that these memories would come because our mind is capable of remembering the mind in this detail. So we remember and for some people we remember more and we don't. So I'll just mute here. Okay, done. So we remember that. So what happens is with that remembrance of that event also floods in the memory, floods in the emotions. That is quite possible because especially if the hurt is deep. So that doesn't mean that you did not forgive from your heart. But with that memory comes, memory of that event floods in those emotions of that event. And then you feel the pain, you feel the dagger, you feel that injustice. But at that moment, the right thing to do is to say, that is under the blood. I have made the choice and I have committed to God and I have released forgiveness. That is under the blood. I'm not going to harbor this anymore. So that's a choice. That's a decision that we make. We renew our mind to the truth. We renew our mind to this truth that I have forgiven. I have forgiven as God and Christ forgive me. I have forgiven. I have forgiven others the way Christ has forgiven me. So we do that. And this might happen a few times. It could happen a few times, but we deny ourselves the right to harbor, to meditate on our pain. We deny ourselves the right to go over that over and over again and say, that is done. Yes, that is done. And maybe another time also we could just bless. With the Lord Jesus says, bless those who curse you and then pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. So we release a blessing of God. I release blessing. And then emotionally also you come to a place of being stable and strong saying, okay, you don't feel that anymore. So over a period of time, you always remember the event. You always remember what happened. But the pain of it, the emotions behind it, that dissipates. We get healed. We receive healing. That shame of that event, the scar of it remains, that points to the thing. But then sometimes the Lord heals even the healing is so powerful that even the scar, it becomes a testimony. So that's how it is. So it's not that you have not forgiven. You remember that you did make a choice. You did consciously, out of your heart you forgive. But you are alert now. And you always go back to the truth and saying, this is what I did. Does that help? Jeffina, does that help? Any other further questions? Yes, Pastor Jeff. So let's move on to the next one. If there are no other questions, I think this is a major challenge. You remember the good, you remember the bad. So that's the thing. So we need to forgive the others. And also forgiving one's self is also a very important aspect of it. Releasing forgiveness over ourselves is one way. It's not like it's not narcissistic. It's not glorifying the self. No, it's when the Lord forgives us, we have no right to hold something against ourselves. We have no right to punish ourselves for something that the Lord has already forgiven. He is faithful and just to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. So when he has cleansed, when he is forgiven, who am I to hold that hurt and say, no, no, no, I will hold on to this and I will punish myself because I'm still not worthy of his forgiveness or whatever. Lord counted you worthy. And that's why he went to the cross. So forgiving oneself, forgiving ourselves is also an important aspect of staying emotionally whole. Because many times we are walking, limping emotionally because we have not forgiven ourselves. What whom the Lord has forgiven, we have not forgiven, which is our self. So we need to do that. Okay, let's move on to the next topic, which is conquest of the mind. Okay, so we've probably studied this and you can also download Conquest of the Mind, the book with the same title from our website. I'll just also put it on the resource section, but you can just download that. So we'll be looking at the other aspect of things happening in our mind and how our mind can be conquered. Many times we think that these thoughts just come. These thoughts just come and I just run with it. These thoughts come and I find myself doing certain things as suggested by these thoughts. So I'm a slave to these thoughts. But the fact is that the Lord has raised us up as new creations. The Lord has raised us up to that position and place of authority where we can discard the thoughts that we don't want to. And we don't have to entertain all kinds of thoughts in our minds. So does that mean that will limit our creativity? Does that mean that limit our ability to analyze and solve things? Well, not really, because that is what the world would have us think. That's a lie of the enemy. To be creative, that I have to be somehow perverted in my thinking. To be analytical, I need to somehow think immorally as well. Well, not really. Because look at God. Look at the Lord Jesus. And if you look at creation, the amazing amount of detail and creativity has come from Him, flows from God. And when we know that His nature is holy and it is righteous, then there's no unrighteousness in Him. It's infinitely holy. So creativity flows from Him. Wisdom of the highest order, knowledge and understanding. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge and understanding. It flows from Him. So this wisdom, knowledge and understanding is from heaven. And it is not selfish. It is not fleshly, because where fleshly ambition or selfish ambition is there then it opens the door to all kinds of evil. But this is holy. So we see that, well, we see that example in God that the thoughts that He has for us, good thoughts, pure thoughts, holy thoughts, and this very nature is holy. And we see that He's infinitely creative. We see that His wisdom flows from Him. So also it is possible for us to have clarity in our thinking to be as creative as God has created us to be and not say, I need to be twisted or perverted in my thoughts and thinking. So having said that, our mind, there is a battle for our mind. There is a battle for our mind. There's a battle that's happening. There's a spiritual battle. And that battle is to capture our thinking. There was a saying earlier, He who has your mind has you. Listen to all the advertising agencies. They use the analogy, in your mind there is a chair and whoever sits on that chair has you. Whichever product is sitting on that chair, the minute you think about, let's say, breakfast cereal, for most of us, Kellogg's is what comes, is in our mind. So which means that company has actually succeeded in sitting on that chair. If you're thinking of soft drinks and immediately if you're thinking of either Pepsi or Coca-Cola or Pepsi or Coke, well these soft beverage giants have actually made there as successful in putting that on the chair in your mind, in your thoughts. So your buying decision is actually ruled by what's there in your thoughts, what's predominantly there in your mind, in your thoughts. So therefore, if you see, look at the products and services and goods and services which are offered, all kinds of advertisements, all kinds of visuals, ideas, invitations, and in all kinds of media, whether it's billboard, whether it's print, whether it's electronic and social media and all that, there's all kinds of information that we bombarded with literally to stir up our emotions in order to do certain things. Buy this, go to this place, have this, experience this, all kinds of things. So we need to, it can be used for good and it can be used for evil. And the prince of the power of the air, literally the air waves, uses it to entrap, uses it to ensnare a human being so that even though we might be born again, but in this area of our minds, if we are not renewed, if we are not thinking right, we will live a very carnal, fleshly life, which is far, far lower than what God intends for us. And we know, we've read in the Romans, we see that to be carnal minded is death, to be carnal mind, a carnal mind is an enemy of God, is unable to do the things that God wants to do, it's the enemy of God. So let's start by looking at this whole process of temptation, the way these thoughts come and the way, what happens from the thought level to the action, from the thought to when we act on that thought, act on that idea, what is it happens. And we see this in James chapter one, James chapter one was 13 to 16 says, let no one save any stunted untempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then when desires conceived, it gives birth to sin and sin when it is full grown, brings forth death, do not be deceived by beloved brethren. So we see a process that is laid out there, we are tempted when we are drawn away. And how are we drawn away by our own desires? So we have these thoughts, we have these desires brewing inside of us, maybe we entertain those desires. So there are good desires, there are bad desires, there are good desires, which can be satisfied in bad ways or inappropriate ways. And there are bad desires leading to bad action. So each one is tempted when he's drawn away by these desires, it's our own desires. And what do these desires lead us to, draw us to, to be enticed? And the word used there is a snare, a scan, I think it's candelion, a scan, scandal on in the Greek, which means a snare, a trap, a trap which is typically used to trap an animal. So here in this case, it's just a desire, it's just a thought, but it's a powerful trap. It's in snares, in snares of person, to, to kind of zoom in, to narrow in to that particular act, okay, to action, behavior, but it's, we are drawn away by this desire and snare. And then verse 15, when desire has conceived, then it talks about, is using the picture of, of human reproduction, right, saying this conception, there's birth and saying when the desire has conceived, then it gives birth to sin. So desire, this conception, so which means there is a process there, there is maybe constant thought and meditation on it and further desiring it. So when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. And sin, when it is full grown, which means it's revisited, maybe multiple times or sin, when it is full grown, it becomes part of you, it becomes your lifestyle, you become, you know, as a believer, we're talking about as believers, we become prone to it, our will is so weakened that we are not saying no to it. Instead of fighting it, we are just going surrendering ourselves to it, sin when it is full grown brings forth death. Okay, so do not be deceived, my beloved children. So, so God's warning is this that, you know, this is the process you're drawn away by your desire. So how important it is to be aware, to be mindful of the kind of thoughts that flow in our minds, right? So the kind of thoughts that flow and what really causes those thoughts to flow. Okay, that's the bigger, that's the, that's a real thing, right? What is it that influences my thinking? We are influenced by what we read, maybe we are influenced by what we hear, we are influenced by what we see, okay? So, so we need to be careful, we need to be discerning and because it has the ability to stir up our desires and our desires have the ability to draw us away, you are drawn away from what we are actually some good things that we are doing, we are drawn away and we are ensnared and there is a whole process of sin, revisiting, sin becoming a lifestyle, sin becoming a pattern and that leading us away from the destiny that God asked for us, bringing forth death. Okay, so Hebrews puts it like this, Hebrews chapter three, I think it says that do not be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Okay, exhort one another daily while it is day and do not be hardened. Let me just read that verse. Yeah, Hebrews three and verse 13, exhort one another daily while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. So sin has this deceit, this characteristic of being deceitful, of cheating, where we justify, we reason, we justify, we say it is okay and we sometimes think, oh, there was one person who was actually justifying, justifying adultery by saying, oh, this is a gift from God. There was a person, well, not a believer, no, very much a believer. So sin has this capacity to really dull our reasoning and to deceive us. So we need to be mindful, we can start as a thought and lead to death. And so we need to be mindful of that. Okay, so the exhortation is when we read second Corinthians 10 verses three and three to five, but though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. So Paul is referring to warfare and saying that this has a lot to do with what's going on in your mind, what's going on in the realm of your thoughts. There are words that are used strongholds, arguments, imaginations, things that are in the mind. Okay, so where are we looking at it? We are saying that, okay, our mind is a battlefield and the battles are won and lost in our mind, in our thoughts, battles are won and lost. So we better be alert, aware of the battle that's going on and be aware that this is what is intended for us, that we are created, designed to win these battles, that we've been giving resources to win these battles in the mind. So winning this battle should be our lifestyle. The battle in the mind, winning the battle in the mind should be our lifestyle, should be our privilege as a child of God. But it does not happen automatically. We need to know what are these resources that we have been given. Okay, so one of the things that we need to understand is that thoughts need to be taken captive. The thoughts need to be taken as prisoners. So I don't know if you know that famous song by Pink Floyd, we don't need no education. It's called Brick in the Wall. And it has these lyrics, you know, we don't need no education. We don't want no, we don't need no education. The second line is we don't need no thought control. Okay, so it's saying, I don't need you to tell me that this is what I need to think and this is what I should not think. I want to be a free person. I'm completely free and I want to think whatever I want to think. Well, the truth is that if you think whatever you want to think, then you're going to end up acting whatever is based on the thought. So the exaltation is that thoughts should be taken captive. But the question is this, can thoughts be taken captive? We seem so powerless against the kind of thoughts that come, against the thoughts that hit us. Can thoughts be taken captive? Okay, let's look, let's go through these verses again. Second Corinthians 10 and verse three, for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. He's talking about spiritual warfare, which involves mind, which involves thoughts. So he's saying though we walk in the flesh, which means that we are human beings, we walk in the flesh. Okay, so we are flesh and blood, we walk in the flesh. And then he says we do not war according to the flesh. So which means that though we are walking as human beings, we do not fight the war that we have, the war that we are indulging in is not something that we would fight according to the flesh, according, aligning ourselves, agreeing, being in agreement with the ways of the flesh. Verse four, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal or not fleshly. These weapons are, which means these are not carnal, which means these are spiritual. Mighty in God, powerful, mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, for casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Okay, so we continue with the same thought for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God, mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, mighty in God for casting down arguments, mighty in God for casting down every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. It is mighty in God for bringing every thought into captivity. So there we have it, the weapons of our warfare are mighty in God. They're not fleshly, they're spiritual weapons. So they're mighty in God for bringing into captivity, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. So it's not a mind over matter kind of a thing, mental gymnastics, but it's an act of war, but it's with the resources, with the weapons that God gives us, these are spiritual weapons. And some of these weapons, when we look at it, we see that it's so simple and yet so very powerful. So a stronghold, what is a stronghold? A stronghold is a fortress, right? It's the weapons are mighty for pulling down strongholds. So, you know, stronghold and obviously the whole realm that he's talking about is something in the mind, right? Arguments, every high thing or imagination, bringing every thought. So he's talking about anything, everything to do with the mind. And it's a spiritual battle, right? So a stronghold is something, a fortress, something like a fort, right? A strong place, something that is, something that is entrenched in the mind. And praise God, the weapons of our warfare are mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. And sometimes we think, you know, this one particular person I'm not able to forgive, or this one particular thing I'm not able to overcome. Why? Because it is a stronghold. And there's no chapter in words, but somebody put it like this, that a stronghold is a house or a fortress, which is built with thoughts and arguments and reasonings and imaginations, right? Which is, I think, you know, practically, when you look at it, it makes sense because a stronghold is in the mind and it's built with thoughts, it is built with reasonings, it is built with imaginations, it is built with emotions, right? So there is a thought there and there's a reasoning. Why that thought should be there. And there's a very strong reason why you don't want to forgive, right? And it's got memories and it's got reasonings, very strong logic, arguments why that person does not deserve forgiveness. And everyone else I'm able to forgive, but that's a stronghold in the mind that I'm not able to forgive. I don't want to forgive. And there are strong emotions which are linked to it, right? So memory, emotion, imagination, emotion, thoughts, it's logic and reasoning, it's like, you know, an advocate who's just giving all those logic reasoning why we should not, right, extend forgiveness, why we should not extend. So it's like a stronghold in the mind. But this can be brought down, casting down arguments, very strong arguments for certain actions, justifying maybe, this is who I am, this is how I am built, and this is how I am, right? So don't try to change me. Don't try to tell me anything. This is how I am. Strong reasonings, arguments, and every high thing that exalts it. So you see that all these things are exalting itself or exalting themselves, these arguments, these reasoning, against the knowledge of God, okay? So the knowledge of God, meaning what God, who God is, what he has said and, you know, what he is saying about that particular situation, about that particular behavior, this exalts itself and says, I know God says, but, right, it's like how the serpent asked, did God really say that? That you will die? Did God really say that? And that questioning and trying to exalt above the knowledge of God, and, well, surely you will not die exalting against the knowledge of God, above the knowledge of God, right? So everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, okay? So we see that we had to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. We can and we ought to cast down, which means demolish, bring down arguments, imaginations, reasonings, proud opinions, anything that is contrary to the knowledge of God and to pull down every strongholds, okay? So we do this with the weapons that God gives us. These are not, like we say, we're not psyching ourselves, you know, we're not, as we say, you know, affirmations on some of these words which are used in social media and everything, you know, like cutting off God, God is not in the picture, a word of God is not in the picture, and I'm saying that, okay, these are affirmations that you affirm and being mindful and all that, you know? Well, the weapon is the word of God, okay? So it's not a psychological thing, it's the word of God. We do what we need to do the way the Lord Jesus did when he resisted those temptations, when he resisted those suggestions that came from the enemy. What did he turn to? Whom did he turn to? He turned to what God had spoken, and he said, you know, it is written. He resisted the enemy by submitting to God, he resisted the enemy by going back to what God had spoken, right? It is written, right? So here was his invitation, here was the suggestion, but he countered that with the word of God. Efficient six, and when we read about the weapons of warfare, the spiritual armor, verse 17 talks about the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, the sword of the Spirit, and the word of God, the word used there is Reema, which is the quickened word of God. Okay, the word God quickens his word to us, he highlights that word, makes it personal to us, and that quickened word becomes the sword in our mouth. Okay, we wield the sword of God. We use it in our, in our thoughts, we replace certain suggestions with that Reema word of God, tell ourselves, no, no, this is what God says. And we declare, we confess the word, because it's a word that can be spoken. It's a word that can be thought or meditated upon. It's a word that can be proclaimed, declared, right? We counter it with the word of God. That is why the Reema word of God is a sword of the Spirit, sword, which is given to us by the Spirit to wield in times of battle, right? Okay, so we'll stop here, and then we'll continue in our next class. Bye. Okay, thank you. God bless. Have a great weekend. Bye-bye. Thank you, Pastor. Bye. See you. Bye-bye.