"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

One of Adolf Hitler’s more famous sayings is: “If you tell a lie often enough, and loud enough, people will believe it.”

And, often, our spiritual enemy tries to use this very trick on us.

Imaginations, as defined in the dictionary, is the formation of a mental image of something that is neither perceived as real nor present to the senses. It is an unrealistic idea or notion; a fancy. A plan or a scheme.

It came on so very slowly, I’m really not sure when it began. I was just disgruntled with being a mom. It wasn’t fun anymore. The joy was gone, replaced by a sense of failure and a desire to succeed at anything outside the home.

Put the children in school. Be a career woman. Be a somebody – as if motherhood is for wimps and “nobodies.”

I plodded through the homeschooling days. No joy, but doing the work nonetheless, committed to being home. In my mind I knew this was a wonderful calling, that I was doing a great work, that my time investment counted, and my occupation was worthy.

But, the accusations and lies persisted. No joy. Do it anyway. You’re not doing well. So, I’ll persist in a poor quality job. You’re doomed to failure. Probably, but I’ve committed to staying home to raise and teach the children.

One day, one of our older children came to me and said, “Mom, thank you so much for spending your time teaching us. We’d never have made it so far without you.”

I was floored, astonished. My mind whirled with questions. Am I really doing an okay job? Are the children really turning out all right?

At that moment, I recognized the enemy’s voice, and realized I had been believing – not just one lie, but many lies. The foundation was an imagination – something in my mind, which wasn’t true – and my mind had allowed a larger plan of the enemy to discourage me. My failure was an unrealistic notion.

My heart thrilled with the question, “And just how far could I go if I believed this venture was a success?”

So, I followed the biblical example and cast down the imagination. I just tossed out this image which had exalted itself against God’s plan for me. And I replaced it with this new image: me enjoying my calling. The children doing well in life – for indeed they were. Contentment and joy. Success in fulfilling my mission in life.

So, I pose the question, What has the enemy stolen from you? What image is he trying to foist upon you, to steal the joy in finding God’s best and success for your life?

Let’s reclaim the joy. Challenge the lies in our minds. Declare war on the father of lies. Cast down those wrong images, and let’s raise up the vision God has for us.

Mark & Kym Wright have homeschooled since the mid-80s. They have 8 children, having graduated 4. Kym pens the “Learn and Do” unit studies. You can visit her website at: www.Learn-and-Do.com. First published in Weekly Wakeup with Kym Wright, a free e-Couragement for moms. Subscribe to The Mother’s Heart magazine, a premium online publication for mothers with hearts in their homes, published by Kym.