Love the Lord with all your mind -- what does that really mean? Love is not a feeling but a choice of action. When thoughts of selfishness, self-indulgence, lust, fear, pride, resentment, self-pity and whatever else, attack the mind like an overwhelming flood, part, at least, of "loving with the mind" is:
(2 Corinthians 10:5) - lead every thought and purpose away captive unto obedience to Jesus Christ.
Sometimes the soldiers in a conquering regiment will be ordered to take no captives. That means corpses instead of captives. When they do take prisoners as captives, the prisoners don't willingly co-operate. Therefore, they have to be led away, away from their preferred inclinations.
They have to be forced, led and made to obey, to walk in a certain direction toward a specific
destination.
God doesn't tell us to kill our thoughts. He wants to transform our lives by the renewing of our minds. So He tells us to take prisoners; to take every thought as a captive. The thoughts won't always be willing to co-operate. There are easier, more indulgent paths for them to meander along without effort. But they can be captured and led in the right way, away from their natural inclinations and made to be our servants rather than our masters. Evil thoughts are not sin; it's the only way Satan can tempt us. But once the temptation is recognized and evaluated, we realize that it's warfare! With thankfulness for our minds, we must forcibly take the thoughts captive. This is at least a part of loving God with our minds. It doesn't depend on feelings because love is not a feeling but a choice of action which gives sovereign preference to Another. The wonderful mind God has created and given, is under enemy control when it is used to grieve the Lord. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) Imaginations include fears, doubts and other thoughts which are not substantiated by God's Word. We bring our thoughts into captivity by weighing every idea with the truth of Scripture. Wrong thoughts, sinful thoughts, confused thoughts, firmly entrenched thoughts and habitual thought patterns can be corrected in the light of Bible truth and stability. Every lie must be confronted by TRUTH and conquered. (Isaiah 28:17,John 3:21) When TRUTH brings everything out into the Light and the refuge of lies is swept away, there is no place left for Satan to hide. When thought patterns rebel, resist capture and offer tempting bribes for just a little relaxing of discipline, we must recognize that undercover agents, among those who should be prisoners, are plotting to make us victims, who should be victors!
Father, let my continual love-offering to the Triune God be loving You with all my mind. In glad co-operation with the Holy Spirit, let me see my life being transformed by the renewing of my mind and I will be filled with gratitude and joy.