OVERCOME STRONGHOLDS IN THE MIND (1)

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” – 2 Corinthians 10:4

In exercising Dominion over the Devil, God’s Word equips the Believer in Christ to OVERCOME STRONGHOLDS in the MIND: “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, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled” (2Cor.10: 4-6). In this chapter, Paul the Apostle responded to his critics in the Corinth church who claimed that his letters were weighty and strong, but in person, he was weak, and his speech was of no account (v.10). He responded, but not by trading boasts with the false prophets who were foolishly measuring and comparing themselves against one another (v.12).

Paul used the attacks to show the church that his battle – the Believer’s battle – was different. It is a spiritual battle for the truth about God and the gospel to be made known; one that is fought with spiritual weapons that take thoughts captive, cast down false arguments and have divine power to destroy strongholds. Paul didn’t deny his human weakness: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh” (v.3). Though he lived bodily in the flesh, his heart and affections were set on God; on things above and not the things on earth, such as worldly philosophies, wealth, popularity, pleasure, and possessions (Col.3:2). His battle aim was to destroy arguments and ideologies that kept people chained to the flesh and the things of this world. His accusers were doing this very thing. Their hearts were set on the world.

Paul affirmed that the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, not of fighting and trying to outdo each other in worldly standards, but having divine power to destroy strongholds. That’s why his speech and preaching “were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1Cor.2:4). God’s divine Power in His Word and by His Spirit can destroy satanic strongholds. Likewise, when we encounter the enemy and are met with persecution, opposition, slander, false accusations, or ridicule, we can use the Shield of faith to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one and the Sword of the Spirit – the Word – to drive him away (Eph.6: 16-17).

Ours is an age of angry atheism; not simply a casual and indifferent disregard for the existence of God but a militant opposition to all that is of God! What should be the Believer’s response, if any? Do we simply ignore them, confident that in time they will fade away as have other past sceptics? God wants us to be proactive in exposing and confronting falsehood, taking evil thoughts captive, and punishing disobedience. Jeremiah 23:29 describes the Word of God “like fire” and “like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces.” The Fire of the Word consumes evil in and purifies hearts; the hammer of the Word shatters the strongholds of sin, stubbornness, worldly knowledge, and pride; it destroys all arguments of false philosophy and reasonings that contradict the gospel!

Though we are in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. Our chief weapons are the Word and the Power of the Holy Spirit in us. These weapons can destroy "strongholds" or "fortresses" of arguments or speculations – worldly and sinful thought patterns and mental structures by which people live in rebellion against God (Rom.1:21; 2Cor.4:4); and lofty opinions raised against the knowledge of God. The ultimate aim is to take every thought captive to obey Christ. This depicts a military expedition into enemy territory, one that’s so effective that every plan of the enemy is thwarted, every scheme foiled, every counter-offensive beaten! By the Word and the Spirit, we can destroy every arrogant argument, human philosophy, and human wisdom, taking every thought captive to obey Christ until obedience is complete in Him. Amen.