“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)
First, “We do not wage war as the world does.”
How does the world wage war? It wages war with weapons that kill and destroy, whether it be clubs, arrows, swords, rifles, bombs, missiles, starvation, chemical, biological, or atomic weapons. In the history of war there has been pillaging, looting, raping, torture, murder, and prostitution. Motives in secular war include envy, covetousness, pride, glory, fear, vengeance, patriotism, anger, hatred, and defense of our home country. There may be legitimate objectives, but much of the practice of war is as just mentioned, carnal.
Second, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.”
What are the weapons we fight with? Here are a few:
1. The blood of Christ. (Rev 12:11)
2. The name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:16)
3. The Holy Spirit:
-In prayer (Eph. 6:18)
-In preaching (Acts 4:8)
-In love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22, 23)
4. Our testimony (Rev. 12:11)
5. Our own physical death (Rev. 12:11)
6. The Word of God (Romans 10:17)
7. Faith (1 John 5:4)
8. Humility (Eph. 4:2)
9. Divine Power (2 Peter 1:3)
Notice the difference in the weapons. You can see out weapons are not carnal. They are very different. The motives are different too. They are opposite to the motives in the physical war.
Third, “On the contrary, they have divine power to DEMOLISH STRONGHOLDS.”
The strongholds are different. They are not walled cities. The world has an objective of taking the walled city. In the process, people are killed in order to capture the city. The stronghold in the spiritual war is the hold of Satan on the world of men. We DEMOLISH ARGUMENTS and every pretension that sets itself against the knowledge of God. The stronghold of Satan over men includes three things: 1) the sinful nature of man; 2) the lies (arguments and pretensions; and 3) the rebellion. We fight Satan to capture men. We do not fight men to take Satan, the stronghold. We are to take men alive using the weapons that work. If anyone dies in the enemy camp, it will be the direct work of God. If anyone dies in our army, that is okay; death is one of our weapons. The death is caused by the enemy. We see it in the death of Stephen.
"Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.” Acts 7:56-60 (NIV)
We see it also in Revelation 12:11 (NIV)
THEY overcame HIM by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
(Taken from Weapons & Tactics in Evangelism, part 4)
First, “We do not wage war as the world does.”
How does the world wage war? It wages war with weapons that kill and destroy, whether it be clubs, arrows, swords, rifles, bombs, missiles, starvation, chemical, biological, or atomic weapons. In the history of war there has been pillaging, looting, raping, torture, murder, and prostitution. Motives in secular war include envy, covetousness, pride, glory, fear, vengeance, patriotism, anger, hatred, and defense of our home country. There may be legitimate objectives, but much of the practice of war is as just mentioned, carnal.
Second, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.”
What are the weapons we fight with? Here are a few:
1. The blood of Christ. (Rev 12:11)
2. The name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:16)
3. The Holy Spirit:
-In prayer (Eph. 6:18)
-In preaching (Acts 4:8)
-In love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22, 23)
4. Our testimony (Rev. 12:11)
5. Our own physical death (Rev. 12:11)
6. The Word of God (Romans 10:17)
7. Faith (1 John 5:4)
8. Humility (Eph. 4:2)
9. Divine Power (2 Peter 1:3)
Notice the difference in the weapons. You can see out weapons are not carnal. They are very different. The motives are different too. They are opposite to the motives in the physical war.
Third, “On the contrary, they have divine power to DEMOLISH STRONGHOLDS.”
The strongholds are different. They are not walled cities. The world has an objective of taking the walled city. In the process, people are killed in order to capture the city. The stronghold in the spiritual war is the hold of Satan on the world of men. We DEMOLISH ARGUMENTS and every pretension that sets itself against the knowledge of God. The stronghold of Satan over men includes three things: 1) the sinful nature of man; 2) the lies (arguments and pretensions; and 3) the rebellion. We fight Satan to capture men. We do not fight men to take Satan, the stronghold. We are to take men alive using the weapons that work. If anyone dies in the enemy camp, it will be the direct work of God. If anyone dies in our army, that is okay; death is one of our weapons. The death is caused by the enemy. We see it in the death of Stephen.
"Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.” Acts 7:56-60 (NIV)
We see it also in Revelation 12:11 (NIV)
THEY overcame HIM by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
(Taken from Weapons & Tactics in Evangelism, part 4)
Comments