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Warfare - II Cor. 10:3-5 |
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Have you ever considered that the Gospel is destructive? The gospel of Christ has the power to destroy strongholds and rebuild them again.
Ever since man’s fall there has been a conflict between truth and error, and of course between good and evil. There exists a battle between these two and we are in battleground. As a matter of fact this battleground exists within each of us.
The warfare is a fierce one. The conflict is not a material one, it is spiritual, and only spiritual weapons and not carnal can bring success. This war is as old as man. Historically men have tried to use physical force and weapons to wage war to sustain sin and error. This will continue until the return of the King of Kings, and His victory over the powers of darkness.
But still, we are to engage in this war, for it is very personal to us. The only weapons true Christians have to wage this war are those which God has provided.
II Cor. 10: 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 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;
The Disciples of Christ need no other weapons than truth. God has given us the truth; Jesus said of Himself that He was truth.
Truth is intended to enlighten man, but error and carnality comes and darkens truth. Truth was intended to make men free; error rears its fortresses and strongholds, and it is the job of the truth to pull them down.
Here are some of the strongholds of error. And make no mistake; we are not immune to these.
The Stronghold of Ignorance…..
All religious error is the offspring of ignorance and mistake. God is true and His word is true. Yet ignorance of His word, whether deliberate or not, has built her mighty fortresses. These fortresses stand in opposition to God and His will. In our own minds this stronghold stands to some degree. Why else would God say to us to study and rightly divide His word to achieve His approval? Knowledge of the truth destroys ignorance, and erroneous reasoning. Men may not believe the truth, but the knowledge of it breaches the barricade shielding their errors. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
The Stronghold of Prejudice….
Prejudices are generally in favor of that which we are accustomed, and opposed to that which appears new. If we have become accustomed to error and sin, we tend to love it, or at the least, become attached to it. Too often we think not what is truth but what is according to our own likes. We can love customs, traditions, and favorite biases. And in these things we can be unreasonable. However the powers of truth and conviction of the Holy Spirit assail these preferences and give us a new love. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
The Stronghold of Self-interest….
Many go with the crowd; because they think it is in their best interest. This error is at the heart of the carnal man. This places self above all else, with the thoughts of what is best for me, or what is best for my joy, comfort, happiness and pleasure. This may be the most formable stronghold of all. Even when the strongholds of ignorance and prejudice have been torn down, still selfishness can prevail, it certainly never totally goes away. God has called us to a life of self-denial and sacrifice, not just when it pleases us but in every circumstance. It is not so much true today as it has been in the past, but there is a certain stigma placed upon those who labor for the truth and act in ways unpopular to the world. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
What weapons do we have to combat these strongholds? Most assuredly it is not by any civil power. God’s righteousness cannot be legislated. In every attempt to do so has failed and sometimes in the most cruelest ways.
It is not by misrepresenting or falseness. We should not falsely charge error by excuses, but to expose it for what it truly is. No error is innocent. But we must know what we are talking about. We should never misrepresent the truth by watering it down, making it say what it does not, nor turn it to please men.
It is not by flattery or cunning words we are to wage this war. Extremely few T.V. evangelists do not resort to such trickery.
I Thess. 2: 4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. 5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
We need the pure truth about ourselves and what God has said. We are not to appeal to any person's pride, prejudice, or passions when seeking their good. As Baptists we cannot say join us because we are the most popular, or we have more wealth, or we have the most respected, intelligent persons, or we have the most talent, and therefore we are right. These reasons are worse than useless, they are destructive.
The weapon? The Word of God, the Gospel, the Truth! For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
The Word of God is the double-edged sword of the Spirit. It is the power of God. It cuts its way through all error and evil and the defenses sheltering them. It is always victorious. Even if we may think it has had little effect, it does accomplish what God intends. The key to using this weapon is the same as Christ used it, “It is written,” “It is written” --- “IT IS WRITTEN!” and nothing else. The Bible is the Christian’s text book and the world’s test book.
We are to be open and affectionate when presenting the truth. Give God the credit for the truth. Remember His word is not to destroy lives but to bring them to liberty and life. Seek their good and not yours. What other example has Christ left us?
Use the truth in sound reasoning. The word of God does not appeal to passion or prejudice, but to reason and the understanding. Sometimes I cringe when I see the gospel presented in such a way as to insult the intelligence. Become skilled in witnessing and leading people into the truth. How? It is best done by experience, by doing it.
By prayer are we to go out and confront these fortresses. Because of the lack of prayer I believe we rob ourselves of the full resources of God. Prayer to the child of God is the most natural thing in the world. Do not neglect it. We need to be seeking His help constantly.
All this may be wrongly interpreted as applying only to the lost and not ourselves. We have any number of strongholds in our lives that need tearing down, are they ignorance, selfishness, prejudice? Probably all three. Two Jehovah Witnesses called on us yesterday, and I thought about the strongholds they have built to guard and keep their errors. In all three areas they built bulwarks and these “protect” them from the truth and the simple gospel message. They are ignorant of the Word, they are prejudice in that they will not listen with an open mind to opposition, and they serve their cause in self-interest, they must do this work of their for their salvation. Passion is not proof of truth.
How can these strongholds in any of us be destroyed? By the relentless use of God’s word, the truth. If man will not hear God, there is no need to go any further. We have done all we can. In our own selves let the word of God dwell in us richly for our good in tearing down our fortress.
Only when the old fortresses are destroyed can the new be built. God is to be our fortress; His word is to be our stronghold. It is to Him we seek protection, and for the removal of all errors, which we are so weak to adore and love. On the one hand are the walls of deceit and the on the other are the walls of truth. One holds in bondage the other makes free. The one condemns to death and the other holds life.
Be the best you can for God. Look at the strongholds in your life…. You are in a battle…………. You are in the war…… Fight it and fight it with the only weapon you have!
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
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;
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This page last updated Janurary 24, 2006
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