Tag: strongholds
Powerful spiritual weapons
Scripture reading for August 11: 2 Corinthians 10
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
Paul desired that those he had led to a relationship with Jesus Christ would live a life of holiness and victory over Satan and their sinful flesh. He plainly told them that each believer was in warfare, not against other people but evil forces of darkness. The wicked spiritual forces came to kill them, steal from them, and ultimately destroy them. Satan uses our fleshly appetites and desires and our worldly thinking to accomplish his destructive plans. All believers are in the world and live in a body of flesh that can be manipulated by our evil enemy to hold us in sin and disobedience.
But God has not left us without spiritual weapons to combat the forces of darkness and our flesh. These weapons have divine power to destroy strongholds of sin and fleshly thinking. God’s Word brings a knowledge of God and truth that sets us free. God’s Gift of the Holy Spirit living in us brings power to recognize sin and flee temptation and to live by faith in Christ’s righteousness. Through the Word and Spirit, we destroy arguments and prideful thinking that tries to exalt the flesh and block God’s knowledge. We are enabled to bring our thought life under God’s control. God’s power through the Holy Spirit destroys Satan’s strongholds of fear, addiction, and bondage to flesh. Understanding the warfare and our powerful weapons allows us to walk in victory through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Have you ever felt pushed around by thoughts, feelings, and emotions that demand actions that are selfish, hateful, or harmful? Have you discovered the spiritual weapons that God has provided to give you victory? What excuses have you made to accommodate your flesh and worldly thinking?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for giving me powerful weapons of truth and righteousness through faith. Thank You for giving me the ability to recognize spiritual attacks in my flesh and mind through the indwelling Holy Spirit. By faith, I bring every thought captive into the obedience of Christ. Amen.
Destroying strongholds of fleshly thought
Scripture reading for September 29th: Jeremiah 5-7, Psalm 75, 2nd Corinthians 10
2nd Corinthians 10: 1-6 “I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ–I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away. I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every though captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
Paul’s heart as a pastor was to help those under his oversight to grow in spiritual understanding of Christ Jesus and His Word. Paul was meek and gentle and humbly implored them while in person to follow Christ. There were other false teachers that maligned Paul and sought to manipulate people into following them. They used arguments and myths and opinions to destroy the truth of God’s Word. Paul assured the believers that even though he appeared meek and humble, he was bold because of God’s truth and the powerful weapon that Truth was in destroying these fleshly strongholds and those who espoused them. Obedience to Christ and His Word would spare them and us from punishment and eternal loss.
Psalm 75:2, 7-8 ““At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity. . .but it is God Who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.” For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and He pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for giving watchful prophets, pastors, and apostles to humbly speak Your Word to Your people to turn them to reverence and obedience. Protect Your people from those who use arguments, opinions of men, and lies to trap men and cause division in Your Church. Thank You for the powerful weapons of Truth, righteousness, and humility that destroy satanic strongholds.
Jeremiah 5:24-26 “They do not say in their hearts, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God, Who gives the rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain, and keeps for us the weeks appointed for the harvest.’ Your iniquities have turned these away and your sins have kept good from you. For wicked men are found among My people; they lurk like fowlers lying in wait. The set a trap, they catch men.”
Bind the strong man!
Scripture reading for January 20th: Mark 3
Key Scriptures: Mark 3:22-27 “And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and” by the prince of demons He casts out demons.” And He called them to Him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.”“
A big part of Jesus’ ministry was casting out demons and healing those oppressed by Satan. So much so, that even His own family thought Jesus to be “out of His mind.” (Mark 3:21) The scribes came down from the religious rulers in Jerusalem and accused Jesus of using demonic power to cast out the devils. Jesus patiently called them to listen to Him and in a rabbinic posture, asked them a question: “How can Satan cast out Satan? . . .” He pointed out that a house divided against itself would not stand. He stated that in order to cast out demons (the strongman), they must be bound first. The rope or chain Jesus had used was His authority–authority from God the Father in the kingdom of heaven. He went on to warn these religious people about blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and the unforgivable sin!
Luke 11:19-20 “And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for demonstrating Your authority over the devil and demons, binding them with Your powerful Word. Give me greater discernment when I confront the forces of darkness and patience with those who lack understanding about spiritual authority.
2nd Corinthians 10:4 “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.”