Hello and welcome to Hope for Today, we are so glad you joined us for today’s teaching from II Cor 10. Just over twenty-five years ago I was learning to drive a vehicle. I had to learn how to keep the car on my side of the road and in the center of my lane. As you know, on both sides of the road there is a ditch, and we must stay out of both ditches.
Today’s teaching is a lot like driving a vehicle. We have got to keep it in the middle, on either side there is a ditch, meaning there is error if we swing too far either direction. Satan does not care which ditch you fall into. He will be happy with either one. Our topic today is “Engaging in Spiritual Warfare” this topic has two extremes or ditches we must do our best to avoid. CS Lewis summarized it well he said, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.”
Our goal for today is to help you stay in your lane, we want to keep our lives out of the ditch. Turn to II Corinthians 10 and follow along as J Mark gives us three requirements for engaging in spiritual warfare.
Let me share the unique experience of a friend and his wife during their visit to an African country. As they were sound asleep one night, his wife suddenly cried out; an unseen force was shaking her bed. They turned on the lights but found nothing to cause such a disturbance. Puzzled, they returned to bed.
But it wasn’t long before the same thing happened again! This time, my friend thought about the possibility of an attack by a demonic spirit. Taking his frightened wife in his arms, he prayed and asked God to rebuke the evil spirits in the name of Jesus and through the power of His shed blood. After the prayer, they returned to bed and slept peacefully for the night.
Understanding spiritual warfare is not just a topic of interest; it’s a vital necessity for every Christian. It equips us with the knowledge and wisdom to navigate the spiritual realm and face the battles that come our way.
Spiritual warfare is not limited to battling demonic forces. It encompasses the struggle against wrong thoughts and words, whether they originate from us or others. It involves resisting temptations that stem from our fleshly desires and controlling our thought processes. It’s about learning to handle criticism in a manner that reflects Christ’s character.
In Second Corinthians 10:1-6, Paul writes about engaging in spiritual warfare. However, we must note the context of this teaching. As I mentioned, this letter primarily concerns Paul’s defense of his ministry’s legitimacy and apostolic authority.
Remember, a stubborn minority of Judaizers in Corinth opposed Paul. They resisted his authority, constantly criticized him, and tried to sway others to join their faction. So, Paul reluctantly but forcefully calls them to account. This is a vital portion of Scripture for those in leadership, especially those who lead in the church. With that background in mind, here is Second Corinthians 10:1 to 6.
1Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you but being absent am bold toward you.
2 But I beg you that when I am present, I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 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,
6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
Engaging in spiritual warfare is a demanding task. This text outlines several REQUIREMENTS for success in that struggle.
The First REQUIREMENT (for engaging in spiritual warfare) is,
Know Your Position
Paul’s critics in Corinth accused him of being a hypocrite and two-faced. They said, “You’re bold in your letters, but when you’re here in person, you lack courage.” They questioned his motives and accused him of walking after the flesh.
But Paul knew who he was and what his position was in Christ. Even though they attacked him unjustly, he said, “I entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” Leaders are always targets for criticism. Some of it is deserved, but much of it isn’t. Leaders must learn to respond in the meekness and gentleness of Christ. We can only do that if we know our position in Christ.
Meekness isn’t weakness. Paul’s response to these false accusations was calm, controlled, and forceful. Meekness is not lying down and allowing people to walk all over you. Jesus characterized Himself as meek, but he leveled some blistering rebukes at the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and religious leaders.
Verse two in our English translations is difficult. Here is how I understand it. “I pray that you may not make it necessary for me to show, when I am present, that official authoritativeness (apostolic) which I am minded to show against those who charge me with unworthy motives.” What is Paul’s official authority? In Second Corinthians 1:1, he wrote that “he was an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God…” He wasn’t self-appointed or appointed by men. That gave him unique authority. Paul knew God established his position.
Many of us, like the apostle Paul, know what it’s like to be attacked unjustly. But if God has put us in the ministry, we can endure our critics’ accusations. We stand on the authority of the Word of God and the elders who ordained us.
Knowing our position in Christ is not just a requirement; it’s a foundation if we engage in spiritual warfare. It gives us a sense of security and a firm ground to stand on amid the battle.
Another REQUIREMENT (for engaging in spiritual warfare) is,
Know Your Weapons
Paul’s critics accused him of living in a way that pleases natural desires. Paul brushes that accusation aside and says, “Yes, it’s true; we do walk in the flesh.” We live in a physical body in a material environment. But there’s a vast difference between walking in the flesh and walking according to the flesh. One is natural life; the other is allowing our body and its desires to control our choices and actions.
Paul reminds us that we do not fight on a physical battlefield. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. They are not the weapons of those who don’t know Christ. Too often, we use carnal weapons against our brothers and sisters in the Lord. We come with a sword and overwhelming force instead of meekness and gentleness.
Our weapons are spiritual, not physical. They are mighty; God empowers them to pull down strongholds. This phrase uses some unique words. First, “pulling down.” We compare it to Luke 1:52. In response to being chosen to bear the Christ child, Mary said, “He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly.” This power is available in spiritual warfare, giving us the confidence to face any challenge.
The other word is strongholds. Perhaps Paul was picturing the rock forts on the coast of his native Cilicia. Though they seemed impregnable, the Romans pulled them down in their attacks on the Cilician pirates.
If the weapons of our warfare are not physical, the strongholds aren’t physical either. Look at verse five. “We tear down arguments of human reasoning and every lofty idea raised against the knowledge of God.” The strongholds are in our minds and hearts. The false reasonings of man’s mind are treated as forts to be conquered. And there are plenty of them today!
The reasonings of man’s mind are ideas that contradict God’s truth. In this context, these are false teachings among those professing to know God. The false teachers tried to persuade others that their way was best. Their false reasonings included requirements beyond faith in Christ for salvation. They taught that “yes, you need Jesus, but you also must keep the law.”
Further, “we take captive every thought to make it obey Christ.” Paul continues the military metaphor, leading away captives after storming the stronghold. There are two possible meanings here. One is that we subject our reasonings to God’s truth and decide whether we are right or wrong. That is a valid and essential understanding.
But, given the context, I believe Paul’s goal is to bring the false teachers to a place where their strongholds of human reasoning will be torn down and their minds captivated by their obedience to Christ.
As Christ-followers, our greatest weapon is the truth, but the truth is somewhat abstract. In Ephesians 6:17 and 18, Paul tells us that this war’s tangible and practical weapons are the Word of God and prayer.
Brothers and sisters, if we don’t know our position, don’t know what our weapons are, or aren’t skilled in using them, we are not prepared to engage in spiritual warfare!
The Final REQUIREMENT (for engaging in spiritual warfare) is,
Know Your Enemy
Sun Tzu was a Chinese general and military strategist who lived centuries before Christ. He wrote a military manual that military leaders worldwide are still studying. While the principles or maxims he wrote dealt with physical warfare, many can be applied to spiritual warfare.
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained, you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
How does that fit in the context of Paul’s teaching? He writes, “We are ready to avenge every act of disobedience when your obedience becomes complete.” Paul continues the military metaphor. After most of the rebels in Corinth have surrendered as proof of their obedience to Paul’s teaching, the remaining rebels will be punished.
Paul knew who his enemies were in Corinth. Remember, before his conversion, he would have used very similar arguments to try to persuade his opponents. So, to use a military term, this terrain wasn’t unfamiliar to him. He knew himself and his enemy, and this final verse of our text expresses his confidence in the outcome.
Let’s review the requirements for engaging in spiritual warfare again. Know your position, who you are in Christ, and what or whom you are responsible for. Know your weapons, become familiar with the Word of God, and prayer. And finally, know your enemy well enough that his tactics won’t surprise you. Above all, conduct yourself with the meekness and gentleness of Christ.
Thanks J Mark for sharing this balanced teaching on spiritual warfare. If we keep the Bible as our guide, we can avoid the errors and ditches. If you have any comments or questions for us about today’s lesson, please let us know. Here is how you can reach us.
A good way is by email our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. Or you can connect with us on our website which is heraldsofhope.org.
Thanks again for joining us on Hope for Today. Verse four from today’s text is a fitting verse to end with and we encourage you to use your weapons effectively. ”For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.”
*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.
