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 2Corinthians 10
And then you hear about the war for our hearts and minds and you REALLY think you are gonna go put a whooping on the devil. They tell you over and over that if you just have faith then you would be putting some kind of holy kung fu on everything that came your way and laugh at all your problems and a bunch of other bull. And the message that you really take home is that you don't have faith, you are a crappy Christian, and it is all your fault. We've been down that road.
It occurred to me not so long ago, that I really didn't have any idea what these super weapons were supposed to be. I mean I decided a long time ago that repeating the same prayer fifty times a day, or praying "HARDER" wasn't the answer. Repeating prayers is forbidden by Christ.(Matthew 6) And the whole idea of praying harder or making God do something because we have enough faith is ridiculous. We can't be so stubborn or persistent that we change the unchangeable God, and faith isn't heavenly dollars that we flash at God to open doors. But what are the actual weapons? I can't answer that for sure but let me try and point us in a little better direction than all that.
Now in the verse we are looking at Paul is not talking about wrestling with some kind of demon. He is talking to his fellow Christians about "5b bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." The warfare he is talking about is about helping believers become more mature, helping them grow up into the kind of Christians they are meant to be. And he does this with his God given ability to teach and encourage and correct, with discipline if necessary. So this is a person to person thing, and frequently but I don't think always between two believers. Before we talk about specifics I think we need to understand what the general idea is.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us.
20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.1 John 4
The big battle of spiritual warfare is really a contest between love and fear. Think of every relationship you are in as a box. The closer the relationship the bigger the box. So there is a certain amount of space there and it is all filled up with a combination of love and fear. The more love, the less fear. The more fear, the less love. So your relationship with somebody at work is a pretty small box, not much love, not much fear. But a closer relationship like with a parent or spouse or child is a much much larger box. And there can be way more love in it. Or way more fear...
Now there are lots of kinds of love and there are lots of kinds of fear. Doubt or anxiety or worry are all names for different kinds of fear, and I am sure that there are lots more. Although we wouldn't like to admit it in so many words, most of the time some kind of fear is the main thing guiding our lives. We go to work because we are afraid of what happens if we don't bring home a paycheck. We keep our real thoughts and feelings hidden because we are afraid of what will happen if they come out in the open. Most of the way we treat one another is because when we acted some other way in the past we didn't like the results and are afraid it will happen again.
My apologies to every preacher who has tried to make you afraid of God, afraid of the Judgment, or afraid of Hell, but 99% of Christianity is about battling fear, Spiritual Warfare. Christ endured unimaginable agonies to prove to you that God is not angry at you and that you should see Him as a Father and not as somebody out to get you, to eliminate your fear of God. Although the feelings a son has towards his father and the feelings a creature has towards his God are sometimes called fear they are very different from the fear of rejection, fear of punishment, fear of consequences that we are talking about. Your relationship with God is the biggest box of all. If it doesn't seem that way, maybe it is because it is so full of fear that you won't even get close to it. And fear of God, the unhealthy kind of fear that is the opposite of love, is the number one enemy we are fighting against.
To be Continued...
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore
“ If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12
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