2 Corinthians 10:3-6 “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;
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”
In the above set of verses, we see something very important for each and every single Christian out there to remember. The Lord has been bringing this to my mind quite a bit throughout the last week or two. The problem that so many of us forget is that there is a battle that rages within our mind, so to speak. Our mind and our thinking, is the biggest target that the enemy zones in on, and oftentimes it is very much a successful attack.
Have you ever had days when you woke up perfectly fine, joyful and praising the Lord? Then as you go through the day there comes perhaps a few moments when certain thoughts and feelings show up and seem to hook you? You now, cannot seem to shake those thoughts or emotions and suddenly a great and glorious day has turned into a day of anger, regret, bitterness, unforgiveness, and so on and so forth. Whereas before you were praising God, now you’re crying out “Why God, why?!” Whereas before, you found yourself so thankful for the abundant blessings of God, you find yourself struggling to see any good thing beyond the trials and tribulations that showed up to remind you within your mind. Other times you may wake up feeling ready to conquer the gates of hell with the Lord on your side, and then a single moment later that day has you doubting your salvation and worth to the point that your spirit man is in a fetal position in the corner of the basement!
I know I have had days like that, and so many others have as well. I’m sure you have, to some extent. There have also been times when you go to bed happy and then wake up in the worst of moods, perhaps because of a dream, or just waking up “feeling” like something happened, for no reason whatsoever!
The enemy wouldn’t attack our minds, unless he knew it was a good plan and place to attack in order to get to us. The verses we see above, is a reminder that the weapons of our warfare are NOT carnal, but MIGHTY to the pulling down of strongholds, specifically the strongholds in our mind.
Take into consideration all the secular movies you’ve either watched, or noticed advertised in the world. Hollywood would have us believe that the way to fight the spiritual war that rages on, is through shotguns, knives, martial arts, and perhaps a bit of magical mantras from some Tibetan monks and some catholic crucifixes soaked in “holy water” blessed by the pope, thrown into the mix just for the sake of it.
These “weapons of warfare” however are 1500% carnal and nothing else. They’d be good for helping you join the demons in an eternal damnation faster if you so choose. Yet to actually fight against the enemy? You’d have a better chance nailing moon air to a fence erected on Jupiter, than victory using those weapons.
No, as the Word of God says, the weapons of OUR warfare, are not carnal but are MIGHTY. We don’t fight according to the flesh. We don’t ball up our fists and punch the devil (as much as we would TRULY love to do that), but rather we fight the attacks of the enemy against our mind, by tearing down the strongholds within our mind and forcing every thought that comes up, to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus or else.
Since the time I was a kid, I turned my mind into a jail. Not one of the cushy jails where inmates receive better care than our elderly in nursing homes, and more than perhaps 70% of the rest of the world’s struggling population. No, the prison in my mind is more reminiscent of the dungeons of the Dark Ages. Each thought that comes up, is given the likeness of a man, who either willfully submits to the Lord Jesus, or is forced to his knees to submit before being thrown into the jail.
At least that is what happens when I’m thinking clearly and in my right mind of course. There are times when these thoughts come up and take me off-guard and I begin entertaining them instead of examining them. I end up holding entire conversations or arguments in my mind that make me think all manner of things. Nearly always, never a truth to them. I end up getting upset with someone, because I held these “mental conversations” with them and already was convinced they replied and would reply and would act in this or that manner already deemed to be truth in my mind. I’m must be the only one who does that…right? (That was a rhetorical question in case you missed it…I’m sure perhaps 100% of you reading this have to deal with the same exact thing!)
It is however, in these times when we need all the more to question our thoughts and feelings and judge them against the TRUTH. What is the truth? The Word of God (John 17:17; John 14:6; John 1:17; John 8:30-32; Psalm 119:142,151 et.al.). The world teaches “fight fire with fire.” All that does is burn down the world and serve as a reminder that the world will indeed be judged with fire. But those of us who would be wise, who would have the mind of Christ, who are the Redeemed of the Lord, understand you must fight fire with water…and must fight the lies that are used in the attack against our mind, with the Truth. You fight lies, with the Truth.
Every thought that enters our mind must be compared with the Truth. “You’re worthless” … Yeah well apparently Christ still saw fit to pay an immeasable amount just so God can have a relationship with me, so apparently He finds me worth the Blood of Christ! “This person is doing _____ behind your back.” Have you caught the person red-handed to know with absolute certainty to where you would be willing to stand before the Throne of God Himself and say “I saw this person doing this behind my back!” (Knowing that God sees everything, and that Ananias and Sapphira dropped dead when they lied to the Holy Spirit in Acts 5!) If you did not see the person and do not have proof, then you do not know for certain and need to be reminded of 1 Corinthians 13:5 when it’s shown that Godly love doesn’t think evil! If you have indeed caught that person, or have proof, then you are now faced with the truth that you HAVE to go to that person and correct them with the intent of saving their soul (Galatians 6:1; Matthew 18:15-17; et al.) … to rake them over the coals of hell within your thoughts, is not only unbiblical but is akin to what the devil himself does before the throne of God as the “accuser of the brethren.” You’re choice of course. But as for me and my house, we will serve and obey the Lord! Just remember the terrible warning that if you do not forgive, you will not be forgiven (Mark 11:25-26…and don’t pretend you’ve forgiven, while still entertaining wicked thoughts).
Test every thought against what the Bible says, and what is the truth. If it is not the truth, especially in line with the Word of God which is Truth, then you need to take it captive by the Authority of Jesus which was given to those who would be saved. Yet never forget…it’s not called a battle, or warfare, because it’s easy and should happen in 30 seconds or less! In fact, it’s one of those things you must do on a daily, continual basis, just like repentance is a continual walk, and we must crucify our flesh daily dying to that sinful nature of ours. So if you think to yourself “I can’t do it!” or “You just don’t know what I’ve been through!” think back to the Cross of Jesus and try telling Him that. Try explaining to Him why you just don’t want to rely on Him to help you be transformed by the renewing of the mind through the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:1-2). Then after that, get on your knees and ask Him to forgive you for that moment of selfish pride, and gird up those loins of your mind (1 Peter 1:13), and walk onward with the Lord, taking into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, and taking revenge on those slip-ups of disobedience, by being obedient (and not dwelling on the thoughts of guilt of yester-moment, which only keep you from walking in obedience today).
Let’s remind ourselves of the truth that we need to ensure our thoughts line up with the Truth, and don’t pull us away on bunny trails that lead us to the lion’s den! Remember too, that just because a thought enters our mind, it doesn’t mean we must entertain that thought. Consider the wrong thoughts for what they are: an attack by the enemy (including our own flesh, sinful nature, bad habitual thinking that we developed over our lives) which needs to be fought against instead of entertained. Lock ’em up and throw away the key!
God bless you all very much and I hope that you all have a beyond blessed day today. I hope to see you again soon. I will continue to keep you in prayer, and ask that you also keep me and the rest of the brethren worldwide in your prayers. KOKO (Keep on Keeping On)
Love always in Christ,
Your brother,
And friend,
Michael