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FOR THOUGH WE WALK IN THE FLESH:
en sarki gar peripatountes (PAPMPN): (cp 2Cor 4:7, 16, 5:1;
Gal 2:20; 1Pe 4:1,2)
Note:
Hold mouse pointer over underlined links for pop up of Scripture (which
stays open and can be copied).
RELATED RESOURCES
ON SPIRITUAL WARFARE
VERSE BY VERSE EXPOSITION ON
EPHESIANS 6:10-18...
Ephesians 6:10
Ephesians 6:11
Ephesians 6:12
Ephesians 6:13
Ephesians 6:14
Ephesians 6:15
Ephesians 6:16
Ephesians 6:17
Ephesians 6:18
EPHESIANS 6:10-18 BY WAYNE
BARBER
Ephesians 6:10:
Spiritual Warfare, Pt 1
Ephesians 6:11:
Spiritual Warfare, Pt 2
Ephesians 6:14:
Spiritual Warfare, Pt 3
Ephesians 6:15,16 Spiritual
Warfare, Pt 4
Ephesians 6:17:
Spiritual Warfare, Pt 5
Ephesians 6:12,13 Spiritual
Warfare, Pt 6
Ephesians 6:18:
Spiritual Warfare, Pt 7
VERSE BY VERSE EXPOSITION ON THE
FALLEN FLESH
James 1:13
James 1:14
James 1:15
VERSE BY VERSE EXPOSITION ON
RESISTING THE ROARING LION
Exposition of 1Peter 5:8
Exposition of 1Peter 5:9
VERSE BY VERSE EXPOSITION ON
THE BATTLE IN OUR MIND
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Exposition
MISCELLANEOUS
Cyberhymnal Hymns on Topic of
Spiritual Warfare
(scroll down)
2 Chronicles 20:1-25 Ambushing Satan with Song
- John Piper
THE METAPHOR OF THE CHRISTIAN
SOLDIER
Soldier Illustrations
Exposition of 2 Timothy 2:3-4
Three Kinds of Soldiers - Ten Principles of
Warfare
Roman Soldier by Edward Gibbon
(Decline & Fall of Roman Empire)
The Roman Soldier - Description
from Jewish Historian Josephus
A Few Soldier Stories and Sermons
THE AMALEKITES: A PICTURE OF
PERSISTENT SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Jehovah
Nissi: Exposition of Exodus 17:8-16
In this section Paul uses several terms
drawn from the realm of military and warfare. Remember Paul was familiar
with the Roman soldiers (eg, Acts 22:24, 25, 26, 23:10, 24:23, 27:1, 28:16)
and thus Paul knew the Roman army well and knew how to accurately use a
military metaphor. We do well as to believers to remember that just as
accurate knowledge is crucial to survival in real warfare, a similar mindset
is just as important in the unseen warfare of the spiritual realm, where
lives (souls) hang in the balance not just for time (this mortal life) but
for eternity ("immortality" in heaven or hell)!
In 2Corinthians 10 Paul changes the
subject rather abruptly and begins to write some of the strongest language
found in either of his letters to the Corinthians (See Rob Morgan's message
which describes this context in more detail -
2Corinthians 10:5 Every Thought Captive). And although there are
sharp words in this section, we note that they are addressed, not at the
church as a whole but against a special group of false teachers. And thus
this section is vitally important to the modern church, for we too have many
false teachers. Some of these false teachers are very overt in the error
they propound and thus are easy to recognize but others are not. We do well
to remember that every congregation has at least a few members who have been
(or are being) influenced by false teaching and false teachers. But whether
they are overt or subtle, each of these false teachers have in common the
fact that our Adversary the devil is using them as his nefarious tool in an
attempt to derail that local body of believers and steal their joy and the
freedom available in Christ. These evil masqueraders seek to undermine the
power of the gospel with their unsound doctrines of demons. It is these (and
similar anti-God) thoughts that Paul says believers are to wage war against.
In this section Paul gives some practical
instruction on how believers can win the spiritual battle in our hought
life. Don't think that you cannot win these battles because you can if you
use God's provision of divinely powerful weapons.
2Corinthians
10:3,4,5 is in the
context
(see importance of
context
in accurate interpretation) of
Paul's defense of his ministry against the enemies of the gospel. In regard
to application this passage teaches a powerful principle that is relevant to
every believer's spiritual life (especially if it is to be a "victorious"
life in Christ), for all believers are actively engaged in a spiritual war
whether they know it or not. The important point that Paul is teaching in
this section is that one can control the thoughts that come into our mind.
We do not have to be helpless victims of thoughts, words, speculations,
fiery missiles, human reasoning, vain imaginings, etc that assault our mind.
What Paul teaches is the Biblical way of dealing with these thoughts, be
they fiery missiles of accusation or temptation or whatever their genesis
(pathogenesis).
Ryrie has this note on the context of
chapters 10-13...
In spite of Paul’s general satisfaction
with the Corinthian church, there were still some there who challenged his
apostolic authority and followed certain leaders whom Paul calls “false
apostles” (1Co 11:13). These leaders were apparently Jewish Christians (1Co
11:22) who claimed higher authority than Paul’s (1Co 10:7) and who lorded
over the church.
In these passages we
learn that...
(1) The battle is spiritual, not
physical
(2) The battlefield is our mind
and our thought life.
(3) The battle ultimately is over
truth, the truth of God versus "truth" as man interprets and propounds
it.
Commenting on the
for at the beginning of this passage, Charles Hodge writes that
it indicates that...
This verse is linked either with the
middle clause of the previous verse (“I am determined to be bold toward the
opponents of the truth, for though I live in the world, I do not wage war as
the world does”), or, as is often the case in Paul’s letters, the for refers
to a thought that is omitted: “Some think that I live as the world does—that
is not true—for though I live in the world, I do not wage war as the world
does.” The latter seems the more natural and forcible. Paul did indeed live
in the world; he was a man, and a mere man, not only having a body, but
being subject to all the infirmities of human nature. But he did not wage
war as the world does. What was human and worldly neither determined his
conduct, nor was the ground of his confidence. (Hodge, Charles.
2 Corinthians. Crossway Pub or E-book
from
Logos.com)
We walk in the
flesh - Walk refers to how one orders his or her steps, and is a
metaphor (metaphor)
for how we live or conduct our life. Flesh in this
context
refers to physical flesh ("flesh and blood"), but even in this same
sentence, the meaning of the second use of flesh shifts to that of
the evil nature that indwells all men, that ungodly nature J I Packer
picturesquely refers to as "anti-God energy". In short, to
be sure believers. like all mankind, are only human, but unlike all the rest
of mankind, are not to fight this spiritual war in a human way!
Ray Stedman
wisely reminds us that...
God has issued to each of us a
bugle call to intelligent combat (cp our transfer from the power of Satan to
God - Col 1:12, 13, 14, Acts 26:18, 2Ti 2:3,4, cp Heb 2:14,15). It is a call
to us to be men and women of God, to fight the good fight (1Ti 1:18, 6:12,
4:7), to stand fast in the faith, to be strong in the Lord in the midst of
the battle, in the midst of this dark and evil world (cp Ro 13:11, 12, 13,
14, 1Jn 5:19, Ep 2:2, 3).
Those who ignore this call and the battle that rages around them (and "in"
them 1Pe 2:11, James 1:13,14,15, Gal 5:17) are doomed to be casualties. We
cannot remain neutral. We must choose sides. We must align ourselves with
the forces of God, the forces of good. We must answer the bugle call, we
must put on our armor and stand our ground or the battle will roll over us
and in our defenseless, bewildered state, the forces of evil will trample us
into the dust of the battlefield.
So we must learn to recognize how the dark systems of the devil work. But
more than that, we must learn the processes of overcoming the systems of the
devil not by flesh and blood, not by joining committees, not by political
action, not by taking up clubs or assault weapons and attacking a human
enemy. No, Paul says the weapons of our warfare are not flesh and blood
weapons, not physical weapons, not political weapons. Rather, our weapons
are mighty, through God, unto the pulling down of strongholds and bringing
into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3,
4, 5). That is the path to victory! (See
2Cor 10:3-5 Exposition)
WE
DO NOT WAR ACCORDING TO THE FLESH: ou kata sarka strateuometha (1PPMI):
(2Cor 10:4; Ro 8:13; 1Ti 1:18; 2Ti 2:3,4; 4:7; Heb 12:1)(1Co 1:17, 18, 19,
20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25; 2:1, 2, 3, 4)
We do not war -
Notice the word "not" which in Greek is the strongest way one can
negate what follows in the sentence. In this case Paul is saying we
absolutely do not wage war according to the flesh. In context Paul is
speaking of waging war against lies, half truths and overt error and against
all that is opposed to the Gospel.
According to the
flesh - As noted above, here the context dictates that flesh
refers to the evil disposition is intended. In other words, believers are
not to fight this spiritual struggle in dependence upon "anti-God energy".
They are not to fight in the spiritual realm with fleshly weapons, guided by
the commonly accepted principles of unregenerate men, who act solely under
the influence of their old nature. This is absolutely not the way to wage
spiritual war. Instead believers are to be filled, controlled, guided and
governed by the Spirit, in continual reliance upon His enablement.
Calvin speaking
of the servants of Christ rightly reminds us that...
They bear about an incomparable treasure
in clay jars (cp 2Cor 4:7). Therefore, although they are compassed with
infirmities, nevertheless the spiritual power of God is resplendent in them.
Spurgeon
comments on the weapons as not fleshly but mighty in God...
"The weapons of our warfare are not
carnal"; yet the spiritual weapons which can be wielded by the Christian
minister, and indeed by every Christian man, are not to be despised, for
while not fleshly, they are mighty through God. God is in them; God is with
those who use them. The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, the
arrows of truth which pierce the consciences of men, the weapon of all
prayer, the influence of the Holy Ghost-that divine power-such weapons as
these are by God's power made mighty to the overthrow of spiritual
principalities and powers. Truth and holiness are the appointed engines for
the pulling down of the castles of evil. Blessed is he who in every conflict
for God takes heed to use none other weapons than those which the Lord hath
hung up in the tower of David, builded for an armoury, wherein do hang a
thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men (mentioned
in his sermon on Mt 10:16). Those only can fight the
Lord's battles successfully who come to him to be armed for the fight, and
reject all fleshly force. The spiritual shall be victorious, but others must
fail. (From
2Corinthians 10:5
Forts Demolished and Prisoners Taken)
(See related resource -
The Greatest Fight in the World)
David Guzik (ref) has
some excellent comments on this section writing that...
The carnal (Ed: Pertaining to
flesh; fleshly; sensual; opposed to spiritual; describes that which is like
the natural, unregenerate state) weapons Paul refuses were not material
weapons like swords and spears. The carnal weapons he renounced were the
manipulative and deceitful ways his opponents used. Paul would not defend
his apostolic credentials with the carnal weapons others might use.
In Ephesians 6 (see
notes Eph 6:10ff), Paul lists
the kind of spiritual weapons he did use: the belt of truth (Ep 6:14), the
breastplate of righteousness (Ep 6:14), the shoes of the gospel (Ep 6:15),
the shield of faith (Ep 6:16), the helmet of salvation (Ep 6:17), and the
sword of the Spirit (Ep 6:17). To rely on these weapons took faith in
God instead of carnal methods. But truly, these weapons are mighty in God
for pulling down strongholds!
The Corinthian Christians tended to rely on and admire carnal weapons for
the Christian battle.
Instead of the belt of truth, they
fought with manipulation.
Instead of the breastplate of
righteousness, they fought with the image of success.
Instead of the shoes of the gospel,
they fought with smooth words.
Instead of the shield of faith,
they fought with the perception of power.
Instead of the helmet of salvation,
they fought with lording over authority.
Instead of the sword of the Spirit,
they fought with human schemes and programs.
Jesus relied on spiritual weapons when He
fought for our salvation. Philippians 2:6-7, 8 describes this:
who, being in the form of God, did not
consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation,
taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And
being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient
to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
This kind of victory through humble
obedience (cp 1Sa 15:22, 23, Lk 1:52, 18:14, 14:11, James 4:6, 1Pe 5:5, 2Co
12:9,10) offended the Corinthian Christians because it seemed so "weak."
The carnal, human way is to
overpower and dominate and manipulate and out-maneuver.
The spiritual, Jesus-way is to
humble yourself, die to yourself (Mark 8:34, "daily" Lk 9:23), and let God
show His resurrection power (Php 3:10) through you.
Our spiritual weapons are scorned by the world, but feared by demonic
powers. When we fight with truth, righteousness, evangelism, faith,
salvation, the Word of God, and prayer, no principality or power can stand
against us.
"As the spittle that comes out of a man's
mouth slayeth serpents, so doth that which proceedeth out of the mouths of
God's faithful ministers quell and kill evil imaginations, carnal
reasonings, which are the legion of domestic devils, that hold near
intelligence with the old serpent." (Guzik comments -- "A wonderful
observation by John Trapp; if I only knew what he meant!"). (Reference)
Ed comment: In an attempt to
explain Trapp's remark I search the web and here is a related entry - "I
certify that I have many times killed serpents by moistening in a slight
degree, with my spittle, a stick or a stone, and giving them a slight blow
on the middle of the body, scarcely sufficient to produce a small contusion.
January 19, 1757. Figuier, Surgeon.” The above surgeon having given me this
certificate, two witnesses, who had seen him kill serpents in this manner,
attested what they had beheld. Notwithstanding, I wished to behold the thing
myself; for I confess that, in various parts of these queries, I have taken
St. Thomas of Didymus for my patron saint, who always insisted on an
examination with his own hands. For eighteen hundred years this opinion has
been perpetuated among the people, and it might possibly be even eighteen
thousand years old, if Genesis had not supplied us with the precise date of
our enmity to this reptile. It may be asserted that if Eve had spit on the
serpent when he took his place at her ear, a world of evil would have been
spared human nature.
Lucretius, in his fourth book, alludes to this manner of killing serpents as
very well known: Spit on a serpent, and his vigor flies, He straight devours
himself, and quickly dies. (Further comment: I would not recommend
this method if confronted by a venomous reptile, spiritually speaking or
real. In the former I would suggest James 4:7, 1Pe 5:9. In the latter I
would suggest your legs and feet be quickly mobilized) (Reference)
Alan Redpath
former pastor at Moody Bible Church, Chicago, writes (ref) that...
Paul's concern for the church at Corinth
(as it would indeed be for us) is simply that the imagination of the mind,
the process of thinking, the way of reasoning, the method of logic, the
understanding of things which a man adopted in his unconverted days, become
projected into the fellowship of the church, and the church begins to fail
in its spiritual battle because it adopts carnal procedures.
The process of victory which our Lord
taught His disciples was this: that if you cease to resist in the realm
of carnality, then you are resisting automatically in the realm that is
spiritual, and in this way you overcome the enemy. Resist, counterattack,
deal with the situation upon the same level that the world deals with it,
and you are defeated. But refuse to follow that principle of life; take up
rather the principle of the cross (1Co 1:18) and by non-combat in carnal
levels you are combating the enemy in spiritual levels and therefore you
will overcome (Jn 16:33, 1Jn 5:4, 5).
To illustrate this, turn to Simon Peter and the incident in which the Lord
Jesus began to show to him is principle of the Cross (Mt 16:21, 22, 23).
Christ spoke to him about the cross, about the blood, about the way of
sacrifice and death. He had spoken earlier about the corn of wheat falling
into the ground and dying and if it die, it brings forth much fruit, but if
it did not die it would abide alone (Jn 12:24); and Peter's answer was, "Not
so, Lord, not that way, not the way of the cross and death!" (cp Mt 16:22)
Christ's reply was shattering: " Get thee
behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the
things that be of God, but those that be of men." (Mt 16:23, cp Mt 16:24)
But Peter did not learn his lesson. In
the Garden of Gethsemane up goes his sword, out goes his arm, and off goes
the man's ear (Jn 18:10, Mt 26:51, 52, 53, 54, Mark 14:47 cp Lk 22:33, 49,
50, 51!). He is still resisting the principle of the cross, still following
the procedure of carnality, and taking the line of resistance instead of the
line of meekness and submission (Php 2:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). He did not
learn his lesson until after Pentecost (and it took him some time then, cp
Acts 2:15, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41), but this is the lesson which the Lord
Jesus sought to teach him, and the very lesson which Paul is bringing to
bear upon the church at Corinth.
You find this principle today in the church in terms of the theological
outlook upon the Bible, though I have no wish to get involved in a
controversial issue. The difference between what we call today the
fundamentalist or the conservative evangelical and all others in their
approach to the Book is that we as conservative evangelicals submit
ourselves to the criticism of the Word of God, whereas all others submit to
their own criticism. This is the basic difference of approach to the whole
subject of theology, so much so that, in some circles it is said that if you
are orthodox you are out-of-date; you are an obscurantist, and it is an
impossible position to hold in the light of modern theology and modern
science.
These are some of the high things that Paul said exalt themselves against
the knowledge of God, and because the evangelical conservative holds to a
position in which he submits all his criticisms and life to the authority of
Scripture, and refuses to move from that position, while he is only too glad
to discuss and consider all enlightenment upon the Book, he is therefore
called out-of-date.
Now this I believe is the form of carnality in the church which stems from
corruption of the mind not necessarily moral corruption, but the mind which
insists in submitting the Word of God to its own criticism and only
accepting that which the human intellect can understand and believe. This
corruption of mind leads to carnality in the church and to captivity of
spirit, for by that means there is that which exalts itself against the
knowledge of God. That, in the theological area, is exactly the modern
counterpart of our verse.
I wish to come much closer home than
that, as I bring this right down to where we live.
The Principle of Carnality
versus
The Principle of Spirituality
What is the nature of this conflict?
It is the battle which goes on in the personal life of every one of us in
ordinary, everyday, down-to-earth, practical living—the battle to forsake
the principle of carnality and to accept the principle of
spirituality. It is the battle to take the line of refusing to resist
along the human level, and by so doing, resisting in terms of spiritual
warfare, and therefore overcoming. This is something which works itself out
in terms of our relationships with one another, as well as in terms of our
relationship with God.
If, therefore, it is true that the weapons of our warfare are not
carnal, if God in calling us to be His followers and to live the Christian
life here and now on exactly the same principle as that which was followed
by His disciples—in other words, the line of non-resistance, of meekness and
crucifixion and death, the line of submission one to another in the fear of
God—what then are the weapons a Christian must use, and how does he use
them?
I remind you of words which Paul wrote in his letter to the church at
Ephesus. We must arm ourselves, because in paraphrase he says,
the weapons of our warfare, though they
are not carnal, are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
In other words, there is a way of life,
there is an armor, there are weapons which the Christian church (and by that
I mean any group of Christians) can use today in ordinary everyday life
which will be so invincible that, to quote the words of our Lord Jesus, " .
. . the gates of hell shall not prevail against them." (Mt 16:18)
If this is true, then it behooves us surely to give very prayerful attention
to this fact, because the fact of the matter is that apart from a mighty
awakening and revival in the church, we are fighting a losing battle because
we are resisting on carnal levels. This is not something you settle at
denominational headquarters or in the high courts of the ecclesiastical
world. It is something you begin to settle here and now that causes the tide
of Holy Spirit power and life to flow once again through the church, which
has been blocked because we as individual believers have rejected God's
principles.
What then are the weapons which are mighty through God?
take unto you the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand...your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of
righteousness;...your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of
peace;...taking the shield of faith,...And take the helmet of salvation, and
the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all
prayer and supplication in the Spirit, ...for all saints" (Ephesians 6:13,
14, 15,1 6,17, 18)
Here is the Christian armor. Now will you
please notice this : it is not armor to protect the body, for it is not
designed to keep the Christian from physical harm, but it is armor designed
to protect him against all spiritual attack. It is not something with which
he clothes his body, but something with which he clothes his soul. It is
hidden from the outward scrutiny of others, but its existence in the realm
of a man's soul will be revealed in his daily life. That is why Paul says
"though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh . . ." (2Cor
10:3). Yet our whole activity and our actions in the flesh, in the body, in
daily conduct, are governed by this inward clothing, the armor of the
spirit.
Let a man neglect putting on this armor and he will soon reveal carnality
to everybody else in his conduct and behavior. But let him go into the
robing room each day with God in the name of the Lord Jesus, and let him
there in prayer put on the whole armor of God —truth, righteousness, faith,
peace, the helmet of salvation, the Word of God as the sword of the Spirit,
and the armor of all-prayer, clothing that the world cannot see—and it will
soon be evident to all by his daily conduct in his daily life that he has
clothed himself with the whole armor of God (cp Ro 13:11, 12, 13, 14-notes).
The absence of a time he takes to clothe himself with the armor of God is
revealed in his approach to the Bible, in his criticism of everything, in
his refusal of every authority, in his hesitancy to accept the Word of
truth, and in his carnality of daily behavior. Here, then, is the answer to
the area within the church where the greatest battles are to be fought, in
the weapons of our warfare that are not carnal, but mighty through God to
the pulling down of strongholds.
The Mind...
The Thought Life
You may ask, how do they work?
They work in the realm of the mind. How is the victory won? It is won in the
realm of the thought-life. Does this mean merely asking God to do something
while we do nothing at all ourselves? No, indeed. What then is the secret of
it? Jesus said, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he," and it is our
leisure thoughts, our meditative life, that decides our conduct.
Alas, how much time we give to the life as it appears before men, and how
little do we give to the life that appears before God! Yet it is that
life that shines through everything, it is that life which is lived with the
Lord Himself and which is clothed with heavenly armor that reveals itself in
spirituality. It is that life, when it is lacking, that displays itself in
carnality (cp John 6:63). The world, you see, sees the expression on a man's
face, hears the tone of his voice, studies his actions whether they are
selfish or unselfish, and by these he is judged inevitably and rightly. In
spite of all his efforts to hold it all in check, he is conveying
transparently to other people that his Christianity is all in the
shop-window, and he is painfully lacking in being clothed with the armor of
God in the soul.
To be specific, it works something like this. Somebody says an unkind word
about you, or you are accused falsely of something you have not done, or
somebody is spiteful in his comments and critical in his attitude. You begin
to think about it, you repeat it to yourself over and over again with
increased indignation, and because it begins to fill your mind, you
tell your friends (with additions of course) until at last, by frequent
repetition, you have been insulted twenty times instead of one. You have
determined to counterattack, to retaliate, to answer back, to vindicate
yourself, and to prove that they are wrong and you are right. This is the
carnality in the life which has happened because of corruption in the mind,
because in the thought-life you have been defeated before you have to
counterattack.
The Law of Exclusion
What then is the answer? As a
Christian engaged in this conflict, knowing that the weapons of our warfare
are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds,
there is the law of exclusion. How does it operate? When the thought
comes and the person is reported to have said what he has said, and the
unkindness has been passed over to us, and the criticism has been made,
whereas carnality would say, "Counterattack!" spirituality has the mind
which was in Christ Jesus (1Cor 2:16) and humbles itself and recognizes that
nothing that any person could ever say about any of us is really one
hundredth part as bad as the truth if he only knew it. Therefore, we have no
reason to counterattack, but one good reason to submit and to forget. That
is the law of exclusion.
The Law of Attention
But there is the law of attention
"whatsoever things," says Paul, writing
to the church at Philippi, "are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things
are lovely, whatsover things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and
if there be any praise, think on these things." (Php 4:8-note)
When carnality arises in our hearts,
causing us to answer back, to retaliate, and to fail to follow the principle
of discipleship laid down by the Master, then at that moment we must think
on these things, and answer the enemy by saying, "I'm sorry, my house is
full, I have no room for you and I have no time to listen to you." That is
the law of attention.
I quote some lovely words from that wonderful book,
The Imitation of Christ by
Thomas a Kempis:
Many thoughts have risen up against me,
and great terrors which afflict my soul. How shall I pass through them
without hurt? How shall I break them in pieces before me? I will go before
Thee, 0 Lord, and I will bring low the proud boasters of the earth and I
will open the gates of the prison and reveal to Thee the hidden secret. Do,
Lord, as thou saidst and let all wicked thoughts flee from before Thy face.
This is my hope and only consolation—to put my trust in Thee, to call on
Thee from my inmost heart, and to wait patiently for Thy help and for thy
strength."
Yes, truly, the weapons of our warfare
are not carnal, but they are mighty through God to the pulling down of
strongholds; and they cast down imaginations and every high thing that
exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every
thought into the obedience of Christ. That is the principle upon which the
church was founded; that is the principle that was followed by the Master
when He stepped from the throne to the manger and from the manger to the
cross. That is the obedience He expects from each of His followers. But let
us confess with shame, today in the realm of the intellect, the mind, the
thought-life, the church—that is, you and I as believers in Christ—has
followed the carnal method, and therefore she has divested herself of
spiritual power.
God grant that you and I everyday may go into our personal robing room alone
with Him, and put on all the armor of God which is mighty to the pulling
down of strongholds of the enemy.
Apart from a mighty awakening and revival
in the church, we are fighting a losing battle because we are resisting on
carnal levels. This is not something you settle a denominational
headquarters or in the high courts of the ecclesiastical world. It is
something you begin to settle here and now that causes the tide of the Holy
Spirit power and life to flow once again in the church, which has been
blocked because we as individual believers have rejected God's principles.
(Redpath, A:
Blessings out of Buffetings. Studies in
Second Corinthians. 1984. Revell).
Torrey's Topic
Warfare of saints
Is not after the flesh -2
Corinthians 10:3
Is a good warfare -1 Timothy 1:18,19
Called the good fight of faith -1 Timothy 6:12
IS AGAINST
The devil -Ge 3:15; 2Co 2:11; Ep 6:12; James 4:7; 1Pe 5:8;
Re 12:17
The flesh -Ro 7:23; 1Co 9:25, 26, 27; 2Co 12:7; Ga 5:17; 1Pe
2:11
Enemies -Ps 38:19; 56:2; 59:3
The world -Jn 16:33; 1Jn 5:4,5
Death -1Co 15:26; Heb 2:14,15
Often arises from the opposition of friends or relatives -Mic
7:6; Mt 10:35,36
TO BE CARRIED ON
Under Christ, as our captain -Hebrews 2:10
Under the Lord’s banner -Psalms 60:4
With faith -1 Timothy 1:18,19
With a good conscience -1 Timothy 1:18,19
With steadfastness in the faith -1Co 16:13; 1Pe 5:9; Heb10:23
With earnestness -Jude 1:3
With watchfulness -1 Cor 16:13; 1 Peter 5:8
With sobriety -1 Thessalonians 5:6; 1 Peter 5:8
With endurance or hardness -2 Timothy 2:3,10
With self-denial -1 Corinthians 9:25, 26, 27
With confidence in God -Psalms 27:1, 2, 3
With prayer -Psalms 35:1-3; Ephesians 6:18
Without earthly entanglements -2 Timothy 2:4
Mere professors do not maintain -Jeremiah 9:3
SAINTS
Are all engaged in -Philippians 1:30
Must stand firm in -Ephesians 6:13,14
Exhorted to diligence -1 Timothy 6:12; Jude 1:3
Encouraged in -Isaiah 41:11,12; 51:12; Micah 7:8; 1 John 4:4
Helped by God in -Psalms 118:13; Isaiah 41:13,14
Protected by God in -Psalms 140:7
Comforted by God in 2 Corinthians 7:5,6
Strengthened by God in Psalms 20:2; 27:14; Isaiah 41:10
Strengthened by Christ in -2 Corinthians 12:9; 2 Timothy 4:17
Delivered by Christ in -2 Timothy 4:18
Thank God for victory in Romans 7:25; 1 Corinthians 15:57
ARMOUR FOR
Girdle of truth -Ephesians 6:14
Breastplate of righteousness -Ephesians 6:14
Preparation of the gospel -Ephesians 6:15
Shield of faith -Ephesians 6:16
Helmet of salvation -Ephesians 6:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8
Sword of the Spirit -Ephesians 6:17
Called armour of God Ephesians 6:11
Called armour of righteousness -2 Corinthians 6:7
Called armour of light -Romans 13:12
Not carnal -2 Corinthians 10:4
Mighty through God -2 Corinthians 10:4,5
The whole, is required -Ephesians 6:13
Must be put on -Romans 13:12; Ephesians 6:11
To be on right hand and left -2 Corinthians 6:7
VICTORY IN, IS
From God -1 Corinthians 15:57; 2 Corinthians 2:14
Through Christ -Ro 7:25; 1Co 15:27; 2Co 12:9; Re 12:11
By faith -Hebrews 11:33-37; 1 John 5:4,5
Over the devil -Romans 16:20; 1 John 2:14
Over the flesh -Romans 7:24,25; Galatians 5:24
Over the world -1 John 5:4,5
Over all that exalts itself -2 Corinthians 10:5
Over death and the grave -Is 25:8; 26:19; Ho 13:14; 1Co 15:54,55
Triumphant -Romans 8:37; 2 Corinthians 10:5
THEY WHO OVERCOME IN, SHALL
Eat of the hidden manna -Revelation 2:17
Eat of the tree of life -Revelation 2:7
Be clothed in white raiment -Revelation 3:5
Be pillars in the temple of God Revelation 3:12
Sit with Christ in his throne -Revelation 3:21
Have a white stone, and, in it a new name written -Re 2:17
Have power over the nations -Revelation 2:26
Have the name of God written upon them by Christ -Re 3:12
Have God as their God -Revelation 21:7
Have the morning-star Revelation 2:28
Inherit all things -Revelation 21:7
Be confessed by Christ before God the Father -Re 3:5
Be sons of God -Revelation 21:7
Not be hurt by the second death -Revelation 2:11
Not have their names blotted out of the book of life -Re 3:5
Illustrated -Isaiah 9:5; Zechariah 10:5
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