2 Corinthians 10:3-6 For though we
walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For
the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to
destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty
opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to
obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when
your obedience is complete,
Every believer is involved in a struggle. The world around us
is filled with a culture that draws us away from God. All of our past habits
work against our complete submission to God. And demonic activity is the source
of many of the problems we have in life. We struggle with how to defeat these
enemies. But too often we depend upon our own abilities in the struggle. The
Bible’s emphasis is on the sin that remains in our lives. On another level, demonic influence is recognized. Quite
often failure on our part is caused by
our giving opportunity to the devil. But,
“The devil made me do it” is a copout!
Paul was clearly not referring to our human body when he used
the term “flesh”. The New Testament clearly presents the word as referring to
more than our human body! Bill Gillam, in his book, “Lifetime Guarantee” gives
us a definition that seems to me to be correct. According to Doctor Gillam, the word “flesh” refers to the old ways
or patterns by which we have attempted to get all our needs supplied instead of
seeking Christ first and trusting Him to meet our needs.
Therefore, he can refer to “flesh” as a condition in which we
live. “We walk in the flesh” refers to our day to day activities. He wrote to
the Corinthians that there are people who suspect him of “walking according to
the flesh!” He wanted to be very clear that walking in the flesh is not the
same as walking according to the flesh. It is true that…
We walk in the flesh. Let’s turn to Romans 8:3-5. For God has done
what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in
the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in
order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who
walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For
those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the
flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things
of the Spirit.
Living according to the flesh — attempting to get our needs
supplied in our own strength — is not the pattern that we want to see in our
day-to-day activities. The flesh condemns the law. In our own strength, we cannot live up to the demands of
the law. God allowed that to be proven generation after generation for
thousands of years. In order to fulfill the righteous requirements of the law, we must walk according to the Spirit
rather than according to the flesh. Without any doubt,
it is obvious that…
We can’t win the battle in the flesh. Let’s read on Romans 8:6-8. For to set the mind on the flesh is death,
but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the
mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to
God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh
cannot please God.
Operating in the flesh is death rather than life. And yet
most people, including Christians, attempt to “fix” their spiritual problems by
using their old habits and human strengths (those “strengths” are really
weaknesses). Our human nature is totally
without spiritual good. The Bible tells us that nothing good dwells within us,
that is within our flesh (Romans 7:18). Jeremiah told us that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt; who can
understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9). Any focus on the flesh is deadly and should
be avoided at all costs. And yet somehow, we fall back into the old ways of
thinking. Habitually we develop patterns of thinking that continually led us
into positions opposite to God’s desire for us. In fact, there is no
neutrality. The mind set on the flesh is
hostile to God! The mind set on the
Spirit is life and peace. I certainly do not want to put myself in a position
where I am hostile to God in any way.
Before we came into relationship
with Jesus Christ we were totally unable to do spiritual good. The Bible tells
us that before we came to know Christ we were dead in trespasses and sins. Of
course, we were not physically dead! It was much worse than that we were
spiritually dead. To be spiritually dead is to be separated from God eternally.
It’s quite possible for us to be “good” by the world standards and yet be
totally isolated from God. Good people often do not believe in the existence of
God. Yet the Bible tells us that if we are to draw near to God we must believe
that he exists (Hebrews 11:6). The Bible tells us, in the words of Jesus, “everyone who practices sin is a slave to
sin” (John 8:34).
A person who is a slave to sin and who is dead spiritually
has no hope in this world. It is impossible for us to draw near to God in our
own power. Again, in the words of Jesus, “No
one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44). We
must first come to God in faith believing that he rewards all who seek him. We
were all born in that “slave to sin” condition that keeps us separated from
God. If you are a Christian it is because God himself has called you. When he
calls you he does not leave you on your own. That would cause us to continue to
operate in the flesh since we knew no other way to operate. When we respond to
the call of God we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our
heart that God raised him from the dead. Now that’s not my opinion that is the
word of God found in Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 10, verses 9 and 10.
Once we come to faith in Christ, we find ourselves in spiritual combat. It is combat the like of which we’ve never known
before. We do not have any resources to fight it with. In order for us to be
obedient children to our heavenly Father,
we must learn to fight the good fight of faith. We do not use any of the
weapons that we have used in the past to fight the battles because our weapons
are useless. I am so grateful that…
God provides weapons. Let’s look at Ephesians 6:11-12. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able
to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not
wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the
spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
In order for us to fight the battles of the spiritual life, we need to learn to use God’s weapons. We
must remember that people are not our enemy and they never have been. Even
though we are still living in an earth suit that corresponds to the flesh our
war is not, and never has been, of the flesh. Remember what I read in the beginning of this message, “the weapons of our warfare are not of the
flesh”. Our enemies are spiritual! They are the rulers and authorities of
the cosmic powers over this present darkness. Our enemies are spiritual forces
of evil. Satan has established strongholds throughout the universe that are in
direct opposition to God. In order for us to be effective in combat, we must use the weapons God provides.
And they are…
Weapons that destroy strongholds. Let’s turn to Romans 8:37-39. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death
nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor
powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all
creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
Only the weapons God gives us are sufficient to meet the
enemies that we face. Our strength is found in the love of God. Frederick
Lehman wrote the song, The Love of God. The first verse speaks of the great
victory that God has won for us!
The love of God is greater far Than
tongue or pen can ever tell.
It goes beyond the highest star And reaches to the lowest hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled And pardoned from his sin.
It goes beyond the highest star And reaches to the lowest hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled And pardoned from his sin.
As Paul assured the Romans, we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us! It is God’s love that enables us to stand against our
enemies. It is God’s love that fills our heart with the courage to face those enemies. It is God’s love that is sufficient
to meet every need in our life. The wonderful news is nothing can separate us
from the love of God. Not death nor life, not
angels nor demons, nothing that exists or will exist in the future can ever
separate us from His love.
His love gives us…
Weapons of the mind. Let’s turn to Romans 12:1-2. I appeal to you therefore,
brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do
not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and
acceptable and perfect.
Even though we walk in the flesh we must not let that
self-centered system of meeting our spiritual needs dominate our lives. We must
come before Him as being acceptable to God. The flesh conforms to this world. As
a matter-of-fact, the church as represented by her people does not look
remarkably different from the rest of the world. Church people are not more
loving than the good people of the world. Even though Jesus said that our love
for one another would be the way the world recognized us as being His disciples
(John 13:35). If our minds are transformed into the image of God we will look
like God’s people! The love of God, when released in us, changes us into His image day by day. That transformation will
enable us to obey Him completely.
First, we must believe that He exists! Second, we believe
that He rewards those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Jeremiah gave us these words, “You will seek me and find me when you
seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) Our Lord Jesus said, in the Sermon on the Mount, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and
it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)
The only evidence of love for God is not faith but obedience.
Love is not a feeling it’s a choice. A choice that grows out of our faith but
it is still a choice. The evidence that we have faith in the Son is our
obedience. Jesus said, “If you love me,
you will keep my commandments.… Whoever
has my commandments and keeps them, he it
is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father,” (John
14:15, 21a). Evidence of our faith is not found in our testimony is found in
our obedience. And…
God’s power is released in obedience. Let’s turn back to 2 Corinthians 10:5. We destroy arguments
and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.
God’s divine power destroys strongholds that the enemy has
built in our life. Those strongholds are established in philosophy and empty
deceit strengthened by human tradition (Colossians 2:8). Human traditions feed
the flesh! In order to defeat our enemies,
we must bring every thought captive to Christ. Remember…
Everyone is involved in spiritual warfare. There is no
exemption! Unbelievers, atheists, are in rebellion against God. I realize many
people claim there is no God. Yet many of them spend a lot of time trying to
remove this “no God” from our world. If God does not exist why are they
intimidated by him? Believers who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ are confronted by the world, the flesh, and
the devil. But, we can join with the apostle Paul, “thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57) We
have victory in Jesus! Have you openly placed your faith in him? This could be
the day of your salvation!
All scriptures quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English
standard version. 2001. Wheaton, Ill, Standard Bible Society.
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