Consider This Also!

Our Text: 2 Corinthians 10:4

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 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, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

 Our enemy is not visible neither is he tangible. Yet we are so natural that we insist on fighting a seen enemy. That is why we need a person to focus our anger or venom upon. From the text for today, we see that the main battles are fought in our thought lives. That is how Lucifer fell, when he thought within himself that it was time to become as God, same way he beguiled Eve, and Adam fell because they wanted to be as God. Same way he approached our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the wilderness but found nothing in Him.

In Philippians 4:8, Apostle Paul encourages the brethren at Philippi to rejoice in the Lord always (v. 4), to be gentle with all men (v. 5), and to be anxious for nothing but present all things to God in prayer (v. 6). He stated that as they do these things, or take on these characteristics, the peace of God will then guard their hearts and minds (v. 7).

V. 8: Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.

So in 2 Corinthians we see that we have to bring every thought under the government of Christ Jesus our Lord. Any thought not the mind or will of God is found to be exalting itself against the knowledge of God and no one knows God except as we know Jesus our Lord.

And in Philippians, we find that the way to captivate every thought for Christ is to think on those things listed. Only as and when we do this can God by His peace, guard our hearts and minds. The converse is when we entertain wicked, unkind thoughts, we pull out from under the government and protection of the Holy Spirit, the peace of God is not to be found our guard and the devil has free reign in our lives.

If the things listed in verse 8 of Philippians 4 would come naturally, we wouldn’t be encouraged to think on them. Every individual has a duty, a personal responsibility to decide to think on these things, and when negative thoughts are suggested to us, we immediately banish them by using our spiritual sword which is the Word of God. Hence we are told in Hebrews 4:12 that the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The Word of God will show us, if we allow Him, the origination of our thoughts and agenda.  Only then can we properly deal with them so that we carry out only the thoughts and agenda of God. So we can see that our enemy is not that cantankerous person or that other insecure man/woman making us miserable at work or even at Church! The originator of that irritant in our lives is the devil and the one who allows him is our Heavenly Father. How about that!

God allows it all to show us our real selves and to cause us to run into His ever loving arms because only there will we find peace and safety. King David knew this very well and verified it through his several wilderness excursions. He realized that the city walls, fortified as they were could not keep him safe. But out in the open fields or in dangerous venom infested caves, he found safety because he ran into the everlasting love of God. See Psalm 18.

The battle is in our minds in another wise. Whenever you find yourself feeling frustrated, especially if another person Is involved and it is because of them you feel thus, you need to step back immediately and let God be God. Anytime we try to do His work, we get frustrated. As David said in Psalm 18, you can only succeed where He strengthens you for a task.

In verses 29, 32-34, he said “For by you I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall. It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places. He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.”

Going back to our text, the last portion says, “and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” We have this natural propensity to call out the faults and transgressions of others very quickly and we ourselves are not in the clear. This is not a good thing, but does it mean we should be quiet about wrongdoing when we come up against it? When we see a reproach being brought against the name of our Lord, should we be quiet? Absolutely not! David exclaimed that the zeal for God was consuming him and Paul lived the life of one completely sold out to the cause of Christ, giving no thought for his personal safety or even comfort.

What we are saying is that you begin with yourself. Remove the log from your eye and then you can remove the splinter from your brother’s. We need to understand wherefrom the Lord has bought and brought us, to appreciate the magnitude of the work of grace He has done and continues to do in our lives. Then we need to extend the same mercy and longsuffering to our fellow men.

There comes a time when this stops as was with Paul in Acts 18:6. There will come such a time when Jesus Himself will separate the goats from the sheep. You need to work on yourself with the help of the Holy Spirit to make sure you’re sheep and not a goat! That is the process of fulfilling your obedience. As we are told, to obey is better than sacrifice.

In summary, let us win the war in our minds and the Kingdom of God and of His Christ would be further advanced.

Prayer

           

Help me Heavenly Father, I cannot help myself. Show me your way and teach me your path, that I might indeed be accepted in the beloved, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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