The Weapons of Our Warfare Are Not Carnal

I'm reading from King James today, 2 Corinthians 10, verses 3, 4, and 5. 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 strongholds, 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. As long as we are confined to our little churches, and as long as we stay pretty much with the people who think the way we do, we may not be conscious of the warfare that the Apostle Paul is talking about.

And we can talk about the healing of the sick, and the casting out of demons, and the power of God, and all kinds of wonderful things, but it's all theory and it's not challenged. It's never put to the test in any serious way. But when we begin to move out of our fortresses, and when we go forth from our confines, when we start to preach the gospel not to each other, but to the world, and in the name of God start to mingle with people who don't think the way we do, and have no respect for our scriptures, and never say praise the Lord, we begin to discover that it's not quite as simple as we thought, and that there is indeed a war going on.

The enemy who long ago managed to destroy the simple faith of Adam and Eve is still at work. And he's not just at work in the alcoholic who's bound to the addict, or the person whose sexual drive is swollen out of proportions, but he's also at work in nice, decent people, Christians, people like ourselves. And the place where this warfare goes on is in the area of the mind.

The enemy moves in and begins to lure the mind away from reality. He begins to inspire the mind with vain imaginations, and to puff it up with false arguments, often called knowledge. And he begins to twist the mind in upon itself, so that we begin to indulge in all kinds of subtle self-idolatry.

And he says to us just what he said to Adam and Eve, go and eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It will make you wise, it will make you like God. And the minute we do this, our minds are wrapped.

Now when somebody's mind is wrapped in chains by Satan, he's not crying out, oh, I don't know how I'm going to get out of this mental... He considers himself free, she thinks she's liberated. The alcoholic, for instance, may admit that he has a few... And the religious phony may admit that she has some anxieties, but that her mind is bound, never. And no matter what form this mental bondage takes, the one thing everybody has in common, who is bound up by the chains of the enemy in the mind, false knowledge or some kind of... If it's true that Satan moves into the area of a mind, it's also true that when our Lord comes to deliver us, and he begins to bring up against all these false arguments the reality of God face to face.

For instance, the Pharisees and scribes were men of tremendous knowledge. Knowledge of the scriptures, knowledge of history, knowledge of Israel's destiny, knowledge of prophecy. And it was this knowledge which became, in fact, a stronghold of the enemy... When our Lord came, he began to bring up against all this phony knowledge a very simple message that was so clear that it cut right through to the heart.

And people, whether they liked it or not, had to acknowledge this man speaks with authority, not as one of the scribes. He didn't argue, and he didn't threaten. He simply spoke in the spirit of his Father, and the strongholds of the enemy fell, and every lying thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God came down, and people knew that they were face to face.

When a strong man, armed, keeps his palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him the armor wherein he trusted, and people, whether they wanted to or not, had to acknowledge that Jesus had this authority. We know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do thee... In the case of our Lord, and truly in the case of every disciple who has ever come after him, that these lies which bind... have to be cut through with a power which is not carnal, and no other power will do.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. And unless we have that kind... we are in no shape to withstand the attacks of the enemy, much less deliver anybody else's mind from bondage. And we have to be honest with ourselves and ask ourselves whether indeed the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God.

That God is pouring out this power upon his church. We have seen in this block, in the left, people that have been almost a daily thing. This power is being poured out.

For this warfare of the mind is given first of all to those men and women who are dead. Who are dead to self. I am crucified with Christ.

It is no longer I who live. Don't you know that as many of us have been baptized into Jesus Christ? You are dead. Your life is hidden.

So that we are no longer trying to prove. We are no longer trying to vindicate ourselves. We are no longer trying to defend ourselves.

And the only hands that are safe to contain. Thus we see that when the power... and we become conscious of it. And then we allow ourselves to become puffed up.

And if any kind of power remains with me when I am puffed up in myself and trying to... And so we have to ask ourselves. Am I dead? And am I willing to stay dead? And am I willing that the power of my Lord's death... Secondly, the power... Paul begins this 10th chapter of 2nd Corinthians by beseeching you by the meekness. And Jesus says to us.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am meek. And it is only in that meekness that whatever power they have cannot be... Aggressive in God, yes. Bold before men, yes.

Strong, yes. And yet constantly meek before the influences... We are no longer anymore allowing ourselves that the power of God for the warfare of the mind is given to... And yet how many of us still subtly in our hearts seem to have the idea. Yes, prayer would do me some good.

But I'll... It doesn't matter. And that's a lie. Our Lord taught us to pray.

Not so that prayer would... He taught them this parable that men are always to pray. Pray without ceasing. In everything by prayer and supplication with thanks... Any more than we can live... Only when we learn that lesson and we are... Power of God for the warfare of the mind is given to those who hear... He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying things to the churches that are being missed.

Because we're not listening. Most of us are afflicted with this disease where we're so busy they on the good ground... Many of us are inclined to... And then after we've heard what we... And as he afflicts and assaults... And I believe that from these ministries underneath... Very, very, very little. The other is the ministry of... Who make no claims.

Imply no claims. Wouldn't even dare make a claim for themselves. And their meat are not final.

Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And in those areas, Lord God, we're... We pray, Lord God, we pray that you're just... Wise with the wisdom. Patient.