2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (NKJV) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
The strongholds of our minds are built over time when the enemy makes inroads into our minds through lies. We are responsible for pulling them down by subjecting them to the Word of God.
Some strongholds are rational. For example, if someone speaks unkindly to us, and if our stronghold is to retaliate an eye for an eye, we will be unkind towards them, thus destroying our relationships and marriages. However, if we have a renewed mind and pull down the stronghold by bringing it into subjection to the Lordship of Christ, we will walk in love, forgiveness, and grace. If we believe that we are a new creation with God’s nature in us, we can reign in the flesh and choose to walk in the Spirit; we will exercise the fruit of the Holy Spirit towards that person who will witness our redeemed personality. This is how we defeat the devil.
There are also irrational strongholds which are related to unrealistic fears and worries. Examples include abnormal fears of rejection, financial collapse, inheriting a sickness, and premature death. Other examples include thinking that one has to be thin to be beautiful, our marriage is doomed to fail following the patterns of our parents, we will never succeed in life, or God will not love us unless we perform. All these are the flaming arrows of the evil ones to hinder us from enjoying the abundant life.
2 Corinthians 10:5-6 (NKJV) 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.
To pull down these strongholds, we need to bring down every thought that exalts itself above the truth of the Word. We say “no” to those thoughts and bring them into subjection to what the Word of God says!
For example, if we believe that we can only be beautiful if we are thin, we declare: “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well” (Psalms139:14 NJKV).
If we don’t take captive our thoughts, our thoughts will take us captive. However, when we have a renewed mind, it will be perfectly logical to walk in faith. We will be able to obey God with our money and trust Him in every aspect of our lives because we know what God can do and deliver! Walking by faith is the only way to break away from fear. Let’s choose to focus our minds on God and His Word, thereby keeping our peace amidst the barrage of negative thoughts that have created a stronghold in our minds.
Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
Sermon Series: The weapon of our spiritual warfare (Part 4)
掌控你的思想
哥林多后书 10:3-4 因为我们虽然在血气中行事、却不凭着血气争战．我们争战的兵器、本不是属血气的、乃是在 神面前有能力、可以攻破坚固的营垒、
我们思想的营垒是仇敌经年累月地以谎言侵入我们的思想而形成的。我们有责任将他们交与圣经的权下，拆毁它们。
有些营垒是基于理性的。例如，如果有人对我们说不友善的话，如果我们的营垒是以眼还眼，我们就会对他们不友善，从而破坏我们的关系和婚姻。 然而，如果我们有一个更新了的思想，藉着将其带到基督的主权之下来拆毁这营垒，我们就会行在爱、宽恕和恩典中。如果我们相信自己是一个新造的人，有神的本性在我们里面，我们就能统御血气，选择顺着圣灵而行;我们将对着那个人操练圣灵的果子，他将亲眼见证我们已蒙救赎的品格。这就是我们打败魔鬼的方式。
还有一些非理性的营垒，与不切实际的恐惧和担忧有关。例子包括对于被拒绝、财务崩溃、遗传疾病和过早死亡的过度恐惧。其他例子包括认为一个人必须瘦才算美丽；若遵循父母的模式，我们的婚姻注定要失败；我们永远不会在生活中取得成功；或者上帝不会爱我们除非我们表现得好。所有这些都是那恶者的火箭，阻碍我们享受丰盛的生命。
哥林多后书 10:5-6 将各样的计谋、各样拦阻人认识神的那些自高之事、一概攻破了、又将人所有的心意夺回、使他都顺服基督．并且我已经预备好了、等你们十分顺服的时候、要责罚那一切不顺服的人。
为了摧毁这些营垒，我们需要拆毁每一个高举自己凌驾于圣经真理之上的思想。我们对这些想法说“不”，并将其带到神话语的主权之下！
例如，如果我们相信只有细瘦才算美丽，我们就会要宣告：“我要称谢你、因我受造奇妙可畏．你的作为奇妙．这是我心深知道的。”（诗篇 139:14）。
如果我们不掌控思想，思想就会掌控我们。然而，当我们有一个更新了的思想时，凭信心行事是完全合乎逻辑的。我们将能够用我们的金钱来顺服上帝，并在我们生活的方方面面都信靠他，因为我们知道上帝能做什么和拯救什么！凭信心而行是摆脱恐惧的唯一途径。让我们选择将我们的思想聚焦在上帝和祂的话语上，从而在一连串已经在我们的头脑中形成了营垒的消极思想中持守我们的平安。
以赛亚书 26:3 坚心倚赖你的、你必保守他十分平安、因为他倚靠你。
讲章系列:我们属灵争战中的武器（第四部分）
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