2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (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,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.
In our spiritual battle, the wiles, devices, and deceits of the evil one come through the mind. Therefore, we must put on our helmets of salvation and renew our minds with the Word of God because this is how we win in our thought life.
In the opening passage, Paul emphasises that our warfare is not against flesh and blood but against strongholds that the enemy builds in our minds, and we are responsible for pulling down the strongholds by subjecting them to the Word of God. The word “stronghold” in Greek describes a fortress or prison. They are not built overnight but over time when the enemy makes inroads into our minds through lies. When these lies are unchallenged, they will gradually become thick and impregnable walls around our lives.
Strongholds can be rational or irrational. “Arguments” in the above Scripture (or “imaginations” in other translations) refer to rational strongholds because the word “imagination” is taken from the word logos, from which we get the word “logic,” as in logical thinking.
The flaming darts or arrows of the evil ones are not in physical form but come from our thoughts about life and circumstances brought about by tribulation. Argumentative attitudes use logical means to refute the Word of God when faith is required to believe it because the mind cannot understand. The unsubmitted mind will always talk us out of obeying God, which will, in turn, completely dominate and control our obedience to God.
For example, the thoughts of someone with a stronghold where their identity in their “doing” might be: “I am a maker of my own destiny. I have the strength and ability to attain wealth, my position in the company, and my standing in society”. Then, when all these crumble, the flaming arrows from the devil will tell them that the Lord has abandoned them, they are a failure, and the future is bleak because the devil wants them to be downtrodden and depressed.
However, we can pull down the stronghold by declaring, “I am a child of God. I have the imputed righteousness of Christ though I am imperfect. God will listen to my prayer when I am under stress, tribulation, and affliction because the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. He is my covenant partner, and He will not attack me but protect and provide for me. My identity is in my being a child of God. Therefore, I seek God’s affirmation rather than man’s. I can accept any job or plan the Lord has for me. God’s love will never leave nor forsake me because He loves me unconditionally”.
Sermon Series: The weapon of our spiritual warfare (Part 4)
攻破坚固的营垒
哥林多后书 10:3-6 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，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。
在我们的属灵争战中，恶者的诡计、计谋和诡诈会从我们的心中浮现出来。因此，我们必须戴上救恩的头盔，用上帝的话语叫我们的心意更新而变化，因为这是我们在思想生活中获胜的方法。
在开篇的段落中，保罗强调我们并不是与属血气的争战乃是与仇敌建立在我们心中的坚固营垒争战，我们有责任用上帝的话攻破这些坚固的营垒。 “营垒”一词在希腊语中形容的是“堡障或监狱”。这些营垒不是一夜之间建立起来的，而是仇敌通过谎言久而久之地侵入我们的心。当这些谎言不受质疑时，它们将渐渐变成我们生命中厚重和坚不可摧的墙。
坚固营垒可以是理性的和非理性的。上述经文中的“计谋”（或其它译本中的“想象”）指的是理性的坚固营垒，因为“想象”一词来自“圣经真理”一词，我们从这词得到“逻辑”一词，即逻辑思维。
恶者的的飞镖或火箭不是物质理形式的，而是来自我们对生命和环境中的苦难的思考。当需要信心去相信上帝的话语时，因为我们的头脑无法理解，好争论的态度就会用逻辑来反驳上帝的话语。不顺服的心总是会说服我们不顺服上帝，反过来，完全支配和掌控我们对上帝的顺服。
比如在思想上有坚固营垒的人，他们的身份是建立在他的’行为’上: “我是自己命运的创造者。我有实力和能力创造财富、在公司的地位和在社会中的地位。”当所有这些都坍塌时，来自恶者的火箭会告诉他们，上帝已经丢弃了他们，他们是一个失败者，未来是黯淡的，因为恶者希望他们受压迫和沮丧。
然而，我们可以藉着以下的宣告来攻破坚固的营垒“我是上帝的孩子。我披戴着基督的义，即使我是不完美的。当我在压力、患难和困苦中时，上帝必会垂听我的祷告，因为义人的祷告是大有能力的。上帝是我的盟约伙伴，祂不会攻击我，而是保护和供应我的。我的身份是上帝的孩子。因此，我寻求上帝的肯定，而非人的肯定。我可以接受上帝为我安排的任何工作或计划。上帝的爱永远不会离开我，也不会丢弃我，因为祂无条件地爱我。
讲章系列:属灵争战的武器（第四部分）
Image Source：pixabay.com