2 Corinthians 10 - What Weapons Do You Use to Fight Your Spiritual Battles?

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Paul’s Defense of His Ministry

4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ

Though we sometimes feel overwhelmed by the world, we don't need to be. Why? Because we have power that is way greater than the power in the world. Our weapons are designed to demolish demonic strongholds. We often don't realize the power we have and that is part of the problem. The devil would not want us to realize the power we have, so he keeps us in the dark. 

A lot of this battle is waged in the mind of a believer. Instead of allowing evil thoughts to take a stronghold in your life make your thoughts obedient to Christ. By being in God's Word you can develop the mind of Christ to think like him and then act like him. This is why in Romans 12 tells us to not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We need to watch our thoughts and not let them go with the flow of society. By being in God's Word we have the mind of Christ. 

Carnal and worldly ways of thinking and doing are arguments against the mind and methods of God. They want to debate God, saying they have a better way. They exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. They think of themselves as smarter, more sophisticated, more effective, more powerful than God’s ways. Carnal, worldly minds think they know more than God does! - Guzik

We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.

The issue at hand was that the Corinthians were judging Paul based on worldly standards. Paul would not stoop so low as to try and boast about how great he was. Paul was more worried about his status in God's eyes, than the world. Paul had an "audience of One". Paul wasn't boasting about his work done among the Corinthians anymore than he worried about someone else's efforts in the kingdom. Sometimes churches get competitive with the best looking church, the coolest worship band, or the best light show. All of this is in vain, especially if it is to attract people in a prideful way. Each church has a mission field and it is in the streets around it. 

This needs to be communicated to pastors and church leaders today: Stop measuring yourself by yourselves. Stop comparing yourselves among yourselves. We should not make ourselves the measure of others, feeling we are superior to them if, by outward appearance, we are more successful. On the other side, we should not make others our measure, feeling we are failures if – by outward appearance – they are more successful. - Guzik

Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, 16 so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you.

As an apostle, Paul was sent to plant churches and then go to others with the gospel. His hope was that once the gospel was planted in a place like Corinth it would expand to other places. This is what we see happened in the early church in the 1st century, as the gospel grew in places like Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Thessalonica, Galatia, and to Rome. 

Though we should belong to a local church and offer our time, talents, and treasures to it, we also need to have a heart for global mission and support those who have been sent out like Paul. In our church we set apart 10% of our offering to go to support other missions around the world. We should always be praying for both the local and global church for we are all brothers and sisters in Christ!

Do you fight your battles with the weapons God has given you? Do you draw on God's word when you are tempted? Are you supporting the church globally? Why don't you support a missionary or mission in another part of the world! There are many people we can't reach but others can!