FIGHTING FAMILIES: The Weapons of our Warfare

Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-6.

What Paul says of Christian warfare in general can be applied to the battle for our family in particular. That Satan and his forces are arrayed against Christian homes and especially preventing the transmission of truth to the next generation is indisputable. Yet, it is a conflict that we can and must win. God has given us weapons and the Apostle describes them here.

These are spiritual weapons. We often think of media, atheists, abortionists, homosexual activists, and so forth as being the enemy, when they are actually those enslaved by the enemy. It is the dark, demonic forces at work behind the material world that we war against.

Our weapons are superior weapons. Satan is stronger than we are, yet he is no match for God!  Not even close!

These weapons can pull down strongholds. Just like the walls around the stronghold of Jericho fell—not by military strategy, but God’s power—so God can free our children’s minds and hearts from satanic strongholds that the world erects.

Our weapons can cast down arguments. Truth is mightier than error.  The lies told to our children can be overcome.

Our weapons can bring down the arrogant deceptions that rail against God, deny His existence, and seek to undermine our children’s faith.  The smug secularist is not as smart as the simple saint who knows the Word of God.

Ultimately, we can capture the thoughts of our children, and lead them into obedience to Christ.  Call it, “brainwashing,” if you will—the reality is that one side or the other is going to win the battle for young minds.

Not only positive instruction, but corrective discipline is needed. Young people must be taught the benefits of obedience to God, but also the pain of disobedience. How we direct them and discipline them is of critical importance.

Take up those weapons.  This is war!  It is winnable. The souls of the next generation are at stake.

SMASHING SATAN'S STRONGHOLDS

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….  (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

What do you do about a stubborn sin?  You have prayed about it; you have promised not to do it again; but once more you have succumbed. Your life has become a miserable cycle of temptation, surrender, sorrow, repentance, and recommitment—only to be repeated over and over.  This is no longer only a sin—it has become a stronghold of Satan.

Paul’s use of the word here in 2 Corinthians is rooted in a term for a fortress or castle.  A stronghold is a place where the Devil has a “strong hold” on you.  The enemy is firmly entrenched.  A castle is not constructed overnight.  The foundation is laid when a sin is committed, and then brick after brick the fortifying occurs as the sin is repeated.  For example, here is how a stronghold of pornography would develop: 

You are surfing the internet.  An advertisement catches your attention—perhaps some celebrity has been caught in a scandalous situation—photos included.  You are curious and you click on it.  Images are burned in your mind.  Links take you to other sites, even more sordid—like a moth drawn to the flame.  Then, you get a grip, and close it down.  You confess it and ask God’s forgiveness.  Still the images haunt your mind, and the next time you are online you feel the tug.  Again you surrender—soon you become obsessed—accompanied by the inevitable guilt and shame. 

Don’t think it cannot happen to you.  It may be something else—greed, exaggeration, bitterness, anger, fear, gluttony, drunkenness, pride—the list is large.  Has it happened to you?

The battlefield is in your mind—and that is where the spiritual weapons God has given us must be applied.  There must be submission to the truth, confession of the stronghold, and dependence on God.  We must put on the whole armor of God (see Eph.6:10-20), each piece put on with the prayer of faith.  Take up the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—and go on the offensive.  This is how Jesus overcame temptation in the wilderness and put Satan to flight. He knew the Word, trusted it, submitted to it, quoted it, and stood His ground.  He did that as a man to show us how humans can overcome.  We do not argue with the Devil—he can always outtalk us—we rebuke those arguments.  We bring our thoughts into submission to the Word of God.  When our minds are full of Scripture, there is no room for Satan to flood our thoughts with evil.  In fact, our thoughts will either be captive to the enemy or conquered by Christ.

Revelation 12:11 names three powerful weapons for overcoming Satan: the blood of Jesus, the word of our testimony, and a commitment unto death.  The blood of Jesus cleanses and covers us.  It seals us as belonging to God—the purchase price of redemption.  We do not have to be mastered by sin anymore. We belong to Jesus.  We testify to that—confessing God’s promises to counter the enemy.  Our lives are no longer our own.  The cross signifies our death to sin, and the empty tomb promises new life.  The power that raised Christ from the dead is available to us!

Demolish that stronghold in Jesus’ name!

SHOUT THE VICTORY!

“It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”  (Joshua 6:5)

Johnny Jones was a mischievous boy.  He was more likely to get into trouble in Sunday School than to study his Bible.  One day the teacher was discussing Joshua 6, when she noticed Johnny whispering with another boy.  “Johnny!” she said.  “Who caused the walls of Jericho to fall?”  He quickly answered, “I didn’t do it!”  The teacher had reached her limit.  Grabbing little Johnny, she hustled him to the Pastor’s study.  When she unfolded the story, the Pastor looked at the boy and said, “This is serious.”  Then addressing the teacher said, “I know Johnny gets into a lot of trouble, but I’ve never known him to be destructive.  If he says he didn’t do it, then I don’t think he did it!”  The teacher let out a cry of exasperation, causing the deacon chairman, who was walking by, to run into the room.  Talking loudly and rapidly, the teacher told what had happened—including the pastor’s response.  The deacon said, “Let’s not cause problems in the church.  We can take up some money and pay to repair those walls.”  Hopefully, we know our Bible better than that!  We can know the story, however, and miss the spiritual implications for believers today.  God intends for us to shout the victory!

Jericho was the first obstacle the Jews faced on the other side of Jordan—a massive fortress where the enemy was firmly entrenched.  They would never experience the abundance of Canaan until this stronghold of the enemy was overthrown.  The chances are there is a Jericho in your life—a stubborn sin where the Devil has dug in.  If you never gain victory in that area, you will never know the abundant life God has for you.

Israel would not tear down the walls by military might.  It would not be the weapons of the flesh, but spiritual power that was required to bring down the walls.  They would follow their Commander—the Lord Jesus—who would lead them to victory.  He was there (Josh.5:13-15).  Try as hard as you might, resolve repeatedly, and you will still fail miserably to overcome that satanic stronghold.  Here is what Scripture says,

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….  (2 Cor.10:3-5)

Their faith that prompted their obedience—when the strategy made no logical sense—brought the walls down (1 John 5:4).  They shouted the victory first, and then experienced it!  Man says, “I’ll believe it when I see it!”  God says, “You’ll see it when you believe it!”  If we would see ourselves as God sees us—overcomers, more than conquerors, triumphant (all Biblical descriptions of the people of God)—then we would behave as we believe!  You do not have to wait to reach heaven to shout the victory!