Our Mighty Weapons

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ 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, ⁶ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."

2 Corinthians 10:3-6

In the days of the judges in Israel, God allowed enemies of Israel to remain to test His people.  God wanted His people to know war, and the second generation of Israelites born in Canaan knew nothing of it (Judges 3:1-4).  It may seem a strange thing God would want His people to know war, but the way they were to fight was different from everyone else.  It was never about global domination, but possessing the land allotted by God for them.  Since God promised to fight for His people, the way to victory was found in seeking God and obedience to Him.  The walls of Jericho were not breached by elaborate war machines or the ingenuity of men, but through faith and obedience to God.  David defeated the giant of Gath not with a sword or spear but faith in God and willingness to meet the one who defied God with a sling and stone picked up from a brook on the way.  It was God - not Israel's great military might or weaponry - who caused terror to fall upon the enemies of Israel and turned their swords upon one another.  The children of Israel needed to know how to battle trusting God as they remained obedient to Him.

I believe people who comprise the true church of Jesus Christ today find themselves in a similar position as the second generation born in Canaan.  Though countless believers in the world today suffer oppression and persecution for their faith in Christ, there are many Christians who remain unfamiliar with war.  There are battles in our own lives we do not know how to fight, and we look with concern at the mighty cultural forces rising in society which furiously oppose God.  The great temptation Christians face is the one the children of Israel needed to learn to avoid, the seeking and reliance upon worldly means to achieve "victory."  There is a temptation to launch campaigns against those who oppose biblical morality, to leverage media to spread the word, to contribute financially to activists, labour for political sway, and push legislation to protect ourselves and interests.  This only scratches the surface of the carnal (fleshly, temporal) weapons people use in the world to get their way.  I am not claiming any of these approaches are wrong in themselves, but they are all wrong if they are substitutes for faith in God and obedience to His Word.

Paul understood this very well.  He lived in a degenerate culture filled with political intrigue, scandalous sin, and the rife persecution of Christians.  There was undoubtedly a temptation for Christians to use the very means those in the world employed so effectively.  But Paul realised the way a Christian deals with conflict is to be completely different from the world, for our God fights our battles.  Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, demonic forces which incessantly labour out of sight to oppose God and destroy His people (Ephesians 6:12).  The conflict we face is primarily a spiritual one.  The only way we can learn to fight and prevail against the onslaught of our enemy (which again are not governments, worldviews, or people but are satanic) is to use the mighty weapons God has provided to pull down strongholds, cast down arguments which oppose God, bring thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ, and maintain the righteous integrity of the church.

God has given Christians the indwelling Holy Spirit who girds us with armour and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.  Prayer is a primary means of rightly fighting the war which rages around us today.  Ephesians 6:18 exhorts us to be "...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints..."  Instead of praying to carnal ends, according to sight or our fleshly desires, we are to pray according to the will of God revealed in scripture.  IF we believe in the power of our God and the effectiveness of the mighty weapons He has provided, we will make constant use of them.  Worldly weapons have limitations:  there are only so many rounds in a clip, effectiveness of firearms depends upon the aim of the shooter, and a blunted blade is ineffective.  Those who kill with the sword can also die by the sword.  Those who trust in the LORD find themselves eternally victorious even if it seems we are "losing" a culture war.  Fighting a culture war according to the culture is a losing proposition, but the victory of Christ through faith cannot be stripped away - even by Satan himself.

The battle is the LORD's, and this is not a call to careless passivity:  we have received our orders from the Most High, and we are called to fight His battle His way.  Instead of wringing our hands about the state of things, taking up worldly weapons to do battle, or digging in underground with the hope of remaining hidden, God wants us to learn of war so we might walk in victory and freedom.  We can pray like we have already won because God already has.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 is a fitting exhortation:  "Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  In the joy of the LORD is our strength.

A Familiar Flavour

Even as we use our senses to discern if food is suitable for eating, so we must be watchful concerning Bible teaching.  Elihu said in Job 34:2-4, "Hear my words, you wise men; give ear to me, you who have knowledge. ³ For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. ⁴ Let us choose justice for ourselves; let us know among ourselves what is good."  There are foods which looked questionable to me because they were unfamiliar, but when I tried them I agreed they were delicious.  There have also been times when I realised the taste of a familiar food was quite off!  As Christians in this world, there will be unsound teaching which is passed off as biblical the discerning believer will find unpalatable and should reject.  We should not be skeptical or cynical based on appearance alone, but we should be as the noble people of Berea who are described as receiving the Word with readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily to see if the claims Paul and Silas were valid (Acts 17:11).  And this is the point:  people should not preach themselves or their opinions, but endeavour to preach the Word of God.

As children of God filled with the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth, we can discern truth from error.  Seminary degrees have their merit, but they are no substitute for the indwelling presence of God.  Just because a man is revered as a Greek scholar does not mean he is infallible, and some who claim to be filled with the Holy Spirit are full of nonsense.  The Word of God, the Bible, is a indispensable beacon of divine light, a revelation of God's truth He has placed above His own name.  We do not worship the scriptures, but the scriptures reveal the God who inspired them and our Saviour who is worthy of all worship.  People usually are playing a sort of game when they tell you to close your eyes and taste food, and no child of God ought to blindly swallow down whatever is offered to them.

How can we know what is sound teaching?  By using scripture to interpret scripture.  The study of scripture can be a very complex process, but it is understood easily enough by those who have faith in God and a hunger to know and do the truth.  Jesus spoke many parables which remained unsolvable mysteries to unbelievers, but they were designed to reveal spiritual truth to those who believed.  Knowledge of scripture helps us to know when teaching diverts from it - even for a moment.  God is able to even use dubious interpretations of men to lead men to discovering the truth.  One of my favourite examples of this is in the Daily Bread devotional titled, "The Oyster Man."  God's grace is no excuse to justify wilful ignorance, but God's Word preached even by unlearned men has power to impact people for eternity.

Paul exhorted Timothy in light of the deceivers in the world to "Preach the Word!"  We live in a day where many people will not submit to sound doctrine but have turned aside to fables, emotionally stirring vignettes, and worldly wisdom.  The way we avoid error is to keep ourselves aligned with the scriptures.  We should be familiar with the Bible as we are with the taste of salt.  We know when food is savoury, and know when it needs salt.  Whenever I cook dinner and the result is a little different than normal, my wife and kids always know.  I can't slip a half teaspoon of chilli or curry powder into lentil soup without notice, and we should notice when a preacher veers from the truth of the Bible.  If the flavour is a bit off, ask questions and dig into the Bible.  Let us put into practice the truth of God's Word, searching the scriptures to confirm what is preached.

Different Beliefs

Yesterday I read John 4 and took note of the instance when a nobleman came from Capernaum seeking Jesus in Cana of Galilee.  The man left his dying son behind and made a day's journey to beg Jesus to come heal his son.  The determined man's request was met with a response from Jesus which seems a bit odd.  John 4:48 says, "Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe."  One might argue the great distance the man travelled was indicative of genuine belief, but Jesus knew better.

John 4:49-50 reads, "The nobleman said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies!" ⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way."  The way the nobleman addresses Jesus as "Sir" is proof he did not believe in the divine nature of Jesus - though he was willing to travel far in his desperate search to help his son.  Upon hearing the words of Jesus, the man "believed the word" Jesus spoke to him.  The man believed Jesus could help him, and he believed the words Jesus said.  But did he really believe?

John 4:51-53 concludes the story:  "And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, "Your son lives!" ⁵² Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." ⁵³ So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." And he himself believed, and his whole household."  As the man travelled home, he was met by his servants who brought excellent news:  his son was out of danger and well!  The man inquired of when exactly the fever had left the boy, and their answer confirmed it was the precise time Jesus promised his son would live.  The initial claim of Jesus was verified, that the man would not believe without signs and wonders.  The man had believed Jesus could heal his son, believed the word He spoke, but it took a miracle for the man to believe in Jesus as LORD.

I wonder if this is true of many who profess "belief" in Christ:  they hope Jesus can help or save them and believe His words, but they do not genuinely believe in Jesus.  These believe in the existence of God, are familiar with Jesus and the events of His life, and even acknowledge the wisdom and power displayed by Jesus, yet do not believe in the way this nobleman and his house came to believe.  I believe God still does signs and wonders today, but they are not needed (though can be useful!) for salvation because we have the Bible which has recorded many miracles Jesus and His disciples performed.  Jesus affirms this to Thomas in John 20:29-31:  "Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." ³⁰ And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."

People's beliefs vary and their kind of belief can be different as well.  Thomas said to Jesus after seeing Him risen from the dead, "My LORD and my God!"  That's the kind of belief we need to have if we will have Jesus as our Saviour.  What sort of belief do you have concerning Jesus?  A belief which has moved you to seek Him?  Belief which has resulted in believing His word?  Or belief that transforms your life and makes Jesus your Master and King?

Looking Forward

As you consider the future, are there things you are looking forward to?  Whether it is an event, an opportunity, a celebration, or accomplishment, there are things we all look forward to with joyful expectancy.  When I purchase a gift for someone, I look forward to the moment I can give it to them.  To give is better than to receive, but it is perfectly valid to look forward to receiving a gift as well.  I remember very well circling the Christmas tree at my Grandpa and Grandma's house, casually taking note of the intended recipient of each gift.  It was not permitted on Christmas Eve to pick up a gift, but looking at the gifts was fine.  We kids looked forward to receiving the gifts intended for us to receive.  As we mature we learn to value the giver over the gift.

Do you know God has gifts intended for each follower of Jesus Christ to receive whilst on this planet as well upon our entry into eternal glory?  Is there found in us a heart of gratefulness and thanksgiving for all we have already received and also a sense of expectancy in looking forward to our future home in heaven?  I believe it is completely legitimate for us to look forward to our future heavenly reward provided by God's grace.  There are some super-spiritual people who say things like, "I've been so blessed now, anything I receive in heaven will be a bonus."  While in a sense this is true, should we minimise the value of the reward God has set aside for us?  Heaven is something to look forward to, and I don't want to miss out on any reward God intends for me.  John gave this exhortation in light of the deceivers in the world in 2 John 1:8:  "Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward."

It is not selfishness or pride which moves us to receive all the gifts God has for us.  Paul said we should earnestly desire spiritual gifts, and the obedient seek to lay hold of all God offers.  When we receive a crown of glory in heaven, it will be of such purity and value like nothing we possessed in our mortal frame.  In our fallen flesh we give God our sin and He provides His righteousness in exchange.  The work of Christ is described in Isaiah 61:1-3:  "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; ² to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, ³ to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."  See these divine exchanges?  We can only give ourselves, and in ourselves we are no prize.  Praise the LORD He values us, loves us, and can be glorified through these clay vessels (to which we are compared), that His glory shines through us.

In the Book of the Revelation twenty-four elders are described as casting down their crowns before the throne of God in worship.  It is a lovely picture of the redeemed emphatically and completely giving to God what God had given to them.  We don't need to wait for heaven to do this, for we can give unto God the glory due His name today.  That being said, more and more I look forward to being in the presence of God in a glorified body without the hindrance of the flesh and this mind which needs constant renewing and reminding and giving God praise.  Our vision is a bit blurry now, but one day it will be flawless.  All we have is a gift provided by God, and God is not through giving.  It follows we ought to look forward to receiving these gracious gifts, for in doing so we will bring Him greater honour and praise forever.  Are you looking forward to heaven?  Are your affections engaged with God there?  Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  There is more treasure in store for those who treasure Christ above all.