"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 through God to the pulling down of strongholds, 5 casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ"
This scripture actually means so much to me and hits home because strongholds have held a place in my mind for so long. Most of them manifested in a time when I didn’t even have the knowledge of knowing that they were, mainly at childhood. That’s something that I had to come to an understanding of. The enemy would try to make me think that I am the reason for all this when he tempted me with a coping mechanism when I was younger and some things I struggle with are generational. So in my gaining understanding of what I’ve given room to in my life verses 3-5 give direction.
3: Tells me that even thought there are somethings that my flesh desires, I am not to respond to that. When my flesh says that when I am going though, that I need to release sexually, I have to align it to God’s word because I don’t just do what my flesh wants. Or when someone makes us upset or does us wrong, we don’t just go off because we feel challenged.
4: Tells me that the weapons of my warfare are not in how good I can fight. Not in if I can come up with the comeback that will break someone else down. It’s not in my instagram post. It’s not in my intentions to block or ignore someone. Those are just mere schemes the enemy uses to make us think we are getting ahead. It lets me know that my weapons are stronger through God.
What I think is crazy is that we are talking about weapons, yet we are not talking about using them against people. These weapons are to fight the battle in our minds and to live a fruitful life. Because the enemy knows that if he can make us think a certain way, it will guide all of our actions after that. So God gives us these tools.
Through the pulling down of strongholds.
Those thoughts and demons that come to invade our mind and wants us to believe the enemy. Strongholds are wrong thinking that we adapt to that end up festering into what we live by if we do not align it with God’s word.
5: Casting down imaginations
More than we like to admit, we escape in out mind, creating fantasies outside of the will of God and most times sinning there. So when it says to cast down it means, get that thought completely out of your head. To throw or hurl. Instead we have harbored and dwelled on these things.
Every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.
The enemy seems to already have us with this one because it says “against the knowledge of God”, yet we don’t know word of God so that’s why we don’t know what to cast down. We should be asking questions like; God, does this go against your word? Does this memory go against your word?
The enemy would love if we kept those thoughts of hurt and sin in our mind and made decisions and actions according to it. And he will use the tool of our memory to say oh this isn’t some thing you made up through imagination so it is okay, when the actual happening went against the knowledge of God. So he tries to get us wrapped up in those things.
Then you have those thoughts of condemnation that come to make you fell like you are not a son or a daughter of God. The high things and thoughts that strip the word of God for what it is worth. Making us feel depressed, lonely, tempted beyond our control. The word says to cast these things down.
Bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
This means to measure it by the word. What does God say about this? What am I believing or acting on that is a lie from the enemy?
This scripture truly helped me in my thinking and attacking the enemy in prayer. I pray that this encouraged you and added to the knowledge that God has given you. Let us remember that these things that we are coming up against, the battle won’t be won in the flesh, but in the spirit.
Be encouraged and stay LIT.