WAR
II CORINTHIANS 10:1-5
Introduction:
There was no place in which the apostle Paul met with more opposition from false apostles than at Corinth; he had many enemies there. Here he seeks to show those who are false teachers that his weapons are not carnal, but powerful weapons for the God of Heaven.
His many enemies tried to undermine him and make him look weak, however, Paul knew where his strength lay and used the power of God to accomplish God’s will.
I. THE WEAPONS OF THE WORLD TODAY ARE:
A. Learning, education is said to be the secret for curing the ills of society, 2 Timothy 3:7, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
1. We have more education than anytime before.
2. There is less knowledge about the truth now.
B. Personal influence, pressure brought to bear on those that do not conform, John 7:46-52.
C. Impressive credentials, 1 Corinthians 2:1-2, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”
II. THE WEAPONS OF GOD’S PEOPLE
A. Our weapons are NOT CARNAL, vs. 4-5.
1. The weapons Paul used were weapons of DIVINE POWER:
a. The PROCLAIMED Word of God, Ephesians 6:17, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
b. PRAYER to God for the victory, Ephesians 6:18, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
2. These are not fleshly weapons such as men renown, 1 Corinthians 1:26, “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:”
3. These are not the weapons of the world, 1 Corinthians 2:1, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.”
B. The effect of those weapons, vs. 4-5.
1. Our sufficiency is in our Lord, 2 Corinthians 4:7, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
2. We can do nothing without Him, John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
3. Our full trust is in Him to win the battle, Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
C. These weapons are frail by worldly standards, but not by God’s standard,
1. They are able to demolish the arguments of the gospel’s foes, 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing, words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
a. To the pulling down of strong holds, v. 4; Psalm 89:40, “Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.”
b. To the casting down of imaginations (reasoning), 2 Corinthians 10:10, “For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.”
c. To the casting down of high things that exalt themselves against God, 1 Corinthians 3:19-20, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”
2. They are able to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:5, “Casting down imaginations , and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
a. He teaches us to rely on Him, Matthew 11:29-30, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
b. He teaches us control in our life, Romans 7:23, “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”
3. Through the power of God He teaches us to war, Psalm 144:1, “Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:”
4. With these weapons we can war a good warfare, 1 Timothy 1:18, “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;”
a. We can endure difficulties, 2 Timothy 2:3, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”
b. We fight by God’s rules, 2 Timothy 2:5, “And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.”
5. With these weapons the victory is the Lord’s, Psalm 98:1, “O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.”
a. He gives us the victory, 1 Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
b. Our faith in Jesus Christ is the victory, 1 John 5:4, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
CONCLUSION
Paul didn’t bother arguing with these false teachers, but rather, he preached the truth and let the Lord do the rest. The Corinthians church won the victory, but not without a difficult fight against the lies of the devil.