For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh;For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh
6 sermons cite this verse
… and this is a very important topic 2 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 3 through 6 tells us this and it's no stranger to many of you Paul tells the church at Corinth by the way the church at Corinth Corinth, Greece extremely prone to demonic activity demonic worship the culture so when there's a church born in there in Corinth, Greece it carried a lot of residual into that brand new church It was a very carnal church. It took a long time, if ever, for that church to get mature in Christ. But, I mean, I got news for you. If you study the history of the church at Corinth, it's probably a church you would not attend. But God called them saints. They trusted Christ, but boy, were they messed up. But listen to what he tells them, something very deep. He says, for though we walk in the flesh, that is, we walk in these human bodies, we do not war according to the flesh. How come? Why? …
… And so, all right. Verse three, we walk in the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds. Picture with me a stronghold. If we were in biblical days, you would see cities that were made out of these huge stones, these carved stones, and each wall would be these various stones that have been built. Inside there would be houses or castles or whatever. If you're from Europe, they have these beautiful castles that are built out of these stones. A stone is not a stronghold. A stone does not create a dwelling place. but repeated stones connected together eventually build a place where the enemy can hide unrecognized. He hides, what are these stones? They're illegitimate thoughts. And when I embrace an illegitimate thought that the enemy has suggested over my life and I dwell on it, I meditate on it, what am I doing? …
… I'm going to have to show you that my boldness is not just reserved for letters. But I beg you that when I am present, I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. He says, what you don't understand is that I'm actually using a strategy. Because it's true, I do walk in the flesh. But when it's time to war, I don't war in the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but they are 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 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. Paul is saying to them that I reserve my energy for the battles that really matter. And I use a strategy that may be unfamiliar to you because you're used to battle looking a certain way. But this time is different. …
… but bold towards you when I am away. Verse three, for though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, that they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ. This is the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. You may be seated. There are certain times in your life when you really need to know how to call for help. One is when you're stuck on an elevator. I've actually been stuck on an elevator twice in my life. The first time was several years ago in Washington, D.C. An older pastor mentor friend of mine had invited me and something like a dozen or so other younger pastor friends to meet with some religious ambassadors from around the world up there. One of them was the ambassador for Muslim relations in the United States. He had an office in one of the U.S. Capitol buildings, and we had an appointment to meet with him. …
That's what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10. He says, though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, right? So don't bring, the enemy's got this gun. Don't bring a knife. Don't show up with a knife to the, you're no match for the devil. You realize that? You are no match for the devil in your flesh. don't you dare show up. He's got a gun. You don't bring your knife. So you're saying, I need to get a gun. No, don't get a gun. Bring God. Why would you go get a gun when you got God, right? I'm not coming at someone coming at me with a gun. I'm coming at the enemy with my God. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down, where do they start? In the mind. Arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, taunting like Goliath. I defy the armies of God against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. …
… And I'm going to start at verse 3. It says, for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. That's enough to shout about right there. clear instructions that we do not fight our fight with fleshly weapons. For the weapons, verse 4, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. Write that down. They're not carnal. The weapons that God gives us and tells us how to fight, we don't use carnal weapons. And that's what a lot of y'all are doing, using carnal weapons. And you're not getting any results. You're not getting lasting results. You're not getting change. because you're using carnal weapons. And my assignment is to tell you we don't use carnal weapons. We don't fight using fleshly weapons. We're not going to win the battle. We're not going to be victorious by cussing somebody out, giving them a piece of our mind, fighting in the flesh. That don't work. Now, matter of fact, I'm getting ready to tell you what works. …