I am a man of faith, which means I believe in things I cannot see or comprehend. During my life, I have had experiences that can only be explained by the presence of God. I have prayed and received answers so specific and beyond coincidence, that the best word to explain them is amazing. I have done battle so clearly with demonic beings, that the triumph could have only come through the Lord of hosts.
However, we live at a time and in a culture when science is perceived by the masses to undo any thought of things of faith and religion. We can conceive of beings on another planet but not in another dimension. Angels and demons are laughed at as a joke and not for clear thinking people.
ARE YOU IN THE BATTLE?
Question: Who should determine whether or not they are in a spiritual battle? The Christian is admonished in Ephesians 6:1 to, “Put on the full armor of God so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” A Christian can be naive and unaware of the Bible’s teaching on this matter, and therefore, not even be fully aware of the state in which they live. Furthermore, it is even possible to not take these words seriously, or not realize the extent to which they should be prepared for battle.
Christians are in more spiritual battles than they may realize. The nonChristian may know certain Biblical facts but remains deceived as to the extent of their meaning. James wrote, “You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.” (2:19) One difference between the devil and some religious people is the awareness of their state. Demons shudder when considering God, the falsely religious are oblivious to their coming fate. They are spiritually blind not matter what they think about themselves and their condition before God.
“The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)
If you are a Christian, you should want to take Paul’s teaching seriously about warring against the demonic realm. You should war in the spirit and not in the flesh.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5[We are] destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and [we are] taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
The alert Christian, first of all, recognizes that he is in a war with the unseen forces of Satan. He, therefore, like Paul, does not seek to war in the flesh. We all walk in this present life in this body of this flesh. However, the energies, abilities, and understanding of this present body are of no use in a war of spiritual dimensions. For this reason, Paul did not war according to the flesh, as stated in verse 3, but used weapons that were divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses, verse 4.
A “Fortress”, oxýrōma in the Greek, is used figuratively of a false argument in which a person seeks “shelter” (“a safe place”) to escape reality. No person who seeks to escape reality can be fully aware of the war in which they partake. Christian or nonChristian should never seek to avoid reality. The Christian because of Christ need not run from God; he is within His protective arms. The nonChristian needs to heed the words of Christ.
“But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:5) God is the one who casts into hell, therefore, fear Him and run to Jesus.
The godly person, who recognizes they are in a war, destroys speculations, by the power of God. “Speculations” logismós “to reckon”) – properly, “bottom-line” reasoning that reflects someone’s values, i.e. how they personally assign a weight in determining what they find reasonable. The person who walks according to the flesh builds his life on their own ability to reason.
Thomas Paine argued for Deism but against the Bible. It could be said that he believed – just not in the God of the Bible. Why would a man believe in God and not a book so incredible that it had to be miraculous? To dismiss the Bible is to dismiss God. The answer to why Thomas Paine did not believe in the Bible is he believed in his own ability to reason. Hence, the book that he wrote was entitled, The Age of Reason. A most unreasonable book, in the eyes of those who seek after God with purity of heart.
Lastly, if you would war in the spirit; you must destroy every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God. “Lofty thing” hupsóma: height, that which is lifted up, barrier, bulwark; presumption. Don’t miss the word presumption. Many a person presumes their way to an eternal hell. A presumption is indifference, and apathy toward the things that are most important. It is God that is most important. We have been brought into being by Him, we have our being through Him, and we are to give all glory to Him.
When these three elements are in operation, destroying fortresses, speculations, and every lofty thing raised against the knowledge of God, then we are bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Do you want a peace that passes understanding, and joy in the midst of the worst storm, contentment that cannot be altered? Then war against the devil with weapons that are divinely powerful. Such weapons can only be obtained, by the Christian, through the word of God and prayer.
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