We find ourselves in this world in our bodies of flesh, but we know that the war we wage is not a flesh and blood war but one that is spiritual. Our enemy is Satan and his demons. They long to convince us to use worldly weapons against them, since they know those weapons are useless. Do we think that we can wage war against evil if we are smarter, more clever, more connected to powerful people, or a better speaker? These worldly weapons make us believe that we can accomplish the task of fighting Satan without God. These carnal weapons make us think we don't need God.
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but 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" 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5
Some translations translate "casting down arguments" as casting down reasonings, speculations, imaginations and proud pretension. Anything that places our worldly abilities above the spiritual weapons that God has provided is to be cast down. Anything that puts our abilities above what God provides for us, or makes us believe that we know better than God, is a stronghold that should be destroyed. A stronghold is a fortress or a defensive structure. Our spiritual weapons can destroy those defensive structures. These strongholds keep us from obeying God fully and completely.
The carnal mind, the worldly mind, wants to hang on to power. It wants us to believe that we are worthy of fighting battles against evil all by ourselves. Our worldly mind wants to tell God that "we got this". And because we are doomed to fail when we fight with the wrong weapons, we will continue to find it difficult to obey God. We will continue to find ourselves unable to resist the Devil. We will continue to struggle with obedience.
The spiritual weapons we should use are listed in Ephesians 6. These weapons are truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the word of God and constant prayer. None of these weapons come from ourselves. They are all provided by God. Feeling tempted by worldly thoughts? Pray, read your Bible and remember who you belong to!
This letter to the church in Corinth was written by Paul to make them understand that as Christians they could not fight with the weapons of the world. Our thoughts are often invaded by our old way of thinking, that we are smart enough or clever enough to defeat evil, but we are not. Our thoughts must be in line with, and obedient to, the word of God. As we are transformed by Christ, as our mind is renewed by Him, our thoughts become conformed to His way of thinking. Our thoughts need to become His thoughts and our ways His ways.
Notice too that we are to bring every thought captive. Every thought must be brought into obedience. In Proverbs 4: 23 we read this,
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." (NIV)
In this case guarding your heart includes guarding your thoughts. Your thoughts become what we do. Jesus says this,
"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." Luke 6: 45
So what is in our heart, in our thoughts, comes forth from our mouth. If our thoughts are obedient then good comes forth but if not.... In the book of James he lets us know that an untamed tongue belongs to someone whose religion is worthless!
"Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless." James 1: 26
The weapons that God has given us are sufficient to tear down any defenses that we still have that exalts itself above God. When we go forth into battle against Satan and his demons we can remember the Lord's words in Zechariah,
"‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts." Zechariah 4: 6
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