WEAPONS OF WAR
Cotr/ss042102
Introduction:
This second letter to the Corinthian Church was written somewhere in the late 50’s AD, (AD 56 to AD 59). Paul had just left Ephesus due to the trouble described by Luke in the later half of Acts 19. He journeyed to Troas looking to meet up with Titus and not finding him there, departed for Macedonia. Catching up with Titus in Macedonia’s capital city, Philippi, Paul received the account from him concerning the Church in Corinth and found that they had well received his first letter to them. Also in the account Paul heard that false teachers had endeavored to discredit him among the church members at Corinth and had accused him of not being truly Godly nor personally trust worthy. Some said the Paul’s motives were only to reap personal benefits from his ministry travels.
These new comers to the church at Corinth had not labored as Paul did to birth the church there nor were they on any dangerous field of evangelism at present. From the safety of an established church, they criticized the Apostle as no apostle at all and accused him of possessing a weak disposition. They make a common yet critical error: They mistake Paul’s seasoned kindness, his meekness and gentleness as weakness and a lack of resolve.
While briefly visiting the Philippian Church, The Apostle Paul takes the time and sets himself to write his followers in appreciation of them receiving his earlier counsel and includes a defense of himself and his ministry in the face of the accusations lodged against him. Some suggest that the Apostle takes the pen himself to write this by his own hand. We pick up the story with his defense.
I. 2 Corinthians 10:
1 ¶ Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
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;
6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
7 ¶ Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.
8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
12 ¶ For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:
15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.
17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
Note: Consider reading chapter 11 as well?
A. v. 4ff The weapons of our warfare:
1. Are Not Carnal (we do not deal in the fleshly arts)
A. the political process in kingdom matters
B. divisive practices among the brethren
C. the sowing of discord
D. the jockeying for position
E. seeking to excel at the expense of others
F. claiming credit for things we did not do
2. But Mighty Through God (weapons God will work through)
A. pulling down strongholds (not build them up against God)
B. casting down imaginations and high things … (not exalt)
C. bringing into captivity every thought (not free thinkers)
B. The basic weapons of our warfare
Note: We see Paul using some weapons over and over again in some of his most difficult and critical times of life.
1. Praise (we saw this with Paul & Silas in the jail in Acts 16 right in the same city where he now writes this letter to Corinth. He had come to Philippi to birth a church in response to a heavenly vision … it was not easy and it took some warfare to get it done … praise was one of the weapons of choice for this battle)
> Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises and the prisoners heard them … and suddenly … the battle was won!
> Matthew 21:16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
> Psalms 8:2 Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
Note: Perfected praise is the ordained strength of God that the enemies and the avengers might be stopped and made to cease their advances.
2. Prayer (Eph 6:18; Col 1:3; Eph 1:16; 1Th 1:2; 2Ti 1:3; Ph 1:3: Paul was a model prayer and exhorter to prayer)
> Acts 16:25 … (they) prayed and sang praises … (prayer was another weapon of choice for the battle of Philippi)
> James 5:16b … the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Note: The word availeth means to exercise force, the force necessary to overcome the obstacle.
3. Fasting (Paul was given to fasting)
> 2 Corinthians 11:27 … in fastings often …
> Mark 9:29 This kind cometh not out but by prayer and fasting
4. Repentance (to turn from error to God’s way) (Acts 9)
> 2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow works repentance
> James 4:6 & 1 Peter 5:5 God resisteth the proud but gives grace to the humble
> Proverbs 16:18 (Paraphrase) Pride comes before a fall
> 1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourself and God will exalt you
5. Vows (commitments & promises) (committed intent)
Note: Barnes New Testament Notes: A vow is a solemn promise made to God respecting anything. The use of vows is observable throughout the Scripture. Jacob, going into Mesopotamia, vowed the tenth of his estate, and promised to offer it at Bethel to the honour of God, #Ge 28:22
> Deuteronomy 23:21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.
> Psalms 76:11 Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.
> Job 22:28 Thou shalt decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee, and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
* Psalms 2:7 I will declare the decree
> The law concerning vows
Numbers 30:
1 ¶ And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded.
2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
3 ¶ If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father’s house in her youth;
4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.
5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.
6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;
7 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.
8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her.
9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.
10 And if she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath;
11 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.
12 But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her.
13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.
14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.
15 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.
16 These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father’s house.
* in authority
* under authority
> New Testament Example:
* Acts 18:18 Paul shaved his head as a part of making a vow to God
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6. The Word Of God ( If anyone, even an angel or me tell you different from the Word of God, do not believe them but let them be cursed Gal 1:8)
> Ephesians 6:17 The sword of the Spirit
> This is where we find our:
* hope Hebrews 6:19 (the anchor of the soul)
* trust Proverbs 3:5 (trust in the Lord with all your heart)
* faith Mark 9:23 (all things are possible to him who believes)
* future John 5:39 (in them ye think ye have eternal life)
> Romans 10:10 we possess the Sword/Word in our hearts and minds through faith
> we handle the Sword/Word with our tongues by the profession of our faith
7. Patience ( 2Cor 12:12 the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience …)
> Hebrews 6:12 faith and patience you inherit
> Luke 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls
II. The Weapons of Our Warfare
A. Acquire the weapons
B. Activate the weapons
C. Impart the skill to others
1. Your children
2. Your children’s children
3. Those born in your house
III. We will either win or loose at each battle, every race and all temptation.
A. There are no draws, no ties, no do-overs and no time outs.
B. There is only victory or defeat
C. Keep God on the battlefield with you.
