What are the biggest battles that you are facing right now?
Job situation, relational strain or brokenness, financial pressure, a bad medical report...
Have you ever considered that your and my greatest battle is in our mind?
Let's read how Paul explained this massive battle that we face every day in our minds.
2 Cor 10:3-6 (NASB) "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 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, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete."
Those who seek to follow Jesus do not battle the way the world battles. We learn here that God has weapons to win these invisible and internal battles. The question I think God wants us to ponder is what are these divine weapons seeking to destroy?
"Divinely powerful for the destruction of FORTRESSES."
"Destroying SPECULATIONS."
"Destroying every LOFTY THING."
"Taking every THOUGHT captive."
Have you ever understood from God that our minds are negatively controlled like a "fortress," by "speculations," "lofty things" and "thoughts?"
These are four powerful barriers waging war against what God wants to do in our lives. Can you picture these four invisible mind barriers in you?
What is God helping us understand with this description of "fortress?"
Back in New Testament times there were fortresses that protected the people from the enemy. Massive walls of protection. The enemy had to try and climb the high walls, shoot flaming arrows over or ram a hole through.
How have we built this fortress around our heart, mind and soul to protect us against God and what God wants to do in us?
Remember, we are all born into sin; we are born with this fortress around our heart, mind and soul. Then as we live and do life, we consciously and unconsciously build this fortress; making the walls bigger, thicker and beautiful (we think) protecting us from God, God's Word, Jesus' grace and truth. Our natural tendency is to cling to this massive fortress, to keep that fortress in place.
But God... through the miraculous birth, perfect life, sacrificial death, victorious resurrection and lofty ascension of Christ, He blows up that fortress. God does His miracle work of adopting us into His family. He pronounces "Not Guilty," "Mine," "Paid In Full."
But our old nature... still has power over us. Think how many years we built this massive, powerful fortress against God? Think through all the ideas, philosophies, religions, patterns of life we have developed and live by (our fortress)...
God's spiritual growth in us is to change all of these; to dismantle this mighty fortress that is set up against God.
God is always fighting for you. He is always climbing that wall, shooting His Word over the wall, and seeking to bring His presence and truth to change the way we think; to change the way we do life, to change the patterns and habits of our lives.
God want us to identify these walls of this fortress.
What are these walls in your life?
What are the negative thoughts, arguments, conclusions that you have ingrained in you?
Do you have negative thoughts toward certain Christians, towards, certain churches, towards certain preachers, towards certain ways of doing life with Christ?
Do you have negative thoughts toward how you treat others, your spouse, your kids and grandchildren that are contrary to Jesus?
Do you have negative thoughts about anything that God wants to do in your life?
Daily, God challenges us to become more and more like Jesus. Jesus was a servant. Jesus was daily meeting with His Heavenly Father to get the guidance of who and how to serve each person He would meet that day. Does this describe your daily life? Or is your mighty fortress preventing this? How are you involved in God's plans? What church are you seeking to build? What ministry team are you on? Who are your Fab 5? How are you on mission with Jesus?
Or is the mighty fortress protecting you from this? Is the mighty fortress causing you to seek a comfortable and cozy life? Is the mighty fortress causing you to live in your scheduled life or are you willing to change your schedules to be more available to Him?
Let's join God in discovering the ways our mighty fortress is still guarding our heart, mind and soul from all what God wants for us?
Are you recognizing when this mighty fortress pushes God's Word out of your life or do you just go along with this invisible fortress?
Let's invite Jesus to knock down each wall.
How is this internal battle against this invisible mighty fortress going these days?
Inviting Jesus to knock this fortress down together,
Pastor Chris
Job situation, relational strain or brokenness, financial pressure, a bad medical report...
Have you ever considered that your and my greatest battle is in our mind?
Let's read how Paul explained this massive battle that we face every day in our minds.
2 Cor 10:3-6 (NASB) "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 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, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete."
Those who seek to follow Jesus do not battle the way the world battles. We learn here that God has weapons to win these invisible and internal battles. The question I think God wants us to ponder is what are these divine weapons seeking to destroy?
"Divinely powerful for the destruction of FORTRESSES."
"Destroying SPECULATIONS."
"Destroying every LOFTY THING."
"Taking every THOUGHT captive."
Have you ever understood from God that our minds are negatively controlled like a "fortress," by "speculations," "lofty things" and "thoughts?"
These are four powerful barriers waging war against what God wants to do in our lives. Can you picture these four invisible mind barriers in you?
What is God helping us understand with this description of "fortress?"
Back in New Testament times there were fortresses that protected the people from the enemy. Massive walls of protection. The enemy had to try and climb the high walls, shoot flaming arrows over or ram a hole through.
How have we built this fortress around our heart, mind and soul to protect us against God and what God wants to do in us?
Remember, we are all born into sin; we are born with this fortress around our heart, mind and soul. Then as we live and do life, we consciously and unconsciously build this fortress; making the walls bigger, thicker and beautiful (we think) protecting us from God, God's Word, Jesus' grace and truth. Our natural tendency is to cling to this massive fortress, to keep that fortress in place.
But God... through the miraculous birth, perfect life, sacrificial death, victorious resurrection and lofty ascension of Christ, He blows up that fortress. God does His miracle work of adopting us into His family. He pronounces "Not Guilty," "Mine," "Paid In Full."
But our old nature... still has power over us. Think how many years we built this massive, powerful fortress against God? Think through all the ideas, philosophies, religions, patterns of life we have developed and live by (our fortress)...
God's spiritual growth in us is to change all of these; to dismantle this mighty fortress that is set up against God.
God is always fighting for you. He is always climbing that wall, shooting His Word over the wall, and seeking to bring His presence and truth to change the way we think; to change the way we do life, to change the patterns and habits of our lives.
God want us to identify these walls of this fortress.
What are these walls in your life?
What are the negative thoughts, arguments, conclusions that you have ingrained in you?
Do you have negative thoughts toward certain Christians, towards, certain churches, towards certain preachers, towards certain ways of doing life with Christ?
Do you have negative thoughts toward how you treat others, your spouse, your kids and grandchildren that are contrary to Jesus?
Do you have negative thoughts about anything that God wants to do in your life?
Daily, God challenges us to become more and more like Jesus. Jesus was a servant. Jesus was daily meeting with His Heavenly Father to get the guidance of who and how to serve each person He would meet that day. Does this describe your daily life? Or is your mighty fortress preventing this? How are you involved in God's plans? What church are you seeking to build? What ministry team are you on? Who are your Fab 5? How are you on mission with Jesus?
Or is the mighty fortress protecting you from this? Is the mighty fortress causing you to seek a comfortable and cozy life? Is the mighty fortress causing you to live in your scheduled life or are you willing to change your schedules to be more available to Him?
Let's join God in discovering the ways our mighty fortress is still guarding our heart, mind and soul from all what God wants for us?
Are you recognizing when this mighty fortress pushes God's Word out of your life or do you just go along with this invisible fortress?
Let's invite Jesus to knock down each wall.
How is this internal battle against this invisible mighty fortress going these days?
Inviting Jesus to knock this fortress down together,
Pastor Chris
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