The Art of Spiritual War
This past week I read a little pamphlet on Alfred the Great, one of the premier English monarchs. Alfred the Great lived around the 9th century and is one of those figures who is key for shaping the western world, especially the notion of common law.
This biography of Alfred the Great noted that this king was something of a renaissance man. He was a man who had a variety of interests and labors beyond that of ruling his realm.
This biography of Alfred the Great noted that this king was something of a renaissance man. He was a man who had a variety of interests and labors beyond that of ruling his realm.
The Romans, of course, sieged the British island for almost a century. They took it little by little. And that is saying something about how stubborn the Britians were—They wouldn’t go down without a fight. And really, the Romans never conquered the whole island. The Brits were just too stubborn.
But Alfred the great talks about the conquest of the Romans an he says that so & so first invaded, and afterwards this Caesar led an army against it. He recounts different emperors all the way up to Nero, and then he says that Nero lost the rule of Briton.
Now Nero lived in the first centry. And all normal historians will tell you that Rome’s control of Britton did not fall until the 4th century. But Alfred looks back to the first century as the tipping point when Rome began to lose its grip on the Island.
Why the discrepancy? Well, it is because Alfred looked at history differently. As a Christian, Alfred was looking at the kingdom of God. And he saw Christianity’s introduction into Britton as the greater invasion. He saw a conquest that was even greater than Rome’s laying siege to the island. So the fall of Rome was not to the Barbarians. In his eyes, Briton was coming under the rule and dominion of Christ.
What a great way to look at history. There is a sense in which Alfred the Great gets it right. He sees the history of man as a war—not so much between different regions or earthly powers—but in terms of the advancement of the kingdom of God. Christ is laying siege to the realms of Satan. The nations are coming under the dominion of King Jesus. And Jesus is pressing the battle forward and waging a holy war upon the hearts of men.
I know that the western world isn’t looking all that good right now. It seems that the west is crumbling and coming under the control of Satan’s barbarians once again. But we must understand that the battle is at hand. Christ continues his onslaught against the powers & principalities.
And my call to you today is to remember the battle; to fight the good fight. As a matter of fact, the passage before us this morning serves to rally the troops. You no doubt can hear its declarations of spiritual war—it talks about waging war. It talks about wielding the weapons of our warfare. It talks about the power we have to destroy strongholds. And all along the way we take captives and make prisoners of war.
The passage before us reminds us of the cosmic conflict that is going on every day. We are part of this mightily force that is sweeping across the globe. And this morning, that we might be better equipped for the battle, I want you to think about the war our God is waging.
We need to listen to this passage because it is a different kind of war. The war that God wages is not your ordinary kind of war. It is Spiritual war, and it doesn’t operate according to the normal principles of warfare.
The Art of War-- It was a book that was published centuries ago, and it is a standard work even today for military engagements. This passage details for us the Art of Spiritual War. And we need to be familiar with its principles for our fight.
I. The people God uses [1a]
A. He uses ordained officers
You see the passage starts off with “I, Paul, entreat you.” You see Paul is acting in his apostolic office. He is exerting his power as a gospel minister to preach (and threaten discipline). So we should recognize that the officers of the church are some of God’s agents of war.
But what I want you to notice is that the Lord doesn’t just use those who are ordained and have a seminary degree. He uses ordinary laymen too.
B. He uses ordinary laymen
You might even say that he uses people who are not who you would expect; even people who are the complete opposite than you would think. When you think of going to war and engaging in battle, you want a stud on your squad. Someone imposing and really looks like an impressive warrior.
But that’s not what Paul is. As a matter of fact, Paul’s name means “little.” So really, you could read this as “I, the little guy, entreat you.” And I think that fits with the context because he goes on in the verse to say, “I who am humble when face to face, but bold when away.”
In other words, when you hear Paul’s letters, they are pretty stunning. But when he comes knocking at your door, you think, “Who is this guy?” Paul’s personal presence wasn’t anything flamboyant. He wasn’t all that impressive. He was a short, humble, and unassuming. He was intelligent, for sure. But he didn’t come off as the guy who knew it all or had all the answers.
All in all, by the world’s standards he was nothing. He may even be considered a laughable figure. Someone you’d probably brush off. As I said, if you did take notice of him, it would probably be to make fun of him.
This is where we realize this passage has to do with each of us. It is talking about how each of us has been drafted into the Lord’s siege that He is laying against the world. The kingdom of darkness is being torn apart by the little people of the world. The people who are the epitome of weakness. The people who are unassuming and not considered to be anyone who can cause a lot of damage.
Make sure you grasp this. Because we always have it backwards. We have a Corinthian mindset oftentimes. We think that it has to be flashy. It has to be hip. We’ve got to ramp up things and make it really something of grand notoriety. If we really want to make a mark and move God’s kingdom along, well then we got to get some real prestige. We got to stand out, get some real standing, etc.
But no. That’s not God’s normal way of working. In this great war God employs soldiers of a different kind.
He’s using people like you and me. God’s using people like Holden Beechy. He’s just a kid, the world might say. He’s not got any prestige or acclaim. He isn’t some grand preacher or orator. But what does Holden Beechy do? He puts a tract in someone’s hand.
God’s using a Judy Lillo who runs a humble little business and treats those grand-kids like they are gold. Barbara Hoshiko—think about her. What is she in the world’s eyes? The world would write her off. She’s older; doesn’t get out much. She doesn’t have a lot of connections—her network of influence isn’t very large. But you know what she does? She prays. She encourages where she can. She bears a cheerful attitude.
God’s kingdom is advancing because he uses special operatives. God’s agents of warfare are the little people of the world-- people like you and me who simply do our work and live for him on a daily basis.
Don’t ever underestimate where you are or who you are. It doesn’t matter how grand your resume is or what kind of weight you have in the world: You’ve been recruited and are being employed in th
Now that you understand who God uses, let’s talk about the tactics that God uses.
II. The tactics God uses [1b-2]
When engaging in any military conflict, you have to have a good strategy. The way you go about waging your warfare is basically the determining factor its outcome. And you can think about the tactics that have been employed throughout history.
The Germans perfected the art of blitzkrieg—that lightening fast attack that rolls over the unsuspecting foes.
The Romans had as their primary tactic the awesome organization. If they kept their troops in order and each held their shield correctly they could essentially form a human tank and squash their enemies.
In our day and age we have seen the tactic of “shock & awe”. Fly a legion of bombers over any given area and drop tons of explosive ordinance upon any given area. The sheer overwhelming display of power serves to bewilder the opponent, as well as obliterate them, making them bend into submission.
There are all kinds of tactics that are taken in warfare. But I want you to notice what Paul says in the first two verses. Look at the tactic that he uses. “I, Paul, entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.”
Earthly wars typically use tactics of raw power, quickness, and versatility. It is usually a demonstration of human strength and vigor. But this battle that God wages operates on different principles. Principles of humility and tenderness.
What is interesting is that, in so far as I can tell, there is no real difference between these two words. They are two different Greek words, but they basically mean the same thing. You could translated this, “I appeal to you by the meekness and meekness of Christ.” Or “I entreat you by the gentleness and gentleness of Christ.”
The repetition reinforces the notion that God’s way is not to be overbearing or aggressive. God’s way to victory is through compassion, kindness, and tender interactions.
Paul says I am acting according to the tactics of Jesus Christ, who was the most mild mannered man that ever existed. Despite all the provocations against him, and insults thrown on him, he conducted himself in the most quiet and kind way. Sure, there were times when he was inflamed and you saw his hot passion break out. But the overall tenor of his life was the mercy he displayed, the patient tolerance and warm kindness.
This was what drew to him the prostitutes and publicans. He had not come to condemn or play the ruffian; rather he was gracious and carried an air of peaceful repose. As he is described in Isaiah 42, “A bruised reed he will not break, a gently burning wick he will not snuff out.”
It is to be remembered that this is to be our approach. Pride and aggravated aggression are not the means God uses to advance His kingdom. Those are the tools and tactics of the devil. Brute force and strong handed tactics are the ways and means of Satan. Those are the marks of the principalities of darkness. God overcomes through meekness and gentleness.
There is a tendency among us—a sinful one—to be a ruffian. There is a perverted joy we take in being a theological bully; a gospel Mafia figure. There is a masochistic strand within us that takes joy in being severe with people. When someone objects we raise our voice to make our point even more definitive and authoritarian. We quickly jump upon the harsher means of dealing with the person and get the upper hand by a shock and awe tactic.
This is not the way we are to act. Now, we recognize that it doesn’t mean we just let people run over us or are tolerant of every mishap and evil deed. Paul here is very bold too. He threatens to enter into disciple and take excessive measures to deal with the errors of the church. But I want you to see that his first maneuver is mercy. He doesn’t want to take the extreme measures. He pleads with them and is willing to suffer much before he takes the nuclear option.
Our tactic is not to jump immediately to the most aggressive or harsh or overbearing form of dealing with people. We do not strong arm them into the kingdom. We do not come out brandishing the big stick. We may have to. It may come to that at some point. But our prime methodology is the one that altogether the opposite.
And once we have grasped this—once we understand the tactics God employs, we can begin to understand the weapons God uses.
III. The weapons God uses [3-6]
This is really where Paul gets into the war imagery. In verse 3 Paul says, “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 but have divine power to destroy strongholds.”
Paul says that as we wage this war, it is not that we are doing hand to hand combat. We do have an arsenal and that arsenal of weapons that are extremely powerful. And I might say that again we may see something of the radical difference between this spiritual war and the normal earthly war in terms of the carnage. Weapons can cause all kinds of damage. Bombs can obliterate buildings and leave all kinds of rubble strewn in huge piles all over neighborhoods.
But the weapons of our warfare, understand, are of even greater power! Their power is spiritual. As a matter of fact, as Paul says here, they have DIVINE power. Divine power that destroys strongholds—satanic fortresses can be utterly crippled by these weapons.
Now what are these weapons? Well, the one that is mentioned specifically in our text is church discipline. Paul is threatening these Corinthians with punishment. And of course that likely means excommunication (or maybe expulsion from the ministry). He is saying here that if they do not get things straight then he’s going to have to exercise the power.
Now again, Paul doesn’t wield this weapon first. It is a last resort. And that shows you something of the significance of this weapon. It is, as I said before, the nuclear option.
We are living in an age, though, where church discipline isn’t seen as a weapon in God’s arsenal. But I want us to remember that discipline is not necessarily a negative thing. It is a means of correction. It is a means of debilitating the kingdom of sin and Satan. It is employed because it is useful for the correction of sinners. It puts the fear of God before people’s eyes. And, in that regards, it weakens the forces of evil.
The exercise of church discipline is a powerful weapon and we should make sure it has its place.
But there are other weapons in our arsenal. And you might think of what Paul is doing here in this letter as one of those weapons. Paul is preaching to the Corinthians. He’s writing this letter, imploring them and expressing God’s word to them.
God’s word is a weapon and we have to remember how powerful it really is. It is the sword of the Spirit. The Bible tells us that it has the power to pierce the heart. It is more powerful than a normal sword or even a cannon because it has the power to break the human heart and bring it to life. God says in Jeremiah, “Is not my word a fire; a hammer that breaks the rock?”
This week I was reminded of the story of Ronald Wallace. Wallace was once a pastor and seminary pastor. But he was converted in the most unusual way. Before becoming a Christian he was an die hard atheist. And he had gone to an atheist conference. Something of a rally for atheism with speakers and other atheists in attendance. There he was surrounded by people who were hostile to Christianity. And he was hearing people promulgate all these things against the faith. And he said that one speaker said, “To show you how absurd Christianity is, let me read you exactly what the Bible says.” And the speaker proceeded to read a passage from the New Testament. And instantly as a result of that Scripture Wallace was converted. The person who read it was doing so to mock Christianity. The people in the audience would have heartily given their “Amen’s” (or whatever Atheists do to affirm what others say). But the power of God at that very moment was displayed.
It was as if that speaker had dropped a nuclear bomb right there on his own troops.
We must recognize the power of God’s word. When it is read or preached, it comes with the force of God himself and it has the power to wreak havoc upon the realms of darkness.
A third weapon in our arsenal are the sacraments. This is why we have the Lord’s Supper as often as we do. There are many churches that only have it monthly; some only have it a couple times a year. But we have it every week because we know that God uses this meal as a means of killing off sin and doubt in your lives.
The same is true for baptism. And, in times like this, it is always good to remember that your baptism isn’t just something that happened long ago in your past. Even if you were baptized as a baby and don’t even remember it, it still is a powerful instrument of warfare. Throughout your life you are to remember it. You are to look back on it and remember what God pledges in it. In baptism he claims you as his own and promises to take you to himself. And this is a means he uses to grow your faith. He uses those things to stir up your faith.
If you have a sin in your life with which you struggle—if you have an area that may be considered a satanic stronghold—the sacraments are a means that God can use to puncture it. As you remember God’s gracious dealings with you, the Spirit breaks the power of these sins.
There are other weapons, but the last one I want to mention is the one is that of prayer. I believe that prayer is one of our most underestimated weapons. Prayer has the power to destroy strongholds. It rips the kingdom away from Satan. It causes history to turn out so much differently than it should, from all human perspectives.
One pastor told the story of a young lady who was a part of their congregation. She was a foreign exchange student who came to faith while doing her studies in America. This was a wonderful thing, but her father wasn’t accepting of it. While here she became attached to an American man and they were engaged. Before they were married she went back home. And her father essentially kidnapped her. He forbade her to leave and come back to America. He forbade her marriage. He forbade her being a Christian. She was able by sleuth to get word back to the elders of her church of what had happened. And the elders began to pray. The church held a prayer vigil for her. They prayed earnestly for many weeks on end.
Then, for no apparent reason, her father one day let her go. There was no explanation. But she was given freedom to leave. Of course, she didn’t question it. She immediately left and she made her way back to her fiancé.
Prayer may seem so passive. It may seem like a useless weapon because you are not doing anything. But it is a powerful weapon because it engages the Lord in the battle.
But Alfred the great talks about the conquest of the Romans an he says that so & so first invaded, and afterwards this Caesar led an army against it. He recounts different emperors all the way up to Nero, and then he says that Nero lost the rule of Briton.
Now Nero lived in the first centry. And all normal historians will tell you that Rome’s control of Britton did not fall until the 4th century. But Alfred looks back to the first century as the tipping point when Rome began to lose its grip on the Island.
Why the discrepancy? Well, it is because Alfred looked at history differently. As a Christian, Alfred was looking at the kingdom of God. And he saw Christianity’s introduction into Britton as the greater invasion. He saw a conquest that was even greater than Rome’s laying siege to the island. So the fall of Rome was not to the Barbarians. In his eyes, Briton was coming under the rule and dominion of Christ.
What a great way to look at history. There is a sense in which Alfred the Great gets it right. He sees the history of man as a war—not so much between different regions or earthly powers—but in terms of the advancement of the kingdom of God. Christ is laying siege to the realms of Satan. The nations are coming under the dominion of King Jesus. And Jesus is pressing the battle forward and waging a holy war upon the hearts of men.
I know that the western world isn’t looking all that good right now. It seems that the west is crumbling and coming under the control of Satan’s barbarians once again. But we must understand that the battle is at hand. Christ continues his onslaught against the powers & principalities.
And my call to you today is to remember the battle; to fight the good fight. As a matter of fact, the passage before us this morning serves to rally the troops. You no doubt can hear its declarations of spiritual war—it talks about waging war. It talks about wielding the weapons of our warfare. It talks about the power we have to destroy strongholds. And all along the way we take captives and make prisoners of war.
The passage before us reminds us of the cosmic conflict that is going on every day. We are part of this mightily force that is sweeping across the globe. And this morning, that we might be better equipped for the battle, I want you to think about the war our God is waging.
We need to listen to this passage because it is a different kind of war. The war that God wages is not your ordinary kind of war. It is Spiritual war, and it doesn’t operate according to the normal principles of warfare.
The Art of War-- It was a book that was published centuries ago, and it is a standard work even today for military engagements. This passage details for us the Art of Spiritual War. And we need to be familiar with its principles for our fight.
I. The people God uses [1a]
A. He uses ordained officers
You see the passage starts off with “I, Paul, entreat you.” You see Paul is acting in his apostolic office. He is exerting his power as a gospel minister to preach (and threaten discipline). So we should recognize that the officers of the church are some of God’s agents of war.
But what I want you to notice is that the Lord doesn’t just use those who are ordained and have a seminary degree. He uses ordinary laymen too.
B. He uses ordinary laymen
You might even say that he uses people who are not who you would expect; even people who are the complete opposite than you would think. When you think of going to war and engaging in battle, you want a stud on your squad. Someone imposing and really looks like an impressive warrior.
But that’s not what Paul is. As a matter of fact, Paul’s name means “little.” So really, you could read this as “I, the little guy, entreat you.” And I think that fits with the context because he goes on in the verse to say, “I who am humble when face to face, but bold when away.”
In other words, when you hear Paul’s letters, they are pretty stunning. But when he comes knocking at your door, you think, “Who is this guy?” Paul’s personal presence wasn’t anything flamboyant. He wasn’t all that impressive. He was a short, humble, and unassuming. He was intelligent, for sure. But he didn’t come off as the guy who knew it all or had all the answers.
All in all, by the world’s standards he was nothing. He may even be considered a laughable figure. Someone you’d probably brush off. As I said, if you did take notice of him, it would probably be to make fun of him.
This is where we realize this passage has to do with each of us. It is talking about how each of us has been drafted into the Lord’s siege that He is laying against the world. The kingdom of darkness is being torn apart by the little people of the world. The people who are the epitome of weakness. The people who are unassuming and not considered to be anyone who can cause a lot of damage.
Make sure you grasp this. Because we always have it backwards. We have a Corinthian mindset oftentimes. We think that it has to be flashy. It has to be hip. We’ve got to ramp up things and make it really something of grand notoriety. If we really want to make a mark and move God’s kingdom along, well then we got to get some real prestige. We got to stand out, get some real standing, etc.
But no. That’s not God’s normal way of working. In this great war God employs soldiers of a different kind.
He’s using people like you and me. God’s using people like Holden Beechy. He’s just a kid, the world might say. He’s not got any prestige or acclaim. He isn’t some grand preacher or orator. But what does Holden Beechy do? He puts a tract in someone’s hand.
God’s using a Judy Lillo who runs a humble little business and treats those grand-kids like they are gold. Barbara Hoshiko—think about her. What is she in the world’s eyes? The world would write her off. She’s older; doesn’t get out much. She doesn’t have a lot of connections—her network of influence isn’t very large. But you know what she does? She prays. She encourages where she can. She bears a cheerful attitude.
God’s kingdom is advancing because he uses special operatives. God’s agents of warfare are the little people of the world-- people like you and me who simply do our work and live for him on a daily basis.
Don’t ever underestimate where you are or who you are. It doesn’t matter how grand your resume is or what kind of weight you have in the world: You’ve been recruited and are being employed in th
Now that you understand who God uses, let’s talk about the tactics that God uses.
II. The tactics God uses [1b-2]
When engaging in any military conflict, you have to have a good strategy. The way you go about waging your warfare is basically the determining factor its outcome. And you can think about the tactics that have been employed throughout history.
The Germans perfected the art of blitzkrieg—that lightening fast attack that rolls over the unsuspecting foes.
The Romans had as their primary tactic the awesome organization. If they kept their troops in order and each held their shield correctly they could essentially form a human tank and squash their enemies.
In our day and age we have seen the tactic of “shock & awe”. Fly a legion of bombers over any given area and drop tons of explosive ordinance upon any given area. The sheer overwhelming display of power serves to bewilder the opponent, as well as obliterate them, making them bend into submission.
There are all kinds of tactics that are taken in warfare. But I want you to notice what Paul says in the first two verses. Look at the tactic that he uses. “I, Paul, entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.”
Earthly wars typically use tactics of raw power, quickness, and versatility. It is usually a demonstration of human strength and vigor. But this battle that God wages operates on different principles. Principles of humility and tenderness.
What is interesting is that, in so far as I can tell, there is no real difference between these two words. They are two different Greek words, but they basically mean the same thing. You could translated this, “I appeal to you by the meekness and meekness of Christ.” Or “I entreat you by the gentleness and gentleness of Christ.”
The repetition reinforces the notion that God’s way is not to be overbearing or aggressive. God’s way to victory is through compassion, kindness, and tender interactions.
Paul says I am acting according to the tactics of Jesus Christ, who was the most mild mannered man that ever existed. Despite all the provocations against him, and insults thrown on him, he conducted himself in the most quiet and kind way. Sure, there were times when he was inflamed and you saw his hot passion break out. But the overall tenor of his life was the mercy he displayed, the patient tolerance and warm kindness.
This was what drew to him the prostitutes and publicans. He had not come to condemn or play the ruffian; rather he was gracious and carried an air of peaceful repose. As he is described in Isaiah 42, “A bruised reed he will not break, a gently burning wick he will not snuff out.”
It is to be remembered that this is to be our approach. Pride and aggravated aggression are not the means God uses to advance His kingdom. Those are the tools and tactics of the devil. Brute force and strong handed tactics are the ways and means of Satan. Those are the marks of the principalities of darkness. God overcomes through meekness and gentleness.
There is a tendency among us—a sinful one—to be a ruffian. There is a perverted joy we take in being a theological bully; a gospel Mafia figure. There is a masochistic strand within us that takes joy in being severe with people. When someone objects we raise our voice to make our point even more definitive and authoritarian. We quickly jump upon the harsher means of dealing with the person and get the upper hand by a shock and awe tactic.
This is not the way we are to act. Now, we recognize that it doesn’t mean we just let people run over us or are tolerant of every mishap and evil deed. Paul here is very bold too. He threatens to enter into disciple and take excessive measures to deal with the errors of the church. But I want you to see that his first maneuver is mercy. He doesn’t want to take the extreme measures. He pleads with them and is willing to suffer much before he takes the nuclear option.
Our tactic is not to jump immediately to the most aggressive or harsh or overbearing form of dealing with people. We do not strong arm them into the kingdom. We do not come out brandishing the big stick. We may have to. It may come to that at some point. But our prime methodology is the one that altogether the opposite.
And once we have grasped this—once we understand the tactics God employs, we can begin to understand the weapons God uses.
III. The weapons God uses [3-6]
This is really where Paul gets into the war imagery. In verse 3 Paul says, “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 but have divine power to destroy strongholds.”
Paul says that as we wage this war, it is not that we are doing hand to hand combat. We do have an arsenal and that arsenal of weapons that are extremely powerful. And I might say that again we may see something of the radical difference between this spiritual war and the normal earthly war in terms of the carnage. Weapons can cause all kinds of damage. Bombs can obliterate buildings and leave all kinds of rubble strewn in huge piles all over neighborhoods.
But the weapons of our warfare, understand, are of even greater power! Their power is spiritual. As a matter of fact, as Paul says here, they have DIVINE power. Divine power that destroys strongholds—satanic fortresses can be utterly crippled by these weapons.
Now what are these weapons? Well, the one that is mentioned specifically in our text is church discipline. Paul is threatening these Corinthians with punishment. And of course that likely means excommunication (or maybe expulsion from the ministry). He is saying here that if they do not get things straight then he’s going to have to exercise the power.
Now again, Paul doesn’t wield this weapon first. It is a last resort. And that shows you something of the significance of this weapon. It is, as I said before, the nuclear option.
We are living in an age, though, where church discipline isn’t seen as a weapon in God’s arsenal. But I want us to remember that discipline is not necessarily a negative thing. It is a means of correction. It is a means of debilitating the kingdom of sin and Satan. It is employed because it is useful for the correction of sinners. It puts the fear of God before people’s eyes. And, in that regards, it weakens the forces of evil.
The exercise of church discipline is a powerful weapon and we should make sure it has its place.
But there are other weapons in our arsenal. And you might think of what Paul is doing here in this letter as one of those weapons. Paul is preaching to the Corinthians. He’s writing this letter, imploring them and expressing God’s word to them.
God’s word is a weapon and we have to remember how powerful it really is. It is the sword of the Spirit. The Bible tells us that it has the power to pierce the heart. It is more powerful than a normal sword or even a cannon because it has the power to break the human heart and bring it to life. God says in Jeremiah, “Is not my word a fire; a hammer that breaks the rock?”
This week I was reminded of the story of Ronald Wallace. Wallace was once a pastor and seminary pastor. But he was converted in the most unusual way. Before becoming a Christian he was an die hard atheist. And he had gone to an atheist conference. Something of a rally for atheism with speakers and other atheists in attendance. There he was surrounded by people who were hostile to Christianity. And he was hearing people promulgate all these things against the faith. And he said that one speaker said, “To show you how absurd Christianity is, let me read you exactly what the Bible says.” And the speaker proceeded to read a passage from the New Testament. And instantly as a result of that Scripture Wallace was converted. The person who read it was doing so to mock Christianity. The people in the audience would have heartily given their “Amen’s” (or whatever Atheists do to affirm what others say). But the power of God at that very moment was displayed.
It was as if that speaker had dropped a nuclear bomb right there on his own troops.
We must recognize the power of God’s word. When it is read or preached, it comes with the force of God himself and it has the power to wreak havoc upon the realms of darkness.
A third weapon in our arsenal are the sacraments. This is why we have the Lord’s Supper as often as we do. There are many churches that only have it monthly; some only have it a couple times a year. But we have it every week because we know that God uses this meal as a means of killing off sin and doubt in your lives.
The same is true for baptism. And, in times like this, it is always good to remember that your baptism isn’t just something that happened long ago in your past. Even if you were baptized as a baby and don’t even remember it, it still is a powerful instrument of warfare. Throughout your life you are to remember it. You are to look back on it and remember what God pledges in it. In baptism he claims you as his own and promises to take you to himself. And this is a means he uses to grow your faith. He uses those things to stir up your faith.
If you have a sin in your life with which you struggle—if you have an area that may be considered a satanic stronghold—the sacraments are a means that God can use to puncture it. As you remember God’s gracious dealings with you, the Spirit breaks the power of these sins.
There are other weapons, but the last one I want to mention is the one is that of prayer. I believe that prayer is one of our most underestimated weapons. Prayer has the power to destroy strongholds. It rips the kingdom away from Satan. It causes history to turn out so much differently than it should, from all human perspectives.
One pastor told the story of a young lady who was a part of their congregation. She was a foreign exchange student who came to faith while doing her studies in America. This was a wonderful thing, but her father wasn’t accepting of it. While here she became attached to an American man and they were engaged. Before they were married she went back home. And her father essentially kidnapped her. He forbade her to leave and come back to America. He forbade her marriage. He forbade her being a Christian. She was able by sleuth to get word back to the elders of her church of what had happened. And the elders began to pray. The church held a prayer vigil for her. They prayed earnestly for many weeks on end.
Then, for no apparent reason, her father one day let her go. There was no explanation. But she was given freedom to leave. Of course, she didn’t question it. She immediately left and she made her way back to her fiancé.
Prayer may seem so passive. It may seem like a useless weapon because you are not doing anything. But it is a powerful weapon because it engages the Lord in the battle.