June 23, 2024
Text: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Title: Choose Your Weapons
Welcome:
Introduction:
I grew up about 8 miles north of here. My Mom and Stepdad owned a country store and gas station and I grew up working there. I worked in a factory after high school and on a farm. In 1977 I started working in construction and continued for 30 years – even after I began in ministry.
I said all that to say this – I’m a tool guy. I’ve got a big set of mechanic tools in the basement – a smaller tool box out in the shed. We have small tool kits in each vehicle.
My carpenter tools are hanging in the shed … I never know when I might need them) so they are readily available.
I have a tool box for plumbing tools, for electrical tools. I have one for concrete tools and drywall tools. Circular saw, miter saw, table saw, jig saw, scroll saw, hand saw, chainsaw, and hole saw, hack saw, coping saw, back saw, Sawzall… router, planer, lawn tools, garden tools… tools with cords and tools with batteries. that could be a Johnny Cash song!
I think there are some I’ve forgotten. But this is one thing I know – every tool has its place and every tool has it proper use. I don’t use plumbing tools for electric or concrete tools for drywall.
I’m a tool guy! You may think this sermon is a guy sermon. It’s not! Each of you have tools that you use and each has a specific value at the right time and the right place.
Ther is one more tool box that I have. And if I use everything correctly it will carry me through this life in the way that God wants me to live. It is the spiritual tool box that has every spiritual weapon I need to defeat the enemy and live the abundant life that Jesus said He came to give.
2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Prayer:
1. We have a different battle plan.
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
There is a story in 1 Samuel about the first king of Israel – Saul. Saul started out with all the right tools. When Samuel the prophet, priest and judge of Israel met Saul he prophesied over him…
1 Samuel 10:6 The Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.
9a As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul's heart…
It seems that the Holy Spirit anointing that was on Saul didn’t last long. He won some big battles in the begin of his reign. Then pride entered in. He started doing things his way – what he thought was right! When Saul was faced with a big mouth giant, instead of trusting God he hid in his tent. When David came to fight Goliath, Saul wanted to send him out with weapons that seemed right. But David had a different battle plan with a different weapon.
(1Samuel17:45) David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
Saul tried to pin David to the wall with his spear three different times. A weapon that was primarily used in hand to hand combat… and Saul was apparently not to good at it. He missed three times. Threw it at his son once and missed. 0 for 4. Wrong weapon – wrong battle. Saul had God’s weapons at his disposal and refused to use them.
2. If you have been given a tool, use it.
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
God gives us weapons (spiritual tools) to use in the spiritual battle – His written word, spiritual gifts, the baptism in the Holy Spirit. He gives us power and authority.
God not only gives us weapons, He chooses the timing of the battle.
Two different times David had Saul in a position where he could have put an end to the chase. David’s men wanted to run Saul through with a spear. David said “NO”! It was the wrong weapon and the wrong time.
God told Joshua - Go march around the city and on the seventh day march seven times – then shout! Perfect weapon! Perfect timing.
He told Gideon - Take 300 men to fight, armed with torches and trumpets, and attack the Midianite army in the middle of the night….
Dig ditches out in the plain and watch them fill up with water and wait - I’ll do the fighting for you.
Oh but Mike – you don’t know what I’m going through and how long I’ve been up against it… You’re right. I don’t! but I know someone who does.
Jesus said,
Luke 10:19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
He gives us spiritual armor for defensive weapons but the sword of the Spirit, the word of God is an offensive weapon.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Study the Word. Memorize the Word. Stand on the Word. Put it to use. How do you do that?
The most important weapon in our tool box is prayer.
James 5:16b …The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much) KJV
As Jesus intercedes for us at God’s right hand, we intercede in prayer for those here on earth through our prayer. We stand in Jesus’ name and He does the fighting.
Our prayer doesn’t force God’s hand – it releases His power.
It’s His power that pulls down strongholds. His power working through us, set in motion by a prayer of faith. Strongholds are not demons. They are areas in our lives where demons can have influence. But prayer can change that.
James 1:6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
3. Keep the devil out of your head.
We all know what the devil’s number one tactic is when dealing with mankind right? Deception. He is a liar. From the beginning he has attempted to make us think that God didn’t really mean what HE said. He plants thoughts in your brain about the validity of Scripture. “That’s not what that means! God doesn’t do that any longer. He’ doesn’t heal. He doesn’t provide for needs. He doesn’t care! You will never be good enough to get God to do that for you.” And we put so much emphasis on the battle that’s being waged against us, that we forget the battle has already been won at the Cross. You see, satan will keep beating you over the head with his lies, planting those seeds in the natural realm, hoping that you’ll start believing it and that it will eventually manifest in the spiritual realm. You lose hope. Your faith dwindles to nothing. You get mad at God because His word doesn’t work. Or things don’t turn out the way you think they should or when you think they should.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
God works in an opposite way from the devil. Every promise has already been accomplished in the spiritual realm and when we stand in faith on His Word believing that ,even though it may look bad , God is able to accomplish what He has promised - till we see a transformation from the spiritual to the natural. If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation…
So how do we keep the enemy at bay? First of all, don’t give the devil a foothold. You know, something that I intentionally do when I am writing, when I write or type the name satan, I never give him a capital S. Spell check has a problem with that – but I don’t. He’s nothing. He is defeated. Then we make a steady diet of His word. Take notice of those promises knowing the Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. When thoughts that are contrary with Scripture come to your mind, take them captive and then get into agreement with God and His Word. Believe that when we make every thought obedient to Christ, we pull down strongholds and build a stronghold in the Spirit that satan cannot break through.
Use your tools – your weapons - effectively. You have been given everything you need to live a victorious life in Christ.
Closing:
National Geographic ran an article about the Alaskan bull moose. The males of the species battle for dominance during the fall breeding season, literally going head-to-head with antlers crunching together as they collide. Often the antlers, their only weapon are broken. That ensures defeat. The heftiest moose, with the largest and strongest antlers, triumphs. Therefore, the battle fought in the fall is really won during the summer, when the moose eat continually. The one that consumes the best diet for growing antlers and gaining weight will be the heavyweight in the fight. Those that eat inadequately sport weaker antlers and less bulk. There is a lesson here for us. Spiritual battles await. Satan will choose a season to attack. Will we be victorious, or will we fall? Much depends on what we do now--before the wars begin. The bull-moose principle: Enduring faith, strength, and wisdom for trials are best developed before they're needed.
(From sermonillustrations.com)
So pray the prayer of radical faith. Pastor Joseph told us a couple of years ago that the definition of radical faith is to believe God’s word, and then act like you do.
How are you going to respond? It's your choice. But it's God's promise.
