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Real Spiritual Power
2 Corinthians 10
Pastor Tom Fuller
A man’s grandfather worked in a blacksmith shop when he was a boy, and he used to tell his grandson how he had toughened himself up so he could stand the rigors of blacksmithing.
One story was how he had developed his arm and shoulder muscles. He said he would stand outside behind the house and, with a 5 pound potato sack in each hand, extend his arms straight out to his sides and hold them there as long as he could.
After awhile he tried 10 pound potato sacks, then 50 pound potato sacks and finally he got to where he could lift a 100 pound potato sack in each hand and hold his arms straight out for more than a full minute!
Next, he started putting potatoes in the sacks.
It must have been an impressive story to tell. But looking a little under the surface you find out it’s all talk and no potatoes! Everyone wants power – to be strong, to have an effect, to make an impact. No wonder Californians recently elected Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor – the former Mr. Universe is an impressive guy. The Governator!
When it comes to spiritual power we are no different – we like the show of power but don’t understand what true spiritual power is, as opposed to fake spiritual power. The Corinthians didn’t understand it either. They had a bunch of guys who came in wearing impressive suits and driving Mercedes with body guards surrounding them and sounding so authoritative – and the people were awed.
But as we’re going to find out this morning, true spiritual power is often disguised as weakness – and its aim is not to impress the people, but attack the true enemy.
10:1 By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you-I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face with you, but "bold" when away! 2 I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. 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. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
• Real spiritual power comes from meekness and gentleness of Christ - not the loud boastings of the world or the enemy (vs 1)
The old saying goes – if you’re going to lie, lie loudly so you’ll be convincing. The more sure you seem about something, well, the more sure you will come across. That’s how the enemy does it – he goes about LIKE a roaring lion. He isn’t a lion – sure he has some power – but that’s nothing compared the Lion of Tribe of Judah. But he is scary. And those that are being used by him will have big bold voices. Don’t be fooled by that.
In one of His few autobiographical statements, Jesus said “I am gentle and humble at heart.” That’s how Paul appeals to the Corinthians – what a contrast to the boisterous false apostles. Paul says: I’m not going to be like these guys – making an impression. But make no mistake – I am your apostle. I have the authority, just because I don’t show it in a way that impresses you.
Paul was accused of operating by the world’s principals – the world’s methods. “not true,” he says:
• Real spiritual power doesn’t come from the world’s standards or tactics (vs 2-3) but is tuned to destroy the enemy’s strongholds using divine, not human power. (vs 4)
What passes for spiritual power in this world is like people in a play. They take on a role and are very convincing in it. Every time I see Dustin Hoffman I never know what I’m going to get because he is so convincing in his roles – he makes me believe that he is a lawyer or a disease specialist, or a pirate captain.
People put on the mask of spiritual power – but in reality they are playing a role.
True spiritual power isn’t impressive – but it is effective. We don’t go out and mow down demons with some kind of super sword – what we do it destroy that which holds out against the truth of the gospel.
Don’t try to win arguments using worldly methods. Impressive presentations, sounding authoritative, using gimmicks or bribes or lies – that won’t have any real effect. In fact, people will see through it and be turned off to the gospel. We must use “divine” power – the Word of God, and the testimony of what Jesus Christ has done for us.
Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes:
• Real spiritual power is designed to destroy anything that stops the gospel (vs 5a)
The enemy has created strongholds of lies – lies that fill our education system, our political system, even our religious system. These lies are powerful things:
- There is no hell or punishment for sin
- Jesus can’t be the only way to heaven
- You can live any way you want and God will still love you
- If you get ahead here on earth, you will get ahead with God
• Real spiritual power brings obedience to Christ (vs 5b)
See, the real bottom line to spiritual power is not fighting the enemy so much as it is fighting disobedience to Jesus Christ. Satan has actually done a pretty good job at drawing us off into the wrong battle.
Sure, there battles to be fought against demonic forces who have possessed people. But that’s not the battle you will encounter on a daily basis. The real battle involves the enemy clouding the eyes of people to the truth and keeping them from obeying Jesus command to come to Him.
• Real spiritual power draws a line – you can’t fight the true gospel and win (vs 6)
The gospel is our reference. If anything you read or hear, or if anyone tells you something that is contrary to the revealed Word of God then you need to question it big time.
There comes a time when you have to fish or cut bait. Paul wasn’t going to wait forever for these so-called apostles to wreak havoc in Corinth. There is truth and there is error – there are absolutes. And Paul is telling the Corinthians that they can recognize truth from error – but not by employing worldly measures:
7 You are looking only on the surface of things. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as he. 8 For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it. 9 I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing." 11 Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.
• Real spiritual power is given by the Lord (vs 8)
Looks can and are deceiving. Don’t judge by the extravagance of the show – judge by the words spoken and the fruit of the lives. You can’t be like Simon the magician who in the book of Acts wanted to buy the ability to lay hands on people and pass on spiritual power – I think it takes quite a bit of giving up of yourself in order for God to truly work through you powerfully. It is not a puffing up experience to be truly used by God, it is very very humbling.
Bottom line: we can’t drum it up.
• Real spiritual power comes from God’s presence, not our presentation (vs 9-11)
Paul is saying: don’t be lulled into a false sense of security. The package wasn’t very impressive, but the true power behind it would be revealed if necessary.
We really need to receive from God those truths that are presented to us – and not judge them by the package they are presented in. Some of the most awesome things I’ve learned from God came from people who you wouldn’t give a second glance at. Don’t judge a book by its cover really does apply.
Often on the cover you read the reviews that make it sound so incredible. I love movie reviews – you know, the little snippets that that they put on the ads. The ad says: “This film is one of the finest examples on the market today!” But what the reviewer said was “This film is one of the finest examples on the market today of trashy filmmaking.”
I really like this next phrase:
12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.
It’s like someone writing their own press release and then treating the press release as if it were fact! We actually sometimes fall into this trap – we say something, then believe it to be true because we said it. If its not supported by the Word of God then don’t believe it!
13 We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you. 14 We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ. 15 Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our area of activity among you will greatly expand, 16 so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in another man’s territory.
• Real spiritual power comes not from comparing ourselves, but from sowing and reaping in the field God has given us. (vs 12-16)
These guys were claiming things they hadn’t done. Paul was the one who started the church in Corinth. Paul is being sarcastic when he says “we don’t dare compare ourselves.”
Paul is not saying that boasting is bad – we’ll get to that in a moment. But what the guys in Corinth were doing was basing their boasts on their own credentials – not on the authority that the Lord Himself gave to Paul.
What has God given you to do? Your field may be your family, or your employees, or kids in Sunday School – whatever He has placed in front of you to do, ask for His power to do it and don’t worry about how anyone else is doing it. It may look more successful, but Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
17 But, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
• Real spiritual power comes from God’s commendation, not man’s (vs 1-18)
Give you life to God
Do what He has called you to do
Wait for Him to call the shots as to whether you are doing right or not
Conclusion
1. Don’t let yourself be drawn into battling the world’s way
2. Don’t be impressed by men, be impressed by God
3. Focus on the gospel, not a bunch of programs
4. Rely on the divine power of God to work through you
I want to go back to verse 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.
I want to encourage us all to practice this with ourselves. Often our flesh or the world will put up arguments that would draw us away from serving God. Sometimes our own thoughts come up and we think “Man – where did that come from!”
You have the power through the Spirit of God to take captive those thoughts and make them obey Christ. Make that your first response – instead of allowing those thoughts to take root – destroy them and put them in chains.
James 1:13-15 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
