Destroy Strongholds

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (ESV) 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Contextually, here in 2 Corinthians, Paul is talking about the Church. But it really does apply to our own thoughts, our own arguments, and the opinions that are raised in our own minds.

In this battle that we are waging in order to live in agape love, we don’t fight with more effort. We don’t fight with psychology. We don’t fight with religion. We don’t fight with cleaning ourselves up or trying harder. We fight with God’s divine power. We fight this battle with the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to transform our lives into the image of Jesus Christ.

Don’t you know, we have strongholds in our minds in this battle? There’s stuff that is in your mind that needs to be taken out. Taken out! And I don’t mean by electroshock therapy, okay? That’s, thankfully, a thing of the past. I mean, by God. Right?

There are strongholds that need to be torn down. There are arguments in your mind that need to be torn down. And so, you have got to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. You’ve got to take ahold of that thought. And then you have to judge it by God’s Word. And then you decide what to do with it. Either you crucify it, or you walk in it. But you’ve got to take it captive first and thereby begin to destroy the strongholds, the lofty opinions.

I would say this. This is such a crucial step because it’s the first practical step. The battle to live in agape love is won or lost in your thought life. I promise you it is. I promise you, it is. 

Have you ever seen somebody angry? And they’re like, so angry, you wonder why they’re so angry. And then someone says, “Oh, they’ve been angry for years.” “Really? How long?” “Oh, since they were a child.” “Wow, that’s a lot of anger. Their mind must really be set on anger and revenge.”

It’s the same with Christ. “Wow! How is that person walking in agape love? How are they displaying the love of Christ?” Because it’s all they think about! Because it’s all they do. They’re consumed in their relationship with Christ. They’re consumed with spending time with him, with hearing from him, by being filled with his Spirit and his Word. And they’re walking in it. And it shows.

The battle for living in agape love is won or lost in our thought life.

Follow along with us in your Alone With God journal. Do you need to order one? Go to wordbymail.com.

Journal: Reread today’s verses, and after meditating on them, think about how they apply to your life. Allow the Holy Spirit to really grab a hold of you. What is he addressing in your life through this scripture? In the Apply section of your journal, take some time and write down how these verses apply specifically to your life. Be real and honest with God. Next, decide what you are going to do today in response to this scripture. Maybe it’s a physical action. Maybe it’s taking your thoughts captive. Whatever it is, in the Respond section of your journal, write down how you are going to respond to these verses and the truths in them today. And then, finally, in the Pray section, write a prayer to God in response to this time with him. Align your heart with his asking for the power of the Holy Spirit to make these truths real in your life. Make your commitment to God, and thank him for speaking to you through his Word.

Prayer: Lord, Jesus, make these verses come alive in our lives. Help us take our thoughts captive and judge each of them by your Word. Give us the Holy Spirit and his power to win the battle for your agape love in our lives. Please help us to be transformed today, tomorrow, the next day, and all the days of our lives into your image and for your glory. In your mighty name, Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Dig Deeper: Click this link to listen to the message from the 1 Corinthians series titled: Holy Spirit - How Do I Get To Agape? or by searching for that title at wordbymail.com.