2 Corinthians 10:1-6

1 I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!—

2 I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh.

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.

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,

6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. 

Important Thoughts:

• It's not enough to know what these weapons are— but how to use them and when to use them.
• The enemy tries to diminish the credibility behind the voice, believing that it weakens the influence of the message.

The Weapon of Kingdom Identity

“I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ…”

1 Corinthians 15:10

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

1 Peter 2:9-10

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 

10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Important Thoughts:

• My identity is determined by who I am in Christ.
• My approach is determined by what I've seen modeled by Jesus.

Kingdom Disposition

“I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness…”

Important Thoughts:

• Gentleness is not weakness.
• When is determined through discernment by the Holy Spirit.

Fighting The Right Battle

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.”

Ephesians 6:12

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Important Thoughts:

• The greatest enemy in your life is not the person in front of you— but the spiritual influence behind what is happening.
• Flesh will never be able to defeat what originates in darkness.

Spiritual Weapons of Diving Power

“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power…”

What are these weapons?

• The Word of God/Truth
• Prayer
• Worship
• Faith
• Fasting
• Obedience
• The Holy Spirit

Important Thoughts:

Hell fears believers who know how to use spiritual weapons.

Enemies of The Knowledge of God

“…to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God…”

Important Thoughts:

Strongholds are patterns of thought that resist God's truth.

Arrested Thoughts

“…taking every thought captive to obey Christ.”

Important Thoughts:

• Greek translates it as: To capture as a prisoner of war.
• Not every thought deserves residence in your mind.

Trained & Equipped

“being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.”

Important Thoughts:

• Obedience is submission under hearing.
• You cannot wage Spiritual warfare effectively while living in rebellion.
• Undisciplined believers mishandle Spiritual authority.