Bible Study
A weapon is an implement, instrument or tool designed to inflict harm or physical damage. Weapons can be used for self-defense in conflict or contest, at war or during unwanted physical confrontations. Weapons of our warfare are spiritual combative tools.
Warfare here relates to a war, combat or conflict.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” II Corinthians 10:3-6. NKJV
Why do we need spiritual weapons?
Because the Christian warfare is not carnal or according to the flesh (2 Corinthians 10:3-6, Ephesians 6:12). It is a spiritual warfare.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 NKJV
A spiritual warfare will never be won using worldly, fleshly or carnal weapons. The weapons of arguments, show of intellectual prowess, engaging in physical combats, malice, quarrels, bickering, backbiting, gossips, etc will not suffice.
Apostle Paul, speaks of different kinds of weapons….. weapons that are spiritual, potent, effective, possessing great power and strength. Weapons that act at the root of the works of principalities, powers, strongholds, rulers of darkness, and all forms of wickedness, subduing them and bringing them in submission to Christ.
Who is a Christian at war with?
If you are a Christian reading this, ‘who are you at war with‘?
John 10:10 helps us identify the enemy of the Christian faith; the thief, who comes to steal, kill and destroy. We learn from Genesis 3:1, that the serpent was the cunniest of all created beasts. And from John 8:48, that he is the father of all lies. This enemy of the Christian faith can present in different forms. According to Ephesians 6:12 and 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, he can present in any of the following forms;
- Principalities
- Powers
- Strongholds
- Wickedness
- Prideful thinking,
- Godlessness
- Rebellion
- Disobedience
As a young Christian, my understanding of spiritual warfare hovered around evil spirits, witchcraft and demons who operate mostly in the dark hours of the night to oppress and suppress God’s elect. Sometimes a whole night’s sleep would be lost in vigils designed to engage in ‘spiritual warfare’. Interestingly, Ephesians 6:12, seems to lend some credence to my thoughts and our practice back then….(or does it really?)
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 NKJV
So, if we were to run with Ephesians 6:12, every Christian is at war with an unseen enemy who operates not just in this world, but also from an unseen world.
Question 1: When last did you see principalities, powers, wickedness and strongholds?
Question 2: In what form did they present? Human form, as objects, spirits, or how?…..
It appears that Apostle Paul saw principalities, powers, strongholds, wickedness presenting in human forms……..
Many times, bible portions have a contextual background that can help situate them in proper perspective….
Look at 2 Corinthians 10:1-3, ….
“I, Paul, am begging you with the gentleness and the kindness of Christ. Some say that I am bold when I am writing you from a distance, but not when I am there with you. They think our motives for what we do are like those of the world. I plan to be very bold against those people when I come. I hope I will not need to use that same boldness with you. We live in this world, but we don’t fight our battles in the same way the world does.” 2 Corinthians 10:1-3. ERV
Which camp are you on?
Clearly, Paul in verses 3-6, is referring to spiritual forces manifesting in human beings howbeit, in diverse ways. As false arguments, human reasoning, logic, pride, disobedience and godlessness. Does this mean there are no demons, evil spirits, witches (et al) roaming the world? Not at all. Think about all of Jesus’s ‘demon casting and slaying miracles‘… (Mathew 8:16, Matthew 10:18, Matthew 9:33, Mark 1:34).
Again, isn’t it instructive how with each of these encounters, Jesus spared and saved the possessed while chasing away the demons and evil spirits?…
I was recently asked in a training about the most difficult aspect of my work…..? To my utter surprise and amusement, my response was something like; I enjoy my work, I enjoy getting things done, the difficult part for me is the interpersonal rivalries, competitions, conflicts, quarrels, gossips, etc associated with getting the job done‘.
Haha! I love people. It’s just that sometimes you have to separate them from their troubles in order to continue loving them. And when it comes to work, people are the work!!! Haha!
I mean, don’t you sometimes want to retreat to a quiet place, shut out from all the conflicts of human relationships? Unfortunately that is not possible. Jesus sent us into the world as lambs among wolves! Yet, to conquer and overcome, to shine the light in a dark world, to bring hope and peace, and to show unconditional love.
It takes a lot of maturity and insight to look at a situation beyond the physical. To seek to understand why people respond or react to things the way they do. That is what Apostle Paul was doing in 2 Corinthians 10:1-6; not throwing away the baby with the bathwater.
In Paul’s opinion, the reason some members of the Church at Ephesus chose to join issues with him (with or without his indulgence), was because they were yielded to an ungodly influence. This is how Jesus often handled people; deciphering what influence they were under.
How do you respond to issues? Which camp are you on? Would Jesus sometimes give you a ‘get behind me Satan’ like He told Peter at some point?
Having clearly located the source of their rants and quibbling, Paul’s strategy for handling the disgruntled faction of the Ephesus Church was to engage in a spiritual warfare using spiritual weapons. No physical combats, no quarrels, no fighting, etc…
Weapons of our warfare- Spiritual warfare
Faith is the currency of the Christian faith. It is at the foundation of every victory a Christian would ever have. Faith is the substrate or “laying under” for every Christian victory. Sometimes ‘faith’ can sound totally vague. Here’s an article that presents faith in its basic form…..Faith Is Equal To…
By faith, we see and lay hold on an expected state, outcome, or situation. By faith, we see victory ahead. Faith keeps us in a place of firm assurance, that whatever spiritual weapon we adopt, will bring us the desired outcome. Meaning that all weapons of spiritual warfare have to be based on the foundation of faith.
So what are some weapons of spiritual warfare?
- The Word Of God:
The Bible identifies the Word of God as the sword of the Spirit… It is one of the weapons of our warfare. “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” Ephesians 6:17 NKJV - Prayer: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God”
Philippians 4:6 NKJV
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“praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints”
Ephesians 6:18 NKJV
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“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
Romans 8:26 NKJV - Praise and Thanksgiving: “So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword” Joshua 6:20-21
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“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with THANKSGIVING, let your requests be made known to God”
Philippians 4:6 NKJV
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“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundatilons of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.”
Acts 16:25-27 NKJV
- The Name Of Jesus
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV
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“All nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They surrounded me, Yes, they surrounded me; but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.”
Psalms 118:10-12 NKJV
- Walking In Love
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Matthew 5:44-45 NKJV
- Testimonies
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.“
Revelation 12:11 NKJV
- The Blood of The Lamb
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.“
Revelation 12:11 NKJV
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(Image courtesy of One Direction Community.)
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Grace Obomanu
