Sermon notes from Sunday 23 February 2020 am
2 Corinthians 10 verses 1 - 11
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds."
We stand in great need of encouragement but we also need a challenge today. Paul is dealing with the ongoing situation in the Corinthian church but what he says also speaks to the Christian life. Did you know you are in a battle today? Maybe Paul has sat in the prison house, sent a message to Timothy describing his life. He doesn`t know when the door will open and the executioner will take him out to his death. He said to Timothy "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing." (2 Timothy 4 verses 7 and 8) Here in Corinth Paul`s credability comes under attack by the Jewish leaders. They wanted the glory of the fellowship of this little church. In doing so they were sowing seeds of doubt in the peoples minds. Paul said to them "as I listen to these people criticising me, blinding you minds, I know the weapons are mighty in God`s hand." Who gives us those weapons? God does. Are you discontented or discouraged today - encourage yourself in the Lord. What are the weapons?
The weapon of preaching. Paul was continually ridiculed. Verse 10 "for his letters, say they are weighty and powerful but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible." All they could do to criticise was in his preaching. Nehemiah was comissioned and called of God to go to Jerusalem. He prayed to the Lord and the Lord told him to go down and do the work necessary to rebuild the walls. Make them safe and secure, to give them something to glory in again. He was working for the glory of God not man. That is what is needed today - the glory of God is so important to any work down in Christ`s name. The enemy could only sit back and watch them. In Nehemiah`s day they couldn`t stop the work, could not hinder it. Then the people criticised the Jews at work, criticised the people themselves. Jesus said "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16 verse 18) People will criticise the preacher and even you yourself as you witness in your family and among your friends. They wanted to disparage the work of God and will do all in their power to pull you down in the process. What did Paul say about his preaching - 1 Corinthians 1 verse 17 Paul could say "I have a calling to preach" He was using the weapon of preaching. He was not getting down to their level, not criticising them. There is a temptation to say something about the person who is doing the criticising. Paul in Ephesians 6 talks about the armour of God, the boots, the breastplate, the girdle around the waist, the shield of faith, the helmet and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. "For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any twoedged sword" (Hebrews 4 verse 12) That is the weapon you use. Paul in Philippi met a young girl possessed with a demon spirit and able to tell the future. Those who saw the young girl realised there was money to be made. People were hearing this young girl telling the future. The councillors of the town were making a fortune from her work. The devil was setting up a stronghold that no-one could break. Paul comes with the word of God and the young girl started to shout "these are men of God showing us the way of God`s salvation." (Acts 16 verse 17) Paul did not want this attention being drawn to himself. "I command thee". He was speaking into the depths of her soul and heart to the very demon that lived in her. "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her" and he did. That is the only weapon we have - the word of God. Don`t use your own intellect but rather the word of God. Souls were given over to superstition, to false doctrine, demon worship. In Acts 8 Philip found that when he came down to Samaria - verse 9 - "a certain man called Simon which beforetime in the same city used sorcery and betwitched the people". The devil was using this man. In Revelation 13 we read that the antichrist was given his power by the devil himself. That is in the future yet to come but the devil can still do that today in the present. How did Philip break the power of the man Simon? He came to Samaria and he preached Christ unto them. The demons cannot stay as a result. The devil had to release his power. Acts 8 "there was great joy in that city." (verse 8) Paul used the weapon of preaching. An encouragement for us to continue in preaching, telling others about Christ. You will meet many who will oppose that. We need to keep bringing before them the cross, teaching the things of God to them not whose church is the best.
The weapon of prayer. Prayer was used against Satan`s stronghold. He invited people to pray for him. Paul said in 1 Timothy 2 verse 1 to pray for people - why - "for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour" verse 3. Remember the man with a son who was possessed of a demon? That demon would throw him into the fire or hot water. The father brought him to the disciples one day but they couldn`t do anything for him. They tried but were powerless. When the Lord delivered that young son the disciples asked why they could not do it. He told them "this kind cometh not but by prayer and fasting." (Matthew 17 verse 21) Are we using the weapon of prayer to our ability? Remember when the temple was dedicated by Solomon in Chronicles. "If this people turn away and come back will you hear their prayer?" Solomon asked God. God`s reply - "if my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways I will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7 verse 14) Paul is using the weapon of preaching and prayer. There is a great encouragement here for the place of prayer. It is not a labour. We need the sincerity to seek God.
The weapon of praise. When we think of what the Lord has done for us we have so much to praise God for - 2 Corinthians 12 verse 10 "therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ`s sake, for when I am weak then am I strong. Joseph to his brothers said "ye thought evil against me but God meant it unto good." (Genesis 50 verse 20) James said "count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience" (James 1 verses 2 and 3) "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8 verses 28) God allows our trials for his purpose to be worked out in our lives. "mighty through God" not through man nor intellect nor our own abilities but through God. It is "not by might nor by power but my spirit saith the Lord." (Zechariah 4 verse 6) As Peter preached in Acts 2 the Holy Spirit came. It was not in his ability. In Cornelius house "the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word" (Acts 10 erse 44) It was not what Peter said to him.
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