Today’s New Covenant nugget comes from 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
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.
This week we have been talking about ‘Victory mindset power’. Colossians 2:8 (TPT) says, ‘Beware that no one distracts you or intimidates you in their attempt to lead you away from Christ’s fullness by pretending to be full of wisdom when they’re filled with endless arguments of human logic. For they operate with humanistic and clouded judgments based on the mindset of this world system, and not the anointed truths of the Anointed One.’
The Greek to English Translation of 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, “We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. We capture rebellious thoughts, and make them obey [the Word of] Christ.”
MOST OF THE DEVIL’S ATTACKS ARE THOUGHTS THAT ARE DIRECTED AT OUR MINDS…
He knows that if He can steal our ‘victory-mindset power’ that we will give up on who we are and what we have in Christ.
The devil and the powers of darkness cannot harm a Spirit filled, born again believer – Jesus said that you have authority over all the work of the enemy and that nothing shall by any means harm you! The only way that the devil can get to us is through thoughts – if the devil can get us to receive thoughts of fear, doubt, unbelief and defeat, and and if he can convince us that those thought are logical, rational conclusions to consider, then he can steer us into self destruction.
THE MIND IS WHERE YOU SECURE YOUR VICTORY THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN WON, AND THE MIND IS WHERE YOU CAN BE ROBBED OF YOUR VICTORY, AND ULTIMATELY DEFEATED!
If our minds remain renewed according to the Word, then we will continue to prove the will of God in our lives (Romans 12:2) – but, if we allow deception and reasoning that contradicts the Word to enter our thinking by embracing toxic, deceptive, unscriptural thoughts, then our victory can be stolen, leading to defeat.
The powers of darkness are defeated and disarmed and subject to us. All that they have is the power of suggestion (temptations to embrace their lies).
1 Corinthians 2:14-16 says that the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
The Passion Translation says, “Someone living on an entirely human level rejects the revelations of God’s Spirit, for they make no sense to him. He can’t understand the revelations of the Spirit because they are only discovered by the illumination of the Spirit. Those who live in the Spirit are able to carefully evaluate all things, and they are subject to the scrutiny of no one but God. For who has ever intimately known the mind of the Lord Yahweh well enough to become His counselor? Christ has, and we possess Christ’s perceptions. [we have the mind of Christ]”
A believer who lives in the flesh with the mind of the flesh with fleshly reasonings and a rational (instead of a victory-mindset) will not be able to understand the leading of the Spirit. Following the leading of the Spirit on a path that leads to victory requires the mind of Christ (a victory-mindset).
A person who maintains a victory-mindset is someone who talks the Word, walks the Word, discusses the Word, studies the Word and is totally controlled by the Word and the Holy Spirit. Such a person has the mind of Christ and such a person processes all things according to the New Covenant Word of God through illumination and the revelation of the Holy Spirit! Maintaining the mind of Christ is key to victorious living!
Romans 4:20 - Abraham did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God – Abraham did not waver! Abraham remained stable! A person that wavers is a person that is influenced by toxic thoughts – Abraham would not allow toxic thinking to steal his promise!
Abram received the promise when he was 70 – and at 99 Abraham was still standing strong – the name ‘Abram’ means ‘Exalted Father’ – the name ‘Abraham’ means ‘Father of many nations’ – Can you imagine the ridicule that he faced? “How many children do you have ‘Exalted Father’?” Yet Abram continued to stand, saying, “I am an exalted father”, over and over! Then at 99 years old he upped it... he took things to the next level on the Father's command; instead of backing down or wavering, he changed his name to ‘Father of many nations’ – Abraham spoke the Word and not circumstances for years, regardless of so called logic! He did not waver! If we want to walk in all that God has for us, we cannot waver!
How do you avoid wavering when things take long to manifest?
ANSWER: You strengthen your faith by giving glory to God! “Abraham did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.“
HOW DO WE STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH BY GIVING GLORY TO GOD?
We give Glory to God by receiving Jesus, by placing our faith in Him, and by believing His Word. We strengthen our faith by continually feeding it the Word of God!
Ephesians 6:16 (TPT) - In every battle, take faith as your wrap-around shield, for it is able to extinguish the blazing arrows coming at you from the Evil One!
Most of he blazing arrows of the devil are deceptive, lying thoughts like, “Give up – you blew it, so it’s not going to happen – you are too old! You don’t have what it takes.”
We have to be determined to stay in faith and to strengthen our faith by feeding it the Word continually… we have to glorify the Father by trusting Jesus and His Word– that is how we lift up the shield of faith, and that is how we do not waver!
1 Peter 5:8-9 - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. [All he has is the power of suggestion] Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
Constantly rehearse the Word in your thoughts – constantly talk to others about the Word – constantly speak His promises – feed your faith – strengthen yourself in faith – pray in the Spirit – stay in victory ‘MENTALLY’, in the area of your thoughts, in Jesus Name!
In His amazing Love, Nick
