Today’s Bible Study, Authored by Arthur
Cincotti. 10/30/2022
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Study Discussion at: Image Nations Podcast
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“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…” II Cor. 10:4,5
The above verse is the
“go to” verse for engagement in spiritual warfare. The landscape is identified,
as is the method of engagement.
We think of warfare as
disagreements between governments, or people groups that turn violent.
Read Js. 4:1-10
Mat. 11:12 says, “And
from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers
violence, and the violent take if by force.”
Companion verse is Lk.
16:16
“The law and the
prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached,
and everyone is pressing into it.”
The kingdom of darkness
is in direct opposition to the kingdom of God, and conflict is inevitable.
It is controversial
whether we, as believers, should engage in actual violence. Our resistance
should definitely be in radical determination to walk in obedience and
righteousness regardless of the cost.
The kingdom of darkness
has no such parameters.
The KJV translates
“arguments”, in our opening verse, as “imaginations”
The word in Greek is
“logismos” meaning: reasoning, imagination,
thought.
It’s not a true
etymology of the word, but if you cut the word in half we get, “image” and
“nation”
This speaks volumes to the setting of the spiritual warfare.
The battlefield of our mind.
James gives us a clearer
picture of the progression:
1:14:15 “But each one is tempted when he is drawn
away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives
birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
We tend to play out actions and ideologies in our mind long
before we manifest them. Abstract thought is a unique quality man possess among
created beings. This what likens us to God. Satan attacks us at our greatest
strength by feeding us spiritual junk food to compromise and eventually subdue
our imaginations. In Gen. 3, Satan merely engages Eve with a thought.
Where would we be if we fantasized about healing the sick, or
casting our demons, or preaching to ten thousand people? What if we actually
did pray without ceasing, or if praise was continually on my mouth?
Consider carefully the
ways in which Satan infiltrates our imagination, and ask the Lord for
deliverance!
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Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship
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