Original Entry: July 14, 2007
McMinnville, OR
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
Today is the last day of a popular event in our community known as Turkey Rama. Turkey Rama is a three day festival where 3rd Street in downtown McMinnville, Oregon is shut down, dozens of merchants are brought in, a carnival is held, and local business owners display their services. We are not into the carnival rides since we do not think our kids get enough bang for the buck so we walk up and down the streets as a family talking to people, eating food, drinking coffee, and enjoying our time together. Yesterday, Colton and I took a free health screening sponsored by the Lion’s Club. The screening tests hearing, sight, blood pressure, and blood sugar. My eye sight is still 20/10, hearing is on the low end of normal thanks to too many years of shooting without ear plugs, but my blood sugar was in the “consult your physician now!” category. Even my blood pressure was a pounding 145 over 90!
Needless to say, Wednesday I have an appointment with my GP!
Currently I workout 4-5 times a week and am a muscular 250 pounds with 19% body fat. I know this because of the free scale at the gym and I checked it two days ago.
I have always had an eating problem. snacking at midnight almost every night for the past 40 years of my life. This passage could not have come at a better time in my life. To look at my body you would think I am at the height of my health and strength, but last night someone commented wishing they were my size and I literally I laughed out loud remembering my recent health screening!
Verse 4 tells us that God gives his people weapons which are to “demolish strongholds” (5). I believe that the “weapons” Paul is speaking about can be found in Ephesians 6:10-18 and are the Bible, prayer, fasting, fellowship, and worship, among others. Our weapons are anything that connects us to God as a “divine power”.
As I studied this passage it became crystal clear that our weapons are meant to destroy two things. The first of these is to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God” (5). In other words our weapons are used to destroy any and every thought that separates others from God. I believe this was the war the angel Michael was speaking to Daniel about in Daniel 10:1-21. It was a war over the strongholds that held Persia in spiritual bondage. This war rages today over nations, regions, cities and ultimately souls.
Second, our weapons are used on a personal level to, “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (5). This rocked my world. All of my current health related issues are diet related issues, and my diet related issues are nothing more than thought related issues. Basically, my mind is in bondage to food. Bottom Line: I am a glutton. Remembering a recent entry, Paul tells men to discipline, “beat (NIV)”, “buffet (NASB)”, or bruise our bodies and make them our slaves (1 Corinthians 9:24-26), but for the past 40 years my body has beat me and made me its slave.
A man must take captive every thought that will weaken his body whether that is food, drink, laziness, lust, or greed. A man must know the Word of God and live according to it. When thoughts and temptations enter our mind a man must take them captive. No temptation is too great for a man to hold captive. Take captive any thoughts that captivate you.
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
