This passage in Corinthians is full of powerful revelation from the Lord and was given to the Apostle Paul to the Church. Let’s break this down and show you five powerful principles in this passage that we can take away from this.
1- We engage in battle in prayer! At the very opening of this passage of scripture, we see that Paul tells us that our warfare is not with flesh and blood, and as believers we aren’t engaged in physical combatants but demonic forces behind the scenes. He gave more clarity on this below:
“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
So we can see here that our battle is with demonic forces from Satan’s kingdom. We combat these forces through the weapons of prayer fasting, intercession, and the Word of God.
2- We’re called to pull down strongholds – Paul reveals to us that through prayer and intercession, we are “pulling down” strongholds. What does this even mean? The Greek word that is used here for the word “stronghold” is a picture of a castle or fortress. It was an enclosure with multiple walls and was highly fortified.
This fortress or (prison-like) enclosure was to keep prisoners inside and held captive. In spiritual terms, These strongholds are mental, physical, and emotional prisons that people have that keep the Gospel from penetrating their hearts and keep the victim in bondage. These strongholds can be addictions, false doctrines, lies, unforgiveness, bitterness, hurts, emotional scars, abuse, etc.
3- We are called to cast down imaginations and anything exalted against the knowledge of God – Paul also reveals that we are dealing with “imaginations” and spirits that attempt to turn us away from the Truth of the Word of God. The word “Imagination” means the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality.
Satan is the master of forming “imaginations” in our minds to form strongholds. These are well-crafted lies that literally exalt themselves against the Word of God. This can be seen from the very beginning of time in the Garden of Eden.
Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”
Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate”. – Genesis 3:1-6
This is why it is imperative as believers that we know the Word of God because if not, we are susceptible to deception, lies, falsehoods and ultimately being brought into captivity.
We now have buildings across the Globe that call themselves Churches with people behind pulpits that call themselves pastors that are teaching and preaching doctrines that completely contradict the Word of God and have successfully brought people into captivity. This is the seducing spirit and doctrine of demons that Paul warns of that would actually shipwreck people from the faith.
4 – Bring every thought into captivity – Next Paul tells us that we are commanded as believers to bring every thought into captivity and to the obedience of Christ. Have you ever caught yourself letting your mind just roam free and drift off into thoughts and imagination that either went into a dark place or maybe even an immoral place?
If you were to be honest here you would say “yes”. Remember folks, thoughts aren’t sin but acting on those thoughts is. This is why Paul is instructing us here to filter EVERY thought through the Word of God. To bring out thoughts into “captivity” is a strong term here that is literally a warfare language meaning that we must be aggressive in recognizing these thoughts and imaginations before they take root and produce strongholds.
An example of this would be like having malware and spam filters on your computer that are always scanning them to detect these malicious invaders before they corrupt your hard drive. I believe the Bible gives even more detail on this in the Book of Philippians Chapter four.
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things”. – Philippians 4:8
Notice here that Paul gives us a list of certain things to think about or meditate upon consistently. This passage is an excellent tool to use as your “spam and malware” filter for your mind and spirit. (hard drive). So let’s examine this list more closely. Paul names the following things to focus on. Whatever is true, noble, just, pure lovely, and a good report. So what thoughts are invading your life on a daily basis and how do they line up with this list?
The enemy and your own flesh will bombard you with thoughts that will all contradict this list. Thoughts of doubt, lies, unbelief, shame, guilt, revenge, lust, immorality, bad reports from the doctor, bankers, workplace, marital problems, depression, thoughts of suicide, and the list goes on.
If we allow all of these evil thoughts to just roam freely and not take them “captive” we will end up in a stronghold to everything from fear, lust, depression, and more. We will never have victory and will be in a constant state of defeat.
5- Punish disobedience with obedience – Lastly, Paul tells us here that we actually destroy disobedience through the act of obedience to the Word of God in our lives. I know it sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But it’s true. James stated, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you”. Notice the steps of freedom here.
The first thing we must do is “Submit to God”. We cannot expect to be free from any bondages, captivity, or strongholds if we aren’t even submitted to God first. Are we obedient to His Word? How many Christians can’t victory over things yet they have no prayer life, never in the Word and never attend any Church or Assembly of other believers?
The next step is to resist and demons aren’t going anywhere if we aren’t first “submitted to Christ first. What does it mean to resist the devil? This Greek word means “to withstand or stand against”. When Christ was tempted by the Devil he resisted him by quoting scripture to bring those fiery darts into captivity.
Notice in the story of the temptations of Christ below that he was tempted on three different occasions which were the same temptations satan has used for thousands of years and still using them today which were the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world”. – 1 John 2:16
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down.
For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands, they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”
Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him”. – Matthew 4:1-11
Did you notice that satan fled from Christ after three temptations that were all resisted by Jesus because he was both submitted to his Father and resisted these fiery darts by quoting the Word of God? I believe everything we need to be equipped with to walk in victory has been given to us in the scriptures and this was just another great example of how we can also walk in freedom today!
