1 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:09,480 Two Corinthians chapter 10, please. 2 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:12,000 If you haven't turned there already, I'm going to be reading 3 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:13,840 out of the new King James Version tonight. 4 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:17,560 The title of the message, Winning the spiritual war with 5 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,160 God's weapons. Imagine with me for a moment 6 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,320 some fictitious world, some fictitious realm, that you are 7 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:29,480 the general of an army. The enemy that you're up against 8 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:35,240 is armed with swords and Shields, and you come out with 9 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:38,400 tanks and rockets and machine guns. 10 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:42,760 You think it's pretty much a given I'm going to win this 11 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:46,440 battle, right? Well, I begin with this because 12 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:51,680 as I've often quoted A fellow called AW Tozer, he's a 13 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:53,880 theologian. He said this, that the Christian 14 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,640 life is not a playground, it is a battleground. 15 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,760 And so for this battle, what we scripturally, the Bible tells us 16 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:05,840 have at our disposal is the equivalent of the capacity to 17 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:09,680 bring a gun to a knife fight or of the illustration that I've 18 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,200 just commenced with. Whether you're a new believer or 19 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,280 a seasoned St tonight, a servant of God for for many, many years 20 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,280 or or just beginning your journey with Christ, then you've 21 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:24,720 likely already felt the sting of spiritual conflict, of 22 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,080 opposition, of obstacles, of all sorts of things. 23 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:28,800 Maybe an unexplained discouragement. 24 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:32,440 It might be some sort of senseless conflict where you 25 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:35,760 just can't seem to figure out what the cause or the reason for 26 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,960 it is. It might be some accusations 27 00:01:38,960 --> 00:01:41,320 that have come against you that just shake your confidence and 28 00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:44,160 get you doubting and questioning things that you maybe took for 29 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:47,000 granted. And these, what the Bible 30 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:50,920 indicates to us are not random, that they're part of a spiritual 31 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,440 war. That is for your heart, that is 32 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:55,160 for your mind, that is for your soul. 33 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:59,080 For the Bible tells us that we wrestle not against flesh and 34 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:01,440 blood. And what we read tonight in this 35 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:05,200 battle in verses 3 and 4, you can jump ahead to there in 36 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,680 second Corinthians chapter 10 is this Paul talks about says, for 37 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:12,120 though we walk in the flesh, that though we're human beings, 38 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:16,240 though we're wrapped up in these bodies, we do not war according 39 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:18,160 to the flesh. There's something greater beyond 40 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:19,760 just the physical, what we can see. 41 00:02:20,640 --> 00:02:23,640 And then he says verse 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not 42 00:02:23,640 --> 00:02:26,880 carnal means they're not the way that the world might deal with 43 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:32,760 conflict and handle them, but they are mighty in God pulling 44 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:34,880 down our strongholds. We'll explain this. 45 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:38,560 So the idea is that we have these spiritual weapons in the 46 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:41,960 conflict, in the obstacles in the opposition that we encounter 47 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:46,680 as believers that hold divine power to tear down strongholds. 48 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:50,200 That's the reality of the Christian life, whether or not 49 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,360 you know it to be true. That is what the Bible tells us 50 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,680 and what we need to believe and to understand tonight. 51 00:02:56,640 --> 00:02:58,880 And in Second Corinthians chapter 10, when we find 52 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,200 ourselves as we're going expositionally through this 53 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,600 book, the apostle Paul is in a battle. 54 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,160 He's on a battleground. He's defending his Apostolic 55 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:14,320 credentials as a person that has been called by God to be God's 56 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:19,040 representative to the Gentiles in this area of, of Greece that 57 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:22,360 wraps around into Asia Minor as we know it in the 1st century 58 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:25,320 Roman Empire. And these false teachers have 59 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:26,760 crept into the church in Corinth. 60 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,440 And they're attacking the character of Paul the apostle, 61 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:34,160 trying to illegitimize his ministry to, to claim certain 62 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:36,960 things about him that are fictitious, that are untrue. 63 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,440 And they've even attacked what what we'll read tonight, his 64 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:42,320 appearance. Now that's pretty low. 65 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,440 When you start to challenge, well, you're ugly and use that 66 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:50,800 as a means to kind of counteract and diminish someone's capacity. 67 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:53,960 They've certainly been challenging his calling as an 68 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:58,160 apostle. So they mocked him and they say 69 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:01,600 in verse 10, you can jump ahead there that his letters, So his 70 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,960 writings, the the epistles, the words that he sends to us, 71 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,160 they're weighty. Oh man, they, they sound brave, 72 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:10,800 they sound strong, but get him in person and he's unimpressive. 73 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:14,520 He just melts, He folds, he reveals himself to be just a 74 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:18,360 weakling in person and he's speaking amounts to nothing 75 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,600 effectively is their claim. So, oh, he can, he's a keyboard 76 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,720 warrior, we might call it today. He can type some strong words, 77 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:28,520 but getting him, getting him in person, boy, when Paul gets 78 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:31,320 here, this is what the the false teachers in Corinth were saying, 79 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,320 get him, get him in person. And he's he's none of what he's 80 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,360 presented in his writings. And some of what he wrote in 81 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:41,160 First Corinthians was pretty heavy, wasn't it? 82 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,240 We might have, if we're typing it, used all capitals and 83 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:47,160 exclamation marks after some of the things that Paul had written 84 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,560 to them previously. And yet, how is it that Paul is 85 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:53,920 going to counteract these challenges? 86 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:59,320 How would you, if people laid certain accusations against you, 87 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,120 certain things that you knew weren't to be true, how might 88 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,320 you retaliate? How might you respond? 89 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:07,920 What Paul does we're going to see in this chapter is that he 90 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:13,000 does not use worldly tactics or fleshly bravado, right? 91 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,880 I'll roll up my sleeves and I'll show them who's boss. 92 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,120 Instead, he arms himself with God's weapons. 93 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:24,080 He's bringing guns to a knife fight, and he's showing us how 94 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:27,360 to fight and to win the spiritual battles that we face 95 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:28,880 in and through this. So that's where we're going to 96 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:32,920 Orient our thoughts as we move through this chapter around 3:00 97 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:35,640 aspects. And these are that when counted 98 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,480 with hostility, when counted with with opposition, with 99 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:42,320 obstacles, whether known or not, you are in a spiritual conflict. 100 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:46,720 Here's what you can do #1 embrace Christ's character and 101 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:50,760 #2 employ God's weapons. Make sure that you're armed with 102 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:54,800 a gun for a knife fight. And then thirdly, we exalt, we 103 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:59,200 elevate God's approval what God says about us as opposed to what 104 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,360 others humanity might say man's words. 105 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,240 So let's dive into this chapter and learn how to be battle ready 106 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:10,120 for the glory of God. Let's have a look first couple 107 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,160 of verses at our first point out of second Corinthians chapter 108 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:17,280 10, he says, now I Paul myself, I'm pleading with you. 109 00:06:17,280 --> 00:06:20,600 So the idea behind this as we begin is often when Paul would 110 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:24,560 have his epistles written, he would dictate to a secretary 111 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:26,840 that would handwrite on a scroll for him. 112 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:29,080 And now it's as if in these words, Paul says here, give me 113 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,080 the pen. Let me write this down and this 114 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,200 is how serious what I'm about to say is. 115 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:36,520 I want to make sure that I get this right that nothing's 116 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:38,440 missed. And so he says, now I pull 117 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:44,520 myself and pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of 118 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:46,760 Christ. That's odd. 119 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:49,800 I remember he's in a in a conflict. 120 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,720 There's hostility. Wouldn't you think that he'd 121 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:57,120 appealed to the majesty, the might, the power of resurrected 122 00:06:57,160 --> 00:07:01,400 Jesus who sits on the throne victorious, and yet he says, I 123 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:06,120 appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Jesus Christ, 124 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:10,920 and then Speaking of himself, who in presence and lowly among 125 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:15,120 you, but being absent and bold toward you. 126 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:19,440 But I beg you, verse 2, that when I'm present, I may not be 127 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:22,800 bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold to 128 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,120 some. In other words, there's some 129 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:27,960 that will need to hear some heavy words from me, namely 130 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,920 these false teachers, but but not the church collectively. 131 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:33,640 I'd rather be tender and gentle and meek and lowly. 132 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:38,680 And this in this last little bit here, Speaking of the false 133 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:41,440 teachers who think of us as if we walked according to the 134 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:43,640 flesh. So I'm above that. 135 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:47,640 Let's have a look at this. When when encountering conflict, 136 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:50,640 opposition in the battle that is the Christian life, we must 137 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:56,360 embrace Christ's character. A fellow called Skip Heitzig in 138 00:07:56,360 --> 00:08:00,920 his sermon out of this passage uses the following following 139 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:04,440 allegorical story and I'll recount it to you So so there's 140 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:08,120 this one congregation of church and the church leadership 141 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:11,760 confessed that it's having problems with a family in the 142 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:16,040 church known as the Tate family. The Tates were giving them all 143 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,040 sorts of grief, he says, all sorts of problems. 144 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:26,280 There was the old man dictate he wants to run everything while 145 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:29,560 the Uncle Roe rotate tries to change everything. 146 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:37,799 Their sister AG named Agitate, stirs up plenty of trouble with 147 00:08:37,799 --> 00:08:42,760 help from her husband. Irritate whenever there's new 148 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:46,360 projects in the church. Hesitate and his wife Vegetate 149 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:48,840 want to wait around till next year. 150 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:53,160 And then there's Aunt Imitate, who wants her church to be like 151 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:57,160 all the other churches. Devastate provides the voice of 152 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:59,680 doom, while Potentate wants to be the big shot. 153 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:03,520 And of course, there's the black sheep of the family, Amputate, 154 00:09:03,560 --> 00:09:07,120 who has completely cut himself off from the church. 155 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:12,400 I think we've met Tate's before. You don't need to be in churches 156 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,760 for very long to encounter individuals and personalities 157 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:18,720 like this, right? I think just about every leader 158 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:21,680 in, in every Christian endeavour or, or ministry has at some 159 00:09:21,680 --> 00:09:25,880 point met the entire Tate family or certainly members thereof. 160 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:28,360 And that's OK. I think that just proves that 161 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,160 we're human beings, that we're imperfect, that we're, we're 162 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,520 saved by grace. But that's what happens when you 163 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:38,120 get a bunch of people that are imperfect collected and gathered 164 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:40,320 together, right? Well, well, Paul had his 165 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:42,000 problems in the Church of Corinth. 166 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:46,200 I think the Tate family was well represented in the opposition. 167 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,600 Paul had started the church in Corinth. 168 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:52,720 He was the founder. He'd laid the foundation, and 169 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,040 he'd stayed there for a period of 18 months. 170 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:58,840 And then he left and went on to a city called Ephesus. 171 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:01,880 And when he left the church, it was fairly stable. 172 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,360 It was flourishing. It was growing in what he had 173 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:07,520 nurtured. But then along came people who 174 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:10,200 took advantage of the fact that Paul was no longer present, 175 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:14,880 started to sow seeds of discord, stir up trouble about Paul, 176 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:17,880 particularly given that he wasn't present to defend 177 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,840 himself. And so Paul begins this chapter 178 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:24,800 now with a very personal appeal. And he says, by the meekness and 179 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,160 gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you. 180 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:33,160 I Paul, who am timid when face to face with you, but bold when 181 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:35,920 away. And what he's doing in that tail 182 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:40,000 end of that verse there is he's using the very accusations and 183 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:43,120 there's kind of a bit of holy sarcasm that comes through in 184 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:45,560 Paul's writing here. They're claiming that I'm all 185 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,200 false bravado, that I'm all words with pen to paper, but but 186 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:53,120 nothing in present in in person. So he uses those words. 187 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:55,560 His critics in current that accused him of being weak in 188 00:10:55,560 --> 00:10:59,920 person, bold in his letters, mistaking his humility then for 189 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:04,840 cowardice and weakness. And what Paul does here in these 190 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:09,440 verses that we read is he models a response for you and I of 191 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:13,600 meekness and the gentleness that we see in Jesus Christ. 192 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:18,720 And so whenever you're attacked, what's the best response? 193 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:25,000 Respond like Jesus. And that's such a key for you 194 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,400 and I in every facet and aspect of our lives. 195 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:30,800 When you don't know what to do, how am I to respond in this? 196 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:35,120 Think this, respond like Jesus, respond like Jesus? 197 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:39,520 This is what Paul does here. Now normally in his writings, as 198 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,560 I hinted at and reading the verses, Paul would refer to 199 00:11:42,560 --> 00:11:47,600 Jesus Christ in his magnified, glorified, resurrected state, 200 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,920 exalted, and the position of power that he holds seated at 201 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:53,960 the right hand of the Father. That's common in Paul's writing, 202 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:58,720 but every now and then, as he does so here, very rarely in 203 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:02,320 Paul's writing he would refer to Jesus in his earthly status. 204 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:06,520 And this is one of those places, these verses here he focuses on 205 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:12,080 the meekness and the gentleness of Jesus here meekness. 206 00:12:12,680 --> 00:12:16,200 Don't mistake it for weakness. It's out of the Greek word 207 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:20,640 prowess, which again does not mean weakness, but it means this 208 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:26,440 power that is under control. And the best picture or 209 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:33,240 illustration of that is like a wild stallion, strong, almost 210 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:38,360 like a racehorse picture that has been tamed and is now able 211 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:41,480 to be fit for the masters youth with that bit and that bridle. 212 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:45,720 So that that power is still present, but it's harnessed for 213 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:49,440 a particular purpose. That is, meekness and gentleness 214 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:54,840 reflects humility before others, prioritising the needs of others 215 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:58,120 over self. And so Paul's choice in 216 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:01,760 responding here to these accusations is to be Christ like 217 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:05,760 in manner and attributes in reaction to this criticism that 218 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:08,040 he's encountering. And it's a very deliberate 219 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:10,560 strategy, intentional by Paul here. 220 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:15,040 You see, he knew that spiritual battles aren't won by flexing 221 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:18,920 personal strength or out shouting opponents. 222 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:21,880 That seems to be the way in the world in which we live. 223 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:23,480 People win arguments, don't they? 224 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:26,800 They say the same thing, and if that doesn't work, then they 225 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:30,240 just get louder and shout and shout and shout. 226 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:33,680 It's like you've done nothing to enhance your argument, but you 227 00:13:33,680 --> 00:13:37,200 just think increasing the volumes going to win this now 228 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,400 for you. Instead, victory comes by 229 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:43,800 reflecting the character of Christ who himself was 230 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:47,160 misunderstood as weak, wasn't he, and yet displayed divine 231 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:51,360 power through humility. Jesus said Matthew Chapter 11 232 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:56,680 verse 29. He said learn of me, learn from 233 00:13:56,680 --> 00:14:00,240 me. He said, for I am what gentle 234 00:14:00,680 --> 00:14:05,800 and lowly and Paul reminds us then in essence in his response 235 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:08,840 as we unpack this chapter and that is this you and I, we're 236 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,400 not responsible for how others treat us. 237 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:14,680 Here's what we are responsible for is how their treatment 238 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:18,760 affects us. And so by embracing Christ's 239 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:20,880 meekness and gentleness, here's what we do. 240 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:24,080 We align ourselves with God's strength. 241 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:31,480 So when you face criticism and opposition or spiritual attack 242 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:36,080 and you will face it, whether it's a Co worker undermining 243 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:42,000 you, a family member questioning or challenging your faith, or 244 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:45,240 maybe even inner doubts whispering lies in your mind, 245 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:49,960 choose to respond like Christ instead of lashing out in anger 246 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:52,240 or defending yourself with pride. 247 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:57,960 Pause and ask, how would Jesus handle this? 248 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:01,360 How would Jesus handle this situation? 249 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:04,560 Consider the Tate family story again. 250 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,480 We've all met the Tates in our lives, those who provoke us or 251 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:11,240 or challenge us in many ways. And and when they strike, don't 252 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:15,320 fight fire with fire. Embrace Christ's character. 253 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:21,600 Practise meekness by getting your eyes off yourself and on to 254 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,480 God. Show gentleness by considering 255 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:26,920 others needs even when they're unkind. 256 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:31,880 For example, if you're tempted. And here's the natural reaction 257 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:37,440 to argue with someone, with a friend who maybe misunderstands 258 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,320 your intentions. Again, pause and pray. 259 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:45,600 God give me wisdom. Help me here to know how to 260 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:49,360 respond in this situation. And respond then with the God 261 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:53,720 given kindness and graciousness that he will provide for you and 262 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:56,240 to you in that moment. This doesn't mean that you're 263 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:58,440 weak. This doesn't mean that you're a 264 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:00,840 doormat. It means that you're trusting 265 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:06,640 God's power to work through your humility and in your next 266 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:10,080 conflict, commit to reflecting Christ's meekness and 267 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:14,040 gentleness. Then watch how God uses it to 268 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:18,040 diffuse tension and to advance His Kingdom. 269 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:22,520 That's what Paul lays as a foundation for us tonight as we 270 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:26,520 move forward now and see specifically him building on 271 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:30,440 this, his attitude is I'm going to respond with the gentleness 272 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:34,320 and meekness of Christ. But then now here's the weapons 273 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:37,200 that I'm to employ that are gods. 274 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:40,000 I'm going to bring a gun to a knife fight. 275 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:43,560 I'm going to see that God's going to supernaturally empower 276 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:47,480 me and you in such situations. In verse 3 to 6. 277 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:52,360 So he says, for though we walk in the flesh, verse 3, we do not 278 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:55,240 war according to the flesh. That's not to be our strategy. 279 00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:01,160 Verse 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, not like 280 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:05,119 everybody else's, not like the ways of the world's, but mighty 281 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:06,960 in God for pulling down strongholds. 282 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,599 And what are these strongholds? Verse 5, casting down arguments. 283 00:17:11,319 --> 00:17:14,200 And we live in a day and age where people will like to argue 284 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:17,040 and particularly against Christianity and what the Bible 285 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:20,640 teaches. So we need to know how to pull 286 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:22,560 down these strongholds of arguments. 287 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:26,640 Verse 5 and every high thing that exalts itself against the 288 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:29,240 knowledge of God. You don't believe that Bible 289 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:33,560 nonsense, do you? And all that God bothering 290 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:36,120 stuff. I mean, haven't we evolved and 291 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:42,800 progressed as a society beyond that sky fairy nonsense of this 292 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:46,640 God stuff that you believe in and those sorts of things? 293 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:49,640 That is people who exalt themselves against the knowledge 294 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:54,360 of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience 295 00:17:54,360 --> 00:17:58,640 of Christ and being ready verse 6, to punish all disobedience 296 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:01,240 when your obedience is fulfilled. 297 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:05,800 So here's the heart of of the text here in this verse 3. 298 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:09,480 Though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world 299 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:12,640 does. The weapons we fight with are 300 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:17,280 not the weapons of the world. They have divine power to pull 301 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:22,160 down strongholds, he says. Again, the war, the conflict is 302 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:25,160 a spiritual 10. It might present with human 303 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:28,800 beings, with words that we've heard in this physical world in 304 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:31,760 which we live. Again, strongholds here are 305 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:35,480 intellectual and spiritual kind of defences that oppose the 306 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:39,440 knowledge of God, arguments, philosophies, false pretences 307 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:42,400 that come against us. The false teachers in Corinth 308 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:45,920 were using these and, and they were using worldly tactics to 309 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:49,440 challenge and to criticise Paul. There was intimidation. 310 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,400 There was eloquence of speech. I mean, the Greeks were big on 311 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:56,440 that. They exalted appearance, bit 312 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:58,880 like our society does. If you're good looking, then 313 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:01,440 there's going to be a following that's going to enhance your 314 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,680 reputation. And they challenged and used all 315 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:06,440 of these things to undermine Paul. 316 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:10,720 Paul refuses to fight on their terms. 317 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:15,480 And Paul could have and you know, I think many of us might 318 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:18,840 have been tempted to respond to such accusations in such manner. 319 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:24,000 Paul could have gone on a a real flashy marketing campaign 320 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:29,440 against these guys, could have hired APR team, right? 321 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:31,160 Do you guys hear what they're saying about me? 322 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,920 And currently we need to just, you know, put a think tape 323 00:19:34,360 --> 00:19:37,440 together and, and come about how we're going to handle and deal 324 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:40,960 with these accusations. Let's start putting out some 325 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:43,520 social media posts that just sort of present me more 326 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,000 favourably. Maybe I can employ a few Tik 327 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,920 Tokers a bit to just kind of, you know, create some buzz 328 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,440 around me, Paul. And certainly I'll hire some 329 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:55,680 good lawyers and, and get them to take care of the legal sides 330 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:57,920 of things for me. Maybe, maybe we can get a few 331 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:01,720 people interviewed on TV and they could ring up the Talkback 332 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:04,280 radio and say a few nice things about me. 333 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:06,840 That'll work. That's how we'd respond, 334 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:08,680 wouldn't it? That's how the day and age in 335 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:11,480 which we live, people respond to all similar sorts of things. 336 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:16,160 But that's not what Paul does. Instead, he employs, he says, 337 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:20,000 spiritual weapons that have divine power to tear down 338 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:24,200 strongholds, to cast down arguments, and to bring every 339 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:26,640 thought into captivity in verse 5. 340 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:34,080 So what are these weapons? How can we bring a gun to a 341 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:36,880 knife fight? Scripturally, we see plenty 342 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:40,480 through, but let me specify a few that aren't necessarily out 343 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:43,040 of this text. But what we see saturated 344 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:45,640 through the scriptures, the key ones are obvious. 345 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:51,720 The word of God, what the Bible says, a prayer and fasting, 346 00:20:53,360 --> 00:21:01,680 worship, holy, pure living, the name of Jesus, that at the name 347 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:04,120 of Jesus every knee will bow, every tongue confess. 348 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:09,040 These are all rooted in dependence upon God. 349 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:12,840 For instance, if we're thinking about how it is that Jesus 350 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:19,440 responded to opposition, Jesus himself used Scripture to defeat 351 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:23,400 Satan's temptation in the wilderness, as we read in Luke 352 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:26,640 chapter 4. And you remember the recount, 353 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,800 right, that Jesus had been driven out into the wilderness 354 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:33,680 by the Holy Spirit. And for 40 days and 40 nights he 355 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:37,360 fasted. And at the end of that fasting, 356 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:40,760 when he was weak physically, that's when Satan the accuser 357 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:44,920 came. And Satan did what Satan does. 358 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:47,200 He twisted. He manipulated what the 359 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:51,640 Scripture says. If you're God, then you're so 360 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:55,120 hungry, but you've got the power of God, then why don't you take 361 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:58,200 the stones here before you and turn them into bread? 362 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:04,600 If you're God, He took Him to see all of the kingdoms of the 363 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:06,760 world. Then if you would but fall down 364 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:09,320 and worship me, then I'll give you these kingdoms of the world. 365 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:10,560 You don't need to go to the cross. 366 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:15,480 If you're God, He took him to the high point of the temple and 367 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:19,120 the Bible says it well, if you were to fall, then the very 368 00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:21,560 angels would come and and rescue you. 369 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:25,000 Why don't you test that Jesus in each and every occasion? 370 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:28,360 What did Jesus respond? It is written. 371 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:33,360 It is written and it seemed like that Jesus was meditating, had 372 00:22:33,360 --> 00:22:37,360 been thinking about the book of Deuteronomy because that's what 373 00:22:37,360 --> 00:22:39,600 he quotes in each of those 3 occasions. 374 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:42,280 It is written in reference to Deuteronomy. 375 00:22:44,360 --> 00:22:48,160 So there's a thing for you and I the the weapons of our warfare 376 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:50,520 are to bring the word of God. Let me give you another example. 377 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:55,640 Second Chronicles chapter 20, the king of Judea, a fellow 378 00:22:55,640 --> 00:23:00,280 called Jehoshaphat, has this whole army of the Moabites and 379 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:04,480 Ammonites come up against him. You know what the instruction is 380 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:07,240 and and what happens to win this battle, this victory. 381 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:11,000 And it sounds so weird to us. And it's not that he disliked 382 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,760 the musicians and the singers, but he had all of the 383 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:18,240 worshippers out in front of the army in opposition to the 384 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:20,760 Moabites and the Ammonites in their battle array. 385 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,960 Let's send out the band, the worship team. 386 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:29,720 But rather that's what it was, was to to have them worship God 387 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:34,760 as a means of coming against the enemy and and God miraculously 388 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:36,880 intervened. Read the story Second Chronicles 389 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:40,360 chapter 20 of how it was that without a single sword being 390 00:23:40,360 --> 00:23:45,520 drawn, the battle was won. As worshippers praise was given 391 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:49,960 unto God Almighty. Or we can think of a similar 392 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:54,320 battle, Joshua and the Battle of Jericho that when the strategy 393 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:57,360 was given, you know, you could imagine all of his captains and 394 00:23:57,360 --> 00:24:00,440 all of his military leaders when Joshua declared, here's how 395 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:02,120 we're going to come up against Jericho. 396 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:05,560 You're kidding. It's never going to work. 397 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:08,000 March around, March around, March around. 398 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:11,200 And then on the 7th day 7 times and we'll, we'll blow the 399 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:13,640 trumpets and the walls will come tumbling down and we'll win. 400 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:18,040 You've lost it, Josh. That's exactly what happened 401 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:27,960 right in Mark Chapter 9. Father brought his demon 402 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:32,000 possessed son to the disciples to try and have him prayed for 403 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:34,240 and set free from the demon possession. 404 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:39,240 The disciples no amount of effort and energy on their part 405 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,520 could deliver. And then Jesus came and arrived 406 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:48,280 onto the scene and he cast out the demon and and the boy was 407 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:50,320 restored back to full health, health. 408 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:53,280 And the disciples come up to Jesus afterward and they'd had 409 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:55,760 capacity, but before to perform miracles. 410 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:57,840 And they said, Jesus, how come we couldn't do it on this 411 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:00,160 occasion? What did Jesus say? 412 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:05,040 Mark Chapter 9 this time could not come out, but by what? 413 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:11,760 Prayer and fasting now specifically here, what is the 414 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:17,280 weapon that is employed by Paul in this verse 5, taking every 415 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:19,720 thought captive. Oh man, isn't that where the 416 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:24,000 biggest battle happens in our lives in our minds, in our 417 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:29,160 thoughts and our minds run away with us about what he said about 418 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:31,640 what she said about what they're thinking and what did they 419 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:34,720 really mean by that? And reading between the lines of 420 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:38,840 words and and body language in our minds, just do a number on 421 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:41,480 us. And there's this battleground 422 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:43,600 that's going on, the battle of the mind. 423 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:46,440 When criticism, when conflict comes and things are said 424 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:49,400 against you, you can't control again that. 425 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:52,360 But here's what you can do is you can control what you think 426 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:54,920 about that, about what goes in your mind. 427 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:58,720 And here's how you do it. Romans chapter 12, We renew our 428 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:04,560 mind, we transform our mind. It says we choose to believe 429 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:07,360 God's word over the words of men. 430 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:10,720 Isn't that the biggest battle that we face? 431 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:14,320 I think it is in the Western world in particular, the battle 432 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:18,480 in our mind spiritually. So Paul's point is clear. 433 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:21,200 His spiritual battles require spiritual weapons. 434 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:28,000 The strongholds, whether they be prideful addictions, maybe world 435 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:33,240 views or deceptive arguments, these can only be demolished by 436 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:36,760 God's powerful weapons. So again, you're in a spiritual 437 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,560 battle, a conflict each and every day, whether you realise 438 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:44,120 it or not, and spiritual attacks will come against you and 439 00:26:44,120 --> 00:26:47,400 they'll manifest in many unexplained ways. 440 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:51,040 Maybe you're just agitated. Why am I, why am I upset? 441 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:55,480 Why am I frustrated about this? It could be discouragement, 442 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:59,000 could be increased periods of temptation, whatever the case 443 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:02,280 might be, and maybe you're struggling with a persistent 444 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:07,040 sin, toxic thought pattern, or or a worldview that you're 445 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:10,040 starting to buy into that clashes with your faith and your 446 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:14,320 belief in the scriptures. Don't fight these battles with 447 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:21,440 worldly weapons like anger, manipulation, or self reliance. 448 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:27,320 Instead, employ God's weapons. Start with the Word of God. 449 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:34,000 Read it and read it daily, not just at church on a Sunday so 450 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:38,080 that you're able to discern the truth from lies as Ephesians 6 451 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:41,360 verse 17 says. And then when doubts creep in, 452 00:27:41,360 --> 00:27:46,200 when, when people will try to manipulate things and in your 453 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:48,600 understanding of stuff like Satan did with Jesus, you're 454 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:51,120 able to respond. It is written, No, this is what 455 00:27:51,120 --> 00:27:54,000 the Bible says. This is what God has revealed 456 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:57,000 and declared in His Word. I've read it, I know it, I 457 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:00,760 believe it, it's true and allow that to transform your mind. 458 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:06,720 Next, commit to prayer, commit to fasting. 459 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:09,720 Maybe there's a period where you need to just really diligently 460 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:13,400 seek the Lord as Jesus said in Mark 929. 461 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:18,360 Some battles require prayer and fasting for breakthrough worship 462 00:28:18,360 --> 00:28:21,040 2 is a weapon, man. Haven't you found that sometimes 463 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:25,120 emotionally, as we're feeling certain things that that 464 00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:28,240 worshipping God, putting on some music and and actually singing 465 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:33,480 in your car in your room here in a church service as the tears 466 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:36,600 begin to to stream down your face, as your heart is 467 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:39,840 transformed, as your mind begins to reflect and think now God's 468 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:43,000 in charge, God's in control, he is sovereign, he is Lord. 469 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:46,840 I'm going to trust him and your attitude has changed. 470 00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:53,560 Praise shifts your focus to God's power and then live a holy 471 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:55,840 and submitted life. Here's something that we often 472 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:58,360 quote out of James, right? Resist the devil and he will 473 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:00,840 flee. You know what the other part of 474 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:02,920 that is? Submit to God. 475 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:09,440 We must be living lives that are submitted unto God and then 476 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:11,520 resist the devil and he'll flee from you. 477 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:14,600 So let me give you a practical example. 478 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:20,800 If you're battling anxiety, don't just rely on self help 479 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:27,520 books, Google searches, ChatGPT, or venting to friends. 480 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:33,640 Open your Bible, Open your Bible to Philippians chapter 4, verse 481 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:38,000 6 and 7. Be anxious for nothing, but in 482 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:41,280 all things, through prayer and supplication, make your request 483 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:44,840 known unto God, and the peace of God that surpasses all 484 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:50,000 understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus 485 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:54,880 our Lord. Pray fervently. 486 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:58,640 Lord, help me with this battle, with this struggle. 487 00:29:59,920 --> 00:30:05,040 Worship through song, praise him, believe and trust what 488 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:11,640 Jesus said over your fears. And these weapons have divine 489 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:13,400 power. The scripture says for us 490 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:17,640 tonight to tear down these strongholds in your mind and in 491 00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:23,200 your heart. So maybe this week, identify one 492 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:29,440 spiritual battle that you're facing and commit to using the 493 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:36,720 weapons of God daily in encountering this, employ God's 494 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,480 weapons. Then lastly, let's finish with 495 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:41,000 this. Exalt God's approval. 496 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:44,840 There's a lot here, but in essence, what he's declaring 497 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:48,800 from verses 7 through to 18 is that here's what these guys are 498 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:50,720 saying, here's what these guys are doing. 499 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:52,360 I don't care what they're saying or doing. 500 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:56,560 Paul says what I do care about is what God thinks of me. 501 00:30:57,320 --> 00:31:01,520 Here's what I do care about is God's approval, and he exalts 502 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:04,360 God's approval. Verse 7. 503 00:31:04,360 --> 00:31:06,640 Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? 504 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:10,360 If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ, let 505 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:13,800 him again consider this in himself, that just as he is 506 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:19,040 Christ, Even so we are Christ. Or even if I should boast 507 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:22,440 somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave 508 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:26,480 us for edification, and not for your destruction, I shall not be 509 00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:32,920 ashamed lest I seem to terrify you by letters. 4 Here's what 510 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:35,760 they were saying against him, his letters. 511 00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:39,120 They say a weighty and powerful. Verse 10. 512 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:43,520 But his bodily presence is weak, his speech contemptible. 513 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:47,200 Let such a person consider this verse 11. 514 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:50,360 That what we are in Word by letters when we are absent, such 515 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:52,280 we will also be indeed when we're present. 516 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:56,800 So they're wrong. Simple verse 12. 517 00:31:56,800 --> 00:32:00,120 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those 518 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:02,280 who commend themselves. Now here's what they were doing, 519 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:05,600 the false teachers in verse 12. They were measuring and 520 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:07,880 comparing themselves against one another. 521 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:13,480 But they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing 522 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:16,720 themselves amongst themselves are not wise. 523 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:22,200 We, however, will not boast beyond measure, verse 13. 524 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:25,560 But within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us, 525 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,200 sphere which especially includes you. 526 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:32,720 He knew that He had been called by God to be the apostle to the 527 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:36,040 Gentiles, a sphere that included them. 528 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:40,720 This is what He's reminding them of here in these verses. 529 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:44,560 For we are not overextending ourselves, verse 14, as though 530 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:46,480 our authority did not extend to you. 531 00:32:47,680 --> 00:32:51,240 For it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ. 532 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:54,560 In other words, let me remind you how the church in Corinth 533 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:59,440 started, verse 15, not boasting of things beyond measure, that 534 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:02,040 is, in other men's labours. Nobody else came in. 535 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:04,200 We didn't build on that, but we started it. 536 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:06,880 We laboured, we endeavoured, we presented the gospel. 537 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:09,000 Now these guys have come in and they're just trying to take 538 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:10,760 advantage of other people's hard work. 539 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:15,840 We shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere to preach the 540 00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:18,640 gospel, verse 16, in the regions beyond you. 541 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:21,480 And not to boast in another man's sphere of accomplishment, 542 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:24,760 but he who glorifies, let him glory in the Lord. 543 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:29,240 Verse 18 For not he who commends himself as approved, but whom 544 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:32,640 the Lord commends. It's about what God says. 545 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:38,120 Now I've been around Christian circles for for decades and and 546 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:41,880 I've heard Christians say some pretty mean things and some 547 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:45,760 wicked things even about others, but I think this takes the cake 548 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:51,280 in verse 10, Paul, you're ugly. That's what they were in essence 549 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:54,320 saying about his bodily presence is weak. 550 00:33:54,320 --> 00:33:56,840 And that word weak. There is not just in the way 551 00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:59,440 where we think of it with respect to strength, but that 552 00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:02,640 his visage, his outward appearance, his exterior had 553 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:08,800 nothing appealing about it. There's some records that are 554 00:34:09,440 --> 00:34:11,719 extra biblical, so they're not in the biblical record. 555 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:13,760 We've got no physical description of Paul, just like 556 00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:15,880 we have no physical description of Jesus. 557 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:20,000 But what we do have are some some records that are believable 558 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:24,040 that describe Paul as being quite short in stature, A 559 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:28,920 receding hairline, bawling, kind of hooked nose and bowed legs. 560 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:33,280 And some even build on that and suggest that his voice was quite 561 00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:36,159 whiny. And so there might have been 562 00:34:36,159 --> 00:34:39,480 some merit to what they were saying about Paul, but isn't 563 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:43,880 that a low blow to try and discredit someone's message by 564 00:34:43,880 --> 00:34:48,600 attacking their appearance? And then if if Paul valued what 565 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:52,440 other people thought about him, he'd be devastated. 566 00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:58,160 But he doesn't. He values what God thinks about 567 00:34:58,160 --> 00:35:01,880 him. He didn't value what others 568 00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:04,880 thought about him, so he wasn't devastated. 569 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:08,920 Instead, he exalted God's approval over any approval of 570 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:12,880 men and, and may that be what you and I glean and understand 571 00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:15,320 from that. Again, Paul's critics were 572 00:35:15,320 --> 00:35:19,320 judging his appearance in verse 10, though very appearance 573 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:22,400 oriented, it seems, Certainly in Greek culture, there was this 574 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:27,160 celebration of a great archery, archery skills and eloquence and 575 00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:31,120 charisma over substance of argument, necessarily a bit 576 00:35:31,120 --> 00:35:36,200 similar to today when people buy into what celebrities say just 577 00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:37,560 because they're kind of good looking. 578 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:42,160 Paul, however, refuses to compare himself with the others, 579 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:44,320 just as though comparing themselves with one another. 580 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:48,280 He writes verse 18 for not he who commends himself as 581 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:50,200 approved, but whom the Lord commends. 582 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:54,600 And then verse 17, he quotes the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah 583 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:56,880 and emphasises this, that true boasting. 584 00:35:56,880 --> 00:36:00,960 If you want to boast about anything, it's both in this 585 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:04,920 knowing and glorifying God, not in human accolades. 586 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:09,560 And again, the critics of Paul were comparing themselves one 587 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:11,760 with another, measuring, posturing, preening. 588 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:17,160 You kind of picture what colour of individuals these guys were 589 00:36:17,160 --> 00:36:20,880 typically almost like a bunch of school kids bragging about 590 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:22,120 themselves and how good they are. 591 00:36:22,120 --> 00:36:25,840 Yet they haven't even graduated year 2 or achieved anything or 592 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:29,240 accomplished anything of worth. And then they have the nerve to 593 00:36:29,240 --> 00:36:34,920 criticise Paul. Paul, the great pioneering 594 00:36:34,920 --> 00:36:39,400 missionary, the Pharisee of Pharisees who knew the Bible 595 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:43,080 inside and out, who'd been called by Jesus Christ, the 596 00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:47,680 chosen apostle to the Gentiles. His approach, his his mode of 597 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:50,040 operation was to go where nobody else had gone. 598 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:53,520 So he wasn't building on anyone other's foundation, impinging on 599 00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:57,640 their work and to always give glory to God, unlike these poses 600 00:36:57,640 --> 00:36:59,560 in Corinth who are all about themselves. 601 00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:04,160 And so Paul's confidence came from the calling that he knew 602 00:37:04,240 --> 00:37:06,920 God had given to him. Here's what God has called me 603 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:09,640 to. And I'm I'm not accountable to 604 00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:13,360 what these poses, these pretenders, these false teachers 605 00:37:13,360 --> 00:37:15,560 might say or or might not say about me. 606 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:20,280 My approval comes from God. It's not about my appearance. 607 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:25,280 It's not about my popularity. It's about my faithfulness to 608 00:37:25,280 --> 00:37:27,800 God. And he knew that God had 609 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:30,600 appointed him as an apostle. That's what he mentions in 610 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:34,040 verses 13 through to 15. And while these false teachers 611 00:37:34,040 --> 00:37:38,880 were boasting all about their so called credentials, Paul reminds 612 00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:42,120 them of the work that it started in Corinth and who had started 613 00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:45,880 it. And so this focus all through it 614 00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:51,520 keeps Paul grounded amidst the criticism and the comparison 615 00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:56,160 that he's receiving. Now, you and I do. 616 00:37:56,160 --> 00:38:00,480 We not live in a culture obsessed with appearances, 617 00:38:02,720 --> 00:38:09,360 social media likes, polished images, AI generated stuff, 618 00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:15,120 charismatic personalities. And this creeps into the church 619 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:22,200 and into ministries and into our observations of what constitutes 620 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:24,320 a successful ministry of God or not. 621 00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:29,720 And we're we're always looking at the perfectly curated lives 622 00:38:29,720 --> 00:38:33,560 of people, what's presented, but we're never seeing behind the 623 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:37,600 scenes in reality. But you know what God sees 624 00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:41,360 behind the scenes. Do you remember the story of 625 00:38:41,360 --> 00:38:46,000 Samuel in the Old Testament choosing the next king of 626 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:49,400 Israel? The nation had chosen the 627 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:52,320 previous king in Saul because he was head and shoulders above the 628 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:56,120 rest. And then Samuel comes to this 629 00:38:56,120 --> 00:39:00,360 fellow called Jesse's house in Bethlehem, and Jesse's sons 630 00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:04,600 presented before Samuel. And Samuel starts looking at 631 00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:07,720 appearances, the lab, the first son comes through and he's 632 00:39:07,720 --> 00:39:10,160 handsome and he's strong. He's a strapping lad. 633 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:16,400 And Samuel says surely this is the king because it's no, no, 634 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:19,440 no. And on through the sons of Jesse 635 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:22,120 until exhausting all that were present. 636 00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:25,920 Samuel sort of says, is there another one perhaps? 637 00:39:26,960 --> 00:39:31,120 Oh yeah, there's the runt of the litter, David, He's out tending 638 00:39:31,120 --> 00:39:33,960 the sheep and didn't even think to invite him. 639 00:39:33,960 --> 00:39:37,160 Go and get him. Sure enough, the point is this, 640 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:42,240 that as God said to Samuel, man looks at the outward appearance, 641 00:39:42,240 --> 00:39:44,360 but what the Lord looks at the heart. 642 00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:48,280 And so the Corinthians, the church here, they were tempted 643 00:39:48,280 --> 00:39:50,680 to judge by externals. Certainly that's what the false 644 00:39:50,680 --> 00:39:55,080 teachers were doing, and in our day and age, we're tempted to do 645 00:39:55,080 --> 00:39:57,880 the similar. How a church looks, or how a 646 00:39:57,880 --> 00:40:01,280 leader speaks, or how many followers they may or may not 647 00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:03,120 have. And we shouldn't do that. 648 00:40:04,080 --> 00:40:09,240 Instead, exalt God's approval. And in your life, exalt God's 649 00:40:09,240 --> 00:40:13,320 approval. Don't measure your worth by 650 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:16,920 Instagram likes or by others opinions. 651 00:40:17,720 --> 00:40:22,080 Live for the audience of 1. And who is that audience of 1? 652 00:40:24,120 --> 00:40:26,720 Well, we're not comparing ourselves to others as they were 653 00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:32,680 doing. We're we're wanting to know who 654 00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:38,280 and what does God think of me? It's my identity in him. 655 00:40:39,760 --> 00:40:42,240 If you're a parent, don't compare your kids to others. 656 00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:45,720 If you're a student, don't measure your success by your 657 00:40:45,720 --> 00:40:49,480 peers achievements. Focus on what God has called you 658 00:40:49,480 --> 00:40:54,080 to practically ask yourself. Am I living for God's well done 659 00:40:55,200 --> 00:40:59,320 or for human praise? And I'm I am I devastated when 660 00:40:59,320 --> 00:41:01,200 when others don't give me that praise? 661 00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:04,880 Am I am I devastated when others say negative things about me? 662 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:10,280 And when you face criticism or attempted to compare, pray Lord, 663 00:41:10,280 --> 00:41:16,520 let me seek your approval alone. So again tonight, the Christian 664 00:41:16,520 --> 00:41:21,240 life is not a playground, it's a battleground. 665 00:41:21,680 --> 00:41:28,400 But you don't have to fight this battle unarmed, and you don't 666 00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:32,640 have to even use the weapons of the world in which we live. 667 00:41:35,920 --> 00:41:38,680 Two Corinthians chapter 10 tonight shows us how to be 668 00:41:38,680 --> 00:41:42,920 battle ready. Embrace Christ's character by 669 00:41:42,920 --> 00:41:47,120 responding with meekness and gentleness, even under attack. 670 00:41:48,400 --> 00:41:51,920 Employ God's weapons, the word prayer. 671 00:41:52,720 --> 00:41:58,000 Worship holy living power of Jesus name to demolish 672 00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:05,800 strongholds, exalt, prioritise, seek God's approval, live for 673 00:42:05,800 --> 00:42:08,720 He's well done rather than any human praise. 674 00:42:10,440 --> 00:42:14,760 Imagine the impact if we actually live this way because 675 00:42:14,760 --> 00:42:20,280 the spiritual war is very real. But how often are we bringing 676 00:42:21,240 --> 00:42:28,400 carnal weapons to the battle unarmed or a knife to a knife 677 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:32,080 fight, when what we have is the capacity to bring a gun to a 678 00:42:32,080 --> 00:42:34,840 knife fight? As Paul reminds us, God's 679 00:42:34,840 --> 00:42:37,360 weapons have divine power to demolish strongholds. 680 00:42:37,360 --> 00:42:43,440 So Church, this week, step into the battleground, not with fear 681 00:42:43,440 --> 00:42:46,640 or with worldly tactics, but with the confidence of soldiers 682 00:42:46,640 --> 00:42:51,400 equipped by God. Commit maybe to 1 action. 683 00:42:51,400 --> 00:42:53,960 Step out of this. Maybe it's responding with 684 00:42:53,960 --> 00:42:58,960 meekness and a conflict. Certainly praying daily against 685 00:42:58,960 --> 00:43:04,280 a stronghold or surrendering your need for approval of what 686 00:43:04,280 --> 00:43:10,240 others say about you. Whatever it is, trust God's 687 00:43:10,240 --> 00:43:14,280 weapons and that they will lead, as He has said in His Word, to 688 00:43:14,280 --> 00:43:15,840 the victory that He promises.