Building Bridges, Not Barriers

"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." (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

In a world that thrives on division, the church should be a haven of unity and love. Yet, how often do we find ourselves in petty arguments with fellow believers, critiquing their worship style or even their lifestyle choices? Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 that our real battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual strongholds.

The Battlefield of the Mind:

The real warfare, according to Apostle Paul, begins in the mind. The "strongholds" he refers to are deeply ingrained beliefs, attitudes, and thoughts that oppose the knowledge of God. Some of these strongholds may have been erected by the world around us; others could be self-made. But one thing is sure: they need to come down for the kingdom of God to be established in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

The Right Weapons:

Using worldly weapons like criticism, judgment, or division will only perpetuate a cycle of destruction. Ephesians 6:14-18 tells us that the armour of God consists of truth, righteousness, the Gospel, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer. These are the spiritual "weapons" we should use to tear down strongholds.

Diverted Attention:

When we aim our 'weapons' at each other, we're doing just what the enemy wants—diverting our attention from the real battle. The Bible says in Romans 14:19, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." Imagine the power that could be unleashed if we took all the energy we expend in internal disputes and focused it on combating the strongholds the enemy has set up in our lives and communities.

Focusing on the Real Enemy:

Ephesians 4:3 encourages us to "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Unity doesn't mean uniformity; it means cooperating despite our differences for the greater goal of expanding the Kingdom of God. Unity is essential because Jesus said in Mark 3:25, "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

James 4:7 says, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Our real enemy is not the fellow believer who worships with some different music or dresses a little differently. Our real enemy is satan, who seeks to divide and destroy. When we focus on resisting him, we become a formidable force that can tear down his strongholds.

Today, let's challenge ourselves to re-aim our spiritual weapons toward the true enemy. Let's vow to build up, not break down. Let's commit to praying more and criticising less, understanding more and judging less, loving more and arguing less.

As we do this, we'll find that not only are strongholds coming down, but we are also fulfilling Christ's prayer in John 17:21, "That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."

Building Bridges, Not Barriers

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