Spiritual Gifts | Daily Inspiration

We are empowered to demolish Strongholds! Take action and create the change we want to see through prayer.
~ LISA BLAIR

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 sounds as if it was written for times such as this, and why not, it is a living document and is always relevant. It is timeless and is not bound by Greenwich Mean Time. Our battle is ongoing and will end when Christ returns, until that time we must fight.

⁴The 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. 2 Cor 10:4-5 NIV

Sam Storms (Commentary, Taking Everything Thought Captive For Christ, 2 Cor. 10:4-6) opens, “We live in an age of angry atheism; not simply a casual and indifferent disregard for the existence of God but a militant opposition to all things religious.”

These scriptural verses are packed with power. The key words of this study are ‘divine’ and ‘demolish.’

God gave us the power to demolish strongholds. This harkens back to Ephesians warning that we are in battle as long as we live on earth. Paul explained the battle in military terms identifying our power in terms of armor. We should not take this lightly. The novel, Tale of Cities expresses this as living in the best of times and the worst of times. Today, the best of times is governed by our advancements in technology, ecology, and medicine. The worst of times is governed by Satan’s stronghold on all things earthly, twisting truth, and redefining humanity to destroy the earth.

We are in the worst of times because there is militant opposition to all things religious, and the best of times because there is an increasing number of people becoming Christians. We, Christians, have been given the responsibility to militarize ourselves, to put on the armor and demolish the strongholds of the evil one. God has given us the power to DEMOLISH STRONGHOLDS. We have DIVINE POWER. My question is why are we not using the power God has given us? I belong to a global organization, Bible Study Fellowship (BSF). Every member throughout the world collectively studies the same lesson, gaining understanding, wisdom, and knowledge about the Books of the Bible. It is important to mention here because it demonstrates that we can come into one accord if we choose. Just imagine if all Christians throughout the world held a common prayer vigil until we broke the spine of the evil one. We have the one tool that can change the tide of destruction but cannot come into one accord to accomplish this mission, God’s work.

Today, let us engage people in our sphere of influence to pick up the Sword of the Spirit and go to work. Change begins with one person. If each of us asks one other person to pray for peace and the strength to stand against the winds of political upheaval, social media, and inhumanity, we can begin to affect the change. We can use our divine power to counter the militant opposition to all things religious and demolish their strongholds on our global society.

Previous Posts on Similar Topics, this site and YoungChristianWarriors.com:

Be Strong in the Lord, 9/19/17
Fear Cannot Overwhelm Us, 3/21/19
2.2. Billion Christians Strong, 1/14/19
Demolishing Strongholds, 9/28/18
Greater than Kryptonite, 2/13/18
Liberation through Action, 4/17/18
Looking Back, Satan’s Web of Deception, Self Abuse, 8/29/18
Satan’s Cycles Our Experiences, 9/7/18
The Dark Times, 4/27/18
Today We Proclaim Change, /29/18
Prayers Break Through the Second Heaven, 9/4/18

Images – YouVersion. Bible.com. Roger Cole; Google.com

Scriptures – Biblegateway.com

Resources – Sam Storms Enjoying God. Samstorms.com; Biblegateway.com

Love is the foundation for a Godly life. Without love, everything we think, say, or do is in vain. Without love all spiritual gifts are temporary. Love is permanent. Without the love agent, all ingredients remain materials but do not produce a permanent product. The gift of tongues without love leaves a hollow reverberation. James Boyce, workinpreacher.org, refers to love as the active agent.

I believe verses 2-13 AMP explains what love is more thoroughly than I can express.

And if I have the gift of prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing. ³If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body ^[b]to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all.
⁴Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous orenvious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. ⁵It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. ⁶It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. ⁷Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].
⁸Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹For we know in part, and we prophesy in part [for our knowledge is fragmentary and incomplete]. ¹⁰But when that which is complete and perfect comes, that which is incomplete and partial will pass away. ¹¹When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. ¹²For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God]. ¹³And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love.

The AMP version further explains love is the active ingredient, the basis for all things (vv. 4-7). According to Warren Wiersbe, love puts maturity into character. Love puts eternity into life (vv. 8-13). Love lasts, and what love does will last. Love is the greatest and does the greatest because “God is love”. (1 John 4:8)

Hayford’s Bible Handbook shares that this scripture focused on the Corinthians who were wasting their spiritual gifts. Jack Hayford further stated love is the motive for the gifts and the method by which they are to be conveyed.

Asheritah Ciuciu, Inspiring Bible Verses about God’s Love, ibelieve.com wrote – God is love and He loves us. We know that in our minds, but often we don’t live that way. This is an on-going disconnect, in that Paul shared the same concern with the Corinthians.

She wrote, but the reality of God’s love surrounds us day by day, as revealed in these inspiring Bible verses about God’s love below. We learn that…

God’s love is steadfast and unchanging
God’s love comforts us
God’s love is revealed to us through Jesus Christ
God’s love is poured into us through the Holy Spirit
God’s love compels us to love one another

Image – YouVersion, Roger Cole, Bible.com
Scriptures – Bible.com
Resources – James Boyce, workinpreacher.org; Hayford’s Bible Handbook; Asheritah Ciuciu, Inspiring Bible Verses about God’s Love, ibelieve.com