There was a story told of a young man who had been training in mixed martial arts for over a decade. His approach, Brother Wood, was always the same. He would meet force with greater force, Brother Hubbard. He would answer aggression with overwhelming aggression. In the octagon, he was known for his devastating counter attacks. When opponents came at him hard, he came back twice as hard. His motto was simple, hit first and ask questions later. But everything changed, beloved, the day he met an old master named Chen who ran a small martial arts school. The young man had wandered in, curious about the elderly man's reputation for being unbeatable despite his gentle manner. The old master said, show me what you've got. The young man threw everything at him, his most powerful combination, his fastest strikes, his most aggressive takedown attempts. But this time he received, beloved, a different outcome. Chen never met his attacks head -on. Instead, he would redirect the opponent's own force using his momentum against him. Within minutes, beloved, the young man found himself on the ground, not from being overpowered but from being completely outmaneuvered.
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The old master lifted the young man to his feet and he said, you fight like the world fights. But there is another way. Over the months that followed, the old master taught the young man something revolutionary. That the most powerful victories don't come from matching your opponent's tactics but from operating on an entirely different level. I hope you see where I'm going. Where the young man had once relied on brute strength, Chen taught him leverage. Where the young man once trusted in speed, Chen showed him timing. Where the young man once depended on aggression, Chen demonstrated the power of patience and precision.
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One day after practice, the master said, the weapons you used before, they belong to the same arsenal as your opponent's. But when you learn to fight with different weapons, wisdom instead of anger, patience instead of reaction, love instead of hatred, you're no longer fighting their fight. You're fighting from a higher plane. The transformation, beloved, was remarkable in this young man. The young man started to win fights not by being more brutal than his opponents but by being more strategic, more disciplined, and more intentional.
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He would tell them, the battles you are facing, they can't be won with the world's weapons. But when you learn to fight with different tools, when you tear down lies with truth, when you demolish despair with hope, when you capture destructive thoughts and make them obedient to something higher, that's when you discover real power.
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That the battle we face with the devil can't be won with the world's weapons, but we must fight from a higher plane. I think it was Michelle Obama who once said, when they go low, we go high. That the weapons of all warfare are not carnal, but they are spiritual to the bringing down of strongholds.
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Paul, beloved, wants to remind us in this text this morning that in this battle with the devil, in this spiritual warfare, we can't fight like we're used to, y 'all. That we cannot use the same weapon, the same mindset, the same ideology that we used when we were in the flesh. But we now must live and walk in the spirit.
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When was the last time you got a promotion and you said that this is an opportunity for me to tell the CEO and superintendent about Jesus? When was the last time you got into that prestigious school or university and said that this is an opportunity for me to tell a different group of kids about Jesus? When was the last time you moved into that bigger house or that nicer neighborhood and said to yourself that this is an opportunity for me to tell a different group of people about Jesus? Jesus, Paul teaches us that every elevation should become a platform for God's revelation.
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Beloved, that is when God lifts you up, you ought to lift him up. This is why in the first letter to Corinth, Paul would say, I come to you knowing nothing except Christ and him crucified. So Paul saw this vast metropolis full of Jew and Gentiles alive as an opportunity to lift up Jesus.
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Beloved, it's a sad day when the person that taught you, trained you, and raised you up in the Lord as a father raises up his son. It's a sad day when his character is being attacked by some folk you don't even really know and you don't open up your mouth and say nothing. So you don't come to his aid, you don't have his back, and I don't know about you, but where I'm from, folk couldn't just talk about my parents. You couldn't just say anything you wanted to say about my daddy and think I'm not going to say nothing. You couldn't just castigate his character in front of me. Those are fighting words.
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Here's what I want you to understand this morning, beloved, is that the same way these men lied on Paul is the same way the devil would try to lie to you about God. I need somebody who's going to have God's back on this morning because the same way that they lied on Paul and talked about Paul is the same way the devil talks about our Lord. And I don't know about you, but I'm not going to sit there, shut up, and be quiet when folks start talking about my Lord. But you ought to open up your mouth and testify about the goodness of God.
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And although, here's the good news, although you may be upset and ready to fight, you've got to remember that as a Christian, your testimony is, I don't fight like I used to. In other words, I am a new creature in Christ and the Holy Spirit dwells in me. My fight looks different, Brother Herbert, than it did before I became a Christian.
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We don't allow the devil and his demons to deceive us and make us think that this is something that it's not. We know what this is, that this is not about my marriage. This ain't about my children. This ain't about my job. This ain't about America. But this is about the kingdom of light versus the kingdom of darkness. This is about spiritual wickedness in high places, rulers and powers in the world trying to destroy the kingdom of God and our faith.
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You're not going to turn us against one another. You're not going to make us go into a corner and cry. You're not going to make us act out of character. You're not going to make us lose our faith in God. But what you will make us do is be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Because we don't fight like we used to.
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Paul, knowing what and who he's up against, he doesn't approach them in a condemning way. I know we live in a world today where people want to match each other's energy. But Paul, he doesn't take the time to try to match their energy because he knows he's fighting from a different level. He knows that he's not looking at this from a form of a fleshly perspective, but rather a spiritual one. And when we realize that this thing is bigger than you and I, our perception and approach begins to change.
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So instead of Paul condemning the Corinthians for believing the false apostles, he says, I urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ. That is, I'm not coming to you in arrogance or being harsh, but I'm coming in humility and mildness like Christ.
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See, in this spiritual warfare, y 'all, the devil will try to deceive you and make you think that your meekness and gentleness is a sign of weakness. But last time I checked, beloved, kindness and gentleness are both fruit of the spirit. This is why a piece of the armor of God is the belt of truth, because you have to refute Satan's lies with God's truth. You have to remind the enemy that this ain't weakness, but this is strength under control. This is looking like Jesus. This is being transformed by the renewing of my mind. This is me being crucified with Christ.
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Success in the spirit does not look like success in the flesh. We have to remember that we don't fight like we used to. While they are persecuting you, you should be praying for them. While they are lying on you, you should be loving them. Our testimony as a child of God ought to be, I don't fight like I used to.
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Although Satan, although our fight, our fight is not against flesh and blood, Satan so enough will use flesh and blood. I'm reminded Jesus and Judas, the Bible says in John chapter 13, verse number two, after Jesus was getting ready to wash the disciples' feet and he's known his time of his departure is at hand, the Bible says that the devil entered into the heart of Judas and he began to betray him. So although we do not wrestle with flesh and blood, the devil entered into the heart, It doesn't mean that Satan doesn't use flesh and blood.
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Because, beloved, we are children of God and we are new creatures in Christ and the spirit of God dwells in us. That means we do not fight like we used to. We do not fight as if we are in the flesh, but rather as if we are in the spirit.
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Dr. Tony Evans said it like this, the reason so many Christians are losing the spiritual battle is that they are trying to beat the devil with the world's weapons. They are looking to the secular world to help them with a spiritual need. If your problem, your struggle, your need is induced and orchestrated by your spiritual enemy, your flesh cannot win this fight.
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Paul lets us know that in spiritual warfare, we must remember that when we are fighting the devil and his demons, that we don't fight in the flesh, y 'all. That is, we don't fight with worldly weapons, worldly mindsets, and carnal perspectives or anything of human origin or cleverness or ingenuity. That's what he wants us to do. But you got to remind the devil, as Paul says in verse number four, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
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Our weapons, beloved, I'm trying to equip y 'all, I'm trying to equip all of us. Our weapons are divinely powerful. The Greek word means, the Greek word is theos dunitas. It actually means that our weapons are mighty in God. That to what end? For destruction of fortresses. For pulling down of strongholds.
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Beloved, these fortresses are mindsets and thought patterns that blind us from the light of the gospel. It's the fortresses of pride. It's the fortresses of ego. It's the fortresses of self -righteousness. The fortresses of greed that all try to hinder us from being like God. But Paul informs Corinth and he warns the false teacher that no matter the fortress, the weapons of wild warfare are divinely powerful to pull it down.
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Here's what really blessed me that there is no fortress sister Keaton there is no fortress of the enemy that God can't tear down and I don't know what you're going through in the room I don't know what strongholds the devil got over you right now but I just feel like ministering to you to let you know that there is not a fortress in this world in heaven or hell that God can not tear down that's not one.
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But these spiritual warfare this these spiritual weapons beloved belong to those in Christ and those who live and walk in the spirit they are weapons beloved listed in Ephesians 6 verse 14 and following the the weapons are the belt of truth Paul says that that you gird yourself with the belt of truth so that you can defend yourself against Satan's lies not only is it a belt of truth but it's the breastplate of righteousness that you walk in the righteousness of God that you seek to live a life that is pleasing to God seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness that it's the belt of truth that you can arm yourself against Satan his lies it's this breastplate of righteousness that you walk in a righteousness but then he says cover your feet with the gospel of peace Jesus said in John 14 peace I give to you not as the world give but this peace I give is different from the world it's a peace that surpasses all understanding walk in this gospel of peace not only is it the belt of truth not only is the breastplate of righteousness and the charge your feet with the gospel of peace but it is also carrying the shield of faith that that you don't lose hope and trust in God that you trust in the Lord with all thine heart lean not to thy own understanding but in all thy ways acknowledge him it's walking in this shield of faith in truth not only is it the belt of truth it's the breastplate of righteousness it's covering your feet with the gospel of peace it's the shield of faith but it's also the helmet of salvation can't you see God arming us all the way through that it's the helmet of salvation that you're walking knowing that the fight is already fixed that the battle's really already been won that you are protecting your head with the covering and with the knowledge that God has already declared victory it's the helmet of salvation not only is it the helmet of salvation but it's the sword of the spirit these are our weapons I hope you're taking notes that it's the sword of the spirit which is the word of God that it is sharper than any two -edged sword pissing to the dividing of their sunday it is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart it is the powerful mind regulating it is the powerful word of God Paul said it's your sword of the spirit not only is it the sword of the spirit the helmet of salvation shield of faith the gospel of peace the righteousness belt press play the righteousness and the belt of truth but then Paul closes it out with prayer that our seventh piece of armor Paul says that you got to remember to pray and pray in the spirit so so Paul says that these are our weapons that are divinely powerful to the pulling down of strongholds.
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Paul says they are also powerful to the destroying of arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God and we are taking everything captive every thought captive to the obedience of Christ that idea of the word destroying arguments it's any type of mindset it's any type of thought process it's really anti -God thought Paul said that the pot the very powerful weapons we have are destroying every anti -God thought that we have everything that's against God antithetical to God any wreck any speculation Paul said our weapons are tearing it down these are these are these thoughts beloved that when somebody cut you off in traffic and you want to get beside them and you want to say some words Paul said our weapons are tearing those thoughts down these are those thoughts beloved towards your spouse when y 'all had a heated argument and now you mad and you hitting throwing blows you're hitting below the belt saying things you ought not to say Paul says that we got weapons y 'all that are able to tear them thoughts down these are those thoughts towards your children when they're getting on your last nerve and you're saying things and making comments that you ought not say Paul says we got divinely powerful weapons that are destroying those things down it's it's it's any anti -God thought any anti -God perspective y 'all Paul says that our weapons of our warfare are divinely powerful to destroy those thoughts.
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Paul saidI don't got to fight them like I used to fight, but all I got to do is come in the power of the Lord with these divinely powerful weapons, and it will pour down every argument that is made, every fallacious statement made against God. Paul says we have divinely powerful weapons that are tearing them down. We're destroying arguments. But not only are we destroying arguments, but all arrogance, Paul says, that all those that are puffed up and raised up, that's what the Greek word means, that those who exalt themselves, which these falsely apostles were doing, Paul says that any and everybody who exalts themselves above God or think that they are above God, Paul says we are tearing it down through the divinely powerful weapons.
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But then as he closes out, he says, not only that, but we are also, and see, this message, and it really blessed me because not only is Paul really talking about the false apostle, but he's also reminding Corinth because they're starting to believe the false apostle. So he's talking to Corinth as well, telling them, look, that not only are we destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, but we are taking every thought, everything that happens in the mind, every thought, every idea, captive to the obedience of Christ. Now, remember, he's using a military metaphor, this captive word, it means to take hold of something and devour them and make them turn into what you want them to be. The military used it, they would take people captive, they would take them out of their element, and they would have to conform to the element of those who capture them. So what is Paul saying? He's saying that every anti -God thought, every thought that goes against the knowledge of God, we are taking it captive, conforming it to the will of God, we are taking it a whole, we are sieging it to make sure it aligns with the obedience of Christ.
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I need this church corporately, but I need you individually to understand that you don't need the world's weapons. You don't need the world's guns, you don't need the world's bullets, you don't need the world's mindset ideology because you got weapons that are powerful in God. The true weapons are divinely powerful to the pulling down of strongholds. And so I'm reminding some and informing others to use your weapon. Use your weapons because God has equipped us to be able to handle all that Satan throws at us, all the fiery dots he has, God has equipped us with the armor that we need.
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In spiritual warfare, if we're going to fight the good fight of faith family, we can't fight like we used to. We cannot fight like we used to. I said it last week, I don't care if he was the baddest one in the city. I don't care if everybody was scared of you in your neighborhood. I don't care if he was the big boss around town. Guess what? The devil don't care about none of that. Because your fists will not destroy him. Your guns will not destroy him. Your words will not. You can cuss. Know every cuss word in the book. It ain't going to destroy him. But there are weapons that are divinely powerful in God. That's destroying every fortress the devil has placed in our minds and in our hearts. So if you're going to fight this fight, you can't fight like we used to. We can't fight with fleshly weapons in a spiritual war.
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There's someone here that is fighting for salvation. You're fighting to fix your life. You're fighting to get your life together yourself. And you keep on losing. I want to teach you this morning there's another way to fight. Like Chin taught that young man. There's another way to fight on a higher plane. Because that those of us in Christ, the Bible says that God has given us every spiritual blessing in heaven. Those that are in Christ in heavenly places. Beloved, that you don't need the things of this world to fight. There's another way to fight. Fighting in the spirit. Fighting in God.
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You might think coming to church is monotonous and there's no point, but it's God's method of saying wax on and wax off. You might think prayer doesn't mean anything and that God isn't listening, but it's actually God's method of saying wax on and wax off. You might think studying the scriptures don't make a difference, but it's God's method of saying wax on and wax off. If you want to fight the devil, you've got to keep waxing on and waxing off. I wish I had some waxers in the building this morning that don't mind washing the car, don't mind coming to church, don't mind reading your Bible. If you're going to fight this battle, you've got to learn how to wax on and wax off.
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If you're here today and you've still been fighting in the flesh, we want to invite you to fight in the spirit. How do you do it? You've got to become a child of God. You have to be in Christ to receive all of these promises and blessings that are bestowed upon his children. So that you can have the same testimony as all of us in here that we don't fight like we used to.
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