December 9, 2022

II Corinthians 10: 3, 4 (NIV)

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

We have a unique weapon of immense power the world cannot match.*

I have no trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality but movies with wizards and magicians often cause me to shout at the screen. What is the point of all that supernatural power if you have to live in a cave or a cold dark castle? Is it really enough to be able to smite your enemies and rule the kingdom without the comforts of indoor plumbing and electricity? Couldn’t some of that magic be used more resourcefully?

Christians, too, have supernatural powers with which to slay our enemy. As the Apostle Paul reminds us in this passage, conventional weapons are worthless. We don’t use magic wands; we arm ourselves with spiritual weapons because we are engaged in spiritual warfare. Paul says that we have divine power with which we can demolish strongholds. But what are those weapons?

In Paul’s military analogy in Ephesians chapter 6, he refers to one weapon – the sword of the Spirit. The word of God. The writer of Hebrews says that it is sharper than any double-edged sword (Hebrews 4: 12). We see Jesus using this sword when he was being tempted by the devil. He didn’t wield his sword in self-defense - he used it in a counterattack that sent Satan scurrying to regroup. Knowing the word of God and how to use it makes us mighty.

 The life of Jesus reveals another spiritual weapon in our arsenal: Prayer. Wikipedia defines weapons as anything used to gain a strategic, material, or mental advantage over an adversary. When we go to God in prayer, he releases the power of his Holy Spirit not just to protect and defend us but to furnish us with a spiritual advantage over our enemy. Our supernatural power is just a prayer away.

Our spiritual weapons have one thing in common: the Holy Spirit. He is the source of power in the war for our souls. Through God’s word and through prayer, he turns us into an invincible army. In fact, we are more than conquerors! (Romans 8: 37)

Praying in the Holy Spirit releases supernatural resources.*