[Biblemat] A) THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Tuesday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is an article from my files:

THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE

     "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according
to the flesh.  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, and being ready to pun-
ish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled" (2 Cor.
10:4-6).

     Ours is a spiritual war.  "For we do not wrestle against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spirit-
ual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12).
Our weapons are aptly suited to the battle before us and around us.  Superior 
weaponry is one key to victory in battle.
"Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1
Jno. 4:4); therefore, victory can be ours.  Not all opponents
will be won to the side of truth, for some will not hear and
accept truth; but the doctrine of Christ can put to silence the
ignorance of foolish men (Ti. 1:9-11).  By our embracing the
righteousness of the gospel and abstaining from fleshly lusts
which war against the soul, and by lives of submission to aut-
hority and doing good according to the gospel we can silence
the false accusers (1 Pet. 2:11-17).

     The superiority of our weapons is not based on sophisti-
cation and complexity.  David's sling and smooth stones might seem primitive, 
but they were effectual for his purpose.
Truth mau appear to many people to be ineffectual against
treachery and deceit, yet it is the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:
17).  Faith in God no doubt seems to be helpless before the
onslaught of error; yet, properly lifted up and ably wielded, it
can quench every fiery dart of the wicked (Eph. 6:16).  Humili-
ty and submission to properly exercised authority may be cast aside by the 
unbelieving as weak and powerless, but
these attitudes are part of the armament of God (1 Pet. 2:13-
17).

     Superiority of weaponry, one key to victory, by itself does
not win the war.  The finest sword, sheathed, does not defeat
any enemies.  We must apply ourselves to the mastery of our
weapons and become skilled in the use of them all in order to
overcome evil.  Many of us have been far too busy learning
the ways and tactics of the world, and far too lacking in dilige-
nce in learning how to use God's superior weapons.  As a
result, we are not sufficiently prepared in an opportune mom-
ent to defend the truth and to deliver a blow against error and 
falsehood.  We need to be thoroughly acquainted with the Scriptures, 
conversant in their thought and wisdom, "increas-
ing in the knowledge of God" (Col. 1:10), giving ourselves to
the learning of the truth by meditating upon the Scriptures so
that our progress may be evident to all (1 Tim. 4:15), not that
we can boast, but that we can stand in the battle for truth and
be victorious.  Victory in this battle means eternal life, but
surrender to the present evil world means eternal destruction
from the presence of God adn from the glory of His power (2
Thes. 1:6-10).  "If you do well, will you not be accepted?  And
if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.  And its desire is for
you, but you should rule over it" (Gen. 4:7).   --- Gilbert Alex-
ander.   </HTML>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070522/ad23d826/attachment-0001.html