Strong-Arming Strongholds: 2 Corinthians 10:1-6

History will reveal many opinions about the presidency of Donald Trump. Some good. Some bad. Some true. Some untrue. One of President Trump’s strengths or weaknesses that will stand out is his ability to strong-arm his way to results. 

The people who see his strong-arm tactics as a virtue believe it is the only way to get things done in Washington. Others see it as a weakness and a character flaw that characterizes all bullies and dictators.   

When using strong-arm tactics, you are forcing someone to do something. This can be a magnificent thing when negotiating a trade deal or alliance. Unfortunately, perception is reality, making these types of tactics look evil. Nobody likes a bully or a dictator. 

With the battle of the mind, it requires strong-arm tactics. If you don’t have a strong-arm mentality in the mind's battle you will experience defeat.  

Growing up, I played football. I was a fairly large kid, so I often played on the line of scrimmage on both the offense and defense. My fondest memory playing was my one and only career interception. I can’t tell you how excited I was to make that interception. All my teammates were high-fiving me as I went to the sideline. I couldn’t wait to see what my coach thought of my spectacular play. 

I was a little taken back when he didn’t share in my excitement. In fact, he looked at me and said, “What were you doing that far back from the line of scrimmage?” The opposite team’s offensive line dominated our defensive line that game.  I was so far from the line because the linemen strong-armed me to the ground. When I got off the ground, the quarterback threw the football into my arms. I am convinced when he passed the ball he didn’t see me because I was getting up. We lost that game because the other team controlled the line of scrimmage. They often say, “The team that controls the line wins games.”  

Winning the mind’s battle comes when one can control the mind. I’m convinced that 100% of spiritual battles begin in the mind and won in the mind.  As a result, it’s paramount that we learn to strong-arm strongholds in the mind.  

One of the most, if not the most, prominent passages dealing with the battle of the mind is 2 Corinthians 10:1-6: “I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!—I beg of you that when I am present, I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.”

To rightly understand and apply this passage, we must put ourselves in the right group. Let me explain. In the last four chapters of this letter, Paul is defending his ministry against the attacks that were coming from false teachers within the church.  In chapter 11, Paul identifies these individuals as “false apostles,” “deceitful workmen,” and “servants of Satan.” Not flattering titles. 

Now, notice specifically verses 4-5: “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” We often misread these verses, we don’t understand them in context. Paul is not referring to the strongholds in his mind in these verses, nor is he referring directly to the strongholds in our minds as believers. Otherwise, he would have put these in the form of imperative verbs. He doesn’t.  The strongholds of the mind that he is referring to are the ones that have caused the individuals in the Corinthian church to become “false apostles,” deceitful workmen,” and “servants of Satan.”  Paul will demolish those strongholds with weapons of divine power with the hopes of these individuals living a life of obedience and devotion to Christ.  

Therefore, we can only properly apply these verses to our own strongholds when we put ourselves in the group deceived by the enemy. When strongholds of the mind take us captive, we must use strong-armed tactics to break them.  This happens when we first recognize the strongholds.  

Recognize strongholds

In the last part of verse 2, Paul reveals criticism from the false teachers, “who suspect us of walking according to the flesh.” The term “flesh” can take on different meanings, depending on the context. In this context, it refers to Paul doing ministry by the standard of the world, doing things from a purely human way.  

Paul rejects the criticism of doing ministry by the standards of the world in verse 3, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.” He then goes on in verse 4 to reveal his spiritual warfare: “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” 

The Greek word for “stronghold” means “fortified place.” It is a military term. Paul is using this term as a metaphor to teach us an important truth about the spiritual battle of the mind.  What exactly is a stronghold?

Dr. David Dykes defines it well: “Strongholds are patterns of faulty thinking that become entrenched in the mind.”  When faulty thinking takes hold of the mind, it becomes a stronghold that shapes the mind and then works out in life as behavior.  Once we recognize what a stronghold is, then we must begin identifying strongholds.

Identify strongholds

Strongholds can be on two levels: social and personal. Paul is dealing with social or community strongholds within a congregation. I want to focus on personal strongholds. 

A stronghold is a pattern of faulty thinking. This means that the list can be long and exhaustive. Here are a few common strongholds that entrench the minds of God’s people:  Unforgiveness, bitterness, self-condemnation, insecurities, gossip, envy, greed, self-pity, fear, lust, anger, failure, success, despair, and discouragement. 

In my thirty-plus years of walking with the Lord, I have experienced seasons of struggling with strongholds. When I was in my mid-twenties, I struggled with the stronghold of failure. I was so afraid of failure that I would not attempt to do anything. I knew God had called me to ministry, and I needed to go to school to prepare, and I planned on it. However, on account of my fear of failure, I kept putting it off. 

Most men can relate to the stronghold of lust. This one particular stronghold is one I continue to battle daily. This stronghold, if not strong-armed, destroys individuals and families. 

Recently, I have been battling the stronghold of self-pity, which finds its source in fear. One characteristic of self-pity is self-condemnation. Satan loves to find this weakness and attack it. When I was not condemning myself because of the circumstances I was in I turned blame onto God. This stronghold causes depression and hopelessness. I have to constantly strong-arm this stronghold. 

These are just a few of my personal strongholds. Satan will devise as many as he can to destroy lives. 

If we are honest with ourselves, there are areas in our lives which we seem to fall and fail again and again. Like Paul, we desire to do good, but can’t. When we have a weakness or recurring sin in our lives, it’s highly possible a pattern of faulty thinking is to blame. Realizing and identifying strongholds is good, but to win the battle of the mind we must attack strongholds.  

Attack strongholds 

In verses 4-5, Paul reveals the strategy and weapons for attacking strongholds: “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” The goal when attacking strongholds is to destroy them. How? Verse 5, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” The first powerful weapon we need is the word of God. 

The Word of God

A stronghold is a pattern of faulty thinning that comes against the knowledge of God. It is an argument or opinion or belief contrary to the word of God.  Therefore, we must put ourselves under the authority of the word of God, listen to it, and submit to it.  

The Apostle James describes this process well: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore, put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only deceiving yourselves.” What does this look like daily?

We do it by refocusing, refilling, and renewing our minds with the truth. We do this through daily meditation and worship. The next weapon is the Spirit of God.  

The Spirit of God

In verse 4, Paul says that the weapons we use have “divine power.” The word of God is powerful, living, and active. Just filling our minds with God’s truth is not enough. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to deliver our thoughts taken captive by the enemy. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to bring deliverance and healing.  

The Holy Spirit’s power takes captive those thoughts against the knowledge of God and gives us the mind of Christ. 

We must expose ourselves to the soul searching power of the Spirit of God and the word of God. But there is one more “divine weapon” implied in this text, and that is the people of God. 

The People of God

In verse 6, Paul says: “being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” If Paul’s letter does not destroy the strongholds of his critics, he will need to confront them from the position of strength. The church as a whole would need to be behind him for him to have this position. When Paul says: “when your obedience is complete,” he is speaking about their support. When dealing with strongholds we need the support of the people of God.  

As individuals dealing with strongholds, this is very difficult. Asking the people of God to support you makes you vulnerable and transparent. This is very difficult when you have a hard time trusting people. God designed us to do life together, to demolish strongholds together, keeping each other accountable.  

I’m reminded of the three pastors who helped each other with their personal strongholds. In their first meeting together, each pastor shared his struggle. The first pastor said that he struggled with lustful thoughts. The second pastor said that he struggled with greed. The third pastor said that he struggled with gossip, and couldn’t wait for the meeting to end. 

On a more serious note, let me share the story of a couple. Their names are Mark and Martha. After twenty-five years of marriage and four children, Mark and Martha would embark on a very painful journey. 

Mark had just turned forty-eight years old. He was having this twitch in one of his muscles, so he visited his doctor. Within a month of this doctor’s visit, they diagnosed Mark with Lou Gehrig’s disease. Now Mark sits in a wheelchair, unable to move anything but his eyes. 

Early on, Martha and Mark both struggled with despair. The stronghold of fear had taken hold of both of them, and they were not doing well at all. They realized that they needed to start strong-arming the stronghold, so both started memorizing every verse they could think of that dealt with God’s care. They tried to find creative ways to beat into their hearts and minds the love and faithfulness of God. They planted themselves in the truth of God’s word, even though everything in their lives seemed otherwise, and relied on the Spirit of God to give them the strength to take these thoughts captive for Christ.  Then, the people of God from their church moved into their lives in tangible ways, helping, supporting, and strengthening them to strong-arm the strongholds even ten years into the disease.  

Destroying the stronghold of despair in their lives has enabled them to find meaning, purpose, growth, and even joy amid their loss.  It’s difficult, but we need the people of God along with the word of God and the Spirit of God to strong-arm strongholds.  

Fighting Life's "What Ifs" - Psalm 124

The greatest mental battles we face in life never happen. You know, the wars we fight in our minds because of the “what ifs” of life. The invasion of the enemy of worry attacks everyone, some more than others. When worry invades it can be subtle, invisible, and a relentless foe bombing us with a variety of negative possibilities in life.  

The times we live in now are ground zero for these attacks to take place. Our thoughts race with the “what ifs” of the coronavirus, the ramifications of a lockdown, and the effect it will have on our economy.  Even the Center for Disease control sees the effect that the virus will have on mental health and has included a section on its website for stress and anxiety.  And if the invasions from the pandemic are not enough, now we have rioting and looting consuming major cities around the nation. Can I give you some advice? If you are looking for a career path, consider psychology.   

Unfortunately, God’s people are not immune to worry.  One meaning of worry is “to gnaw.”  Growing up, we had a dog that loved his bones.  He would gnaw on those bones all day, and afterward, he would take the bone and bury it.  The next day, he would dig up the bone and gnaw on it again.  Worry is like gnawing on a bone. We gnaw on the “what ifs” of life because worry is also a kind of fear. And how many times has God told us throughout the Bible not to fear? Therefore, it’s important that we learn to fight the “what ifs” of life that we often gnaw on.  

The Bible is replete with practical and penetrating truths for fighting this battle with worry. One particular passage caught my attention.  It’s Psalm 124. Before we look at the psalm, it is important to put it into context.  

Most scholars believe that Psalm 123 and 124 belong, if not historically, at least thematically. The reason historical context is in question is the fact that the inscription on Psalm 124 attributes the psalm to King David. However, some manuscripts don’t have his name on it, leading some scholars to believe that a scribe added the name in later years.  As a result, some scholars believe the events described take place during David’s reign, others during the time of Nehemiah, and others, King Hezekiah.  The psalm is general and can fit into either historical context.  

Thematically, there is a connection between Psalms, 123, and 124. In Psalm 123, the psalmist in crying out for God’s mercy on account of the contempt and ridicule from the enemy.  In Psalm 124 we see the testimony of God’s activity in answering the cry of the previous psalm.

We find the reason this psalm caught my attention in the first two verses. It reads, “If it had not been the Lord was on our side—let Israel now say—If it had not been the Lord who as on our side.” The emotion of these two verses is better brought out with the New Living Translation, “What if the Lord had not been on our side?”  The emotion is one of perplexity. It’s the gasp that comes from a person delivered from death or some terrible situation.  It’s the “what could have happened” emotion. 

Two years ago, my oldest daughter fell asleep while driving home. She was attending Arkansas State and was making her way back to the university. Going seventy miles an hour, her vehicle hit a guardrail, causing her to cross over the opposite side of the highway, hitting a ditch, and going airborne until she stopped in the middle of a field. I remember the evening well because I had been praying for her twenty-minutes before this happened.  

When my wife and daughter visited the site of the wreck, they experienced this same emotion.  What if she ran off the road fifty-feet earlier? She would have hit a bridge. What if there was traffic coming down the opposite side of the highway? She could have had a head-on collision. Fortunately, she came away from the wreck with no scratch and a totaled vehicle. 

The “what if” presented in this psalm is not an unhealthy “what if.” The reflection of what could have happened is healthy because they can reflect upon the positive outcomes of God’s activity in their lives. Yet, to get to the positive outcomes, one must first observe the negative possibilities.    

Reflection

Two times we see the phrase, “the Lord who was on our side.”  The speculative reflection is this: “what if God wasn’t in our lives?”  Or, “what if God wasn’t for us?”  What if all we could think about are the people and circumstances against us.  The what-ifs of negative possibilities would overtake us.  

The what-if of negative possibilities 

Take God out of the equation and here is what you will have, “when people rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us; then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us; then over us would have gone the raging waters.”  Without God, the negative possibilities would have become realities. 

Somehow, when we are consumed with the “what ifs” of negative possibilities, we lose sight of the fact that “the Lord is on our side.” Instead, all we can see are the people and circumstances are against us. We allow the possibilities to overtake us.  

If you are often captive to negative possibilities, you are not alone.  The Bible is abounding with examples of God’s people losing sight of God. When Joseph’s brother came back from Egypt, they had to leave their brother Simeon there and bring back their brother Benjamin. When they told Jacob the situation he cried out, “Everything is going against me!” (Gen. 42:36).  This Jacob, who saw angels descending and ascending into heaven, and wrestled with God until God blessed him, could only see the circumstances against him, not the Lord who was with him.  

Elijah, after seeing the Lord consume his sacrifice with fire from heaven, and killing the prophets of Baal, could only see Jezebel against him, which caused him to run for his life, and become despairing of life to the point of wanting to die.  He could only see the “what ifs” of negative possibilities, and not the Lord who was with him.  

When we worry about the negative possibilities, it’s because of the assumed absence of God in the details of life.  The negative possibilities happen because we exclude God from the equation. However, when we reflect upon the truth that “the Lord is with us” we experience the “what ifs” of positive outcomes.  

The what-if of positive outcomes 

The imagery that the psalmist uses is very descriptive of the negative situations and circumstances we face in life. Just like Isreal, Christians have an enemy, the devil who wants to kill, steal, and destroy our lives.  When we face the troubles of life, they don’t send out a warning so we can prepare. They hit us like a Mack truck. We know this well because of experience. As a result, the “what ifs” of negative possibilities can easily overtake us. 

In verses six and seven, we read, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth! We have escaped like a bird from the snare of fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped!”  The implication of these two verses is that we will experience situations and circumstances that are not pleasant.  We will face trials and tribulations. However, when God is in the equation of our lives, he will get us through negative experiences with positive outcomes. Fighting life’s “what ifs” require, not only proper reflection but also a proper response. 

Response

In verse six, and in verse eight, we find the proper responses to God’s activity in our lives. First, we must respond with adoration.  

Adoration

We read, in verse six, “Blessed be the Lord.” Another way to translate this phrase is, “Yahweh be worshipped.”  Why? We worship and adore the Lord because he is on our side and he delivers us from the enemies and troubles we face.  

I mentioned already that Psalm 123 and 124 are connected? Psalm 123 is a cry for help. I believe that it is referring to the time of Nehemiah and the people of God rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem.  While building the wall the enemy of God and his people threatened them, discouraged them. All they could see were the negative possibilities.  What did Nehemiah do? He reminded them that God was on their side. 

Notice what Psalm 123:1 says, “To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!” They turned their eyes from the negative possibilities to the positive outcome of having the Lord on their side.  And we must do the same.  The writer of Hebrews calls us to fix our eyes upon Jesus, the author, and the perfector of our faith.  One of my favorite hymns goes like this: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.”  We respond with adoration. We also respond with a declaration.  

Declaration

Verse eight, “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”  Some consider this psalm to be a thanksgiving psalm. Others, myself included, consider this psalm to be a testimony psalm about God’s activity in the life of his people.  Verse eight is a declaration of God’s activity. It is a testimony. The Lord, who is on our side, the one who delivered us from the enemy, he helped us.  Nothing can come against us that is greater than the Lord who is with us. We have to respond to the “what ifs” of negative possibilities with the declaration of this truth. Finally, we respond with consecration.  

Consecration

If a declaration is our testimony of God’s help, then consecration is our submission to his help. This is the daily activity of offering our lives as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Jesus.  Our battle with the  “what ifs” of negative possibilities begins with a proper reflection, which should cause the proper responses of adoration, declaration, and consecration. Yet, a proper reflection and a proper response are ineffective if one does not have a proper relationship.  

Relationship

Throughout Psalm 124 the name used for God is Yahweh, the name for God that emphasizes covenant relationship. It is used to describe God and man in a relationship together.  Isreal was in a covenant relationship with the Lord. Therefore, because of this relationship, they could declare that God is on their side, that he was their help. 

In the same manner, for us to win the battles over life’s “what ifs,” we need a personal relationship with the Lord, made possible through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  When we have trusted Christ and Lord and Savior, we enter a covenant relationship with the Lord.  

What does this relationship with Jesus involve? It signifies that “God is for us, and not against us” (Romans 8:31). The universe can be against us, but God, who more powerful than any opposition we encounter, is on our side.  It means that the Holy Spirit and Jesus Pray for us because God is with us. It shows God will take care of us and for us because, “He who did not spare his own Son, but freely and graciously gave him up for us all, how will he not freely and graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) It means that we are more than conquers. It determines that nothing, absolutely nothing, will ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  Because of the cross, God is for us, and because of the resurrection, everything will be okay in the end.

At seventeen, I experienced an automobile wreck I should have never survived. When I recall the memories of that night and consider the negative possibilities that could have occurred, I shutter. 

It was a Thursday night. I had a fake identification and an unhealthy passion for partying. Some friends and I went to a bar in Wylie, Texas called the Ranch House. During the night, the bar ran one dollar tequila shots special. I took my last ten-dollar bill and spent it on tequila. You can see where this is going.  

Dumb and inebriated, I got behind the wheel of my Toyota Truck and tried to drive home.  A mile down the road I bent over to change the radio station, but I never came back up.  The truck flipped and hit a telephone pole at the back of the truck.  I walked away from the accident without a scratch.  

I visit that night often in my mind and consider the many “what ifs” that could have happened, but didn’t. What if there was a vehicle coming from the opposite direction? What if the telephone pole broke, and the wires fell on top of my truck? But the most disturbing “what if” is this one: what if I died that night?  This “what if” makes me shutter. Why? If I died that night, I would be in hell for eternity.  I didn’t know Jesus as my Lord and Savior.  In fact, it would take five more years before I gave my life to Christ.  

What if you don’t know Jesus? What if you have never been born again? What if you were to die today? Without Christ, you would spend eternity separated from God.  The negative possibility of going to hell becomes a reality when you die without Christ.  The only positive outcome comes only by trusting Jesus and your Lord and Savior.  What will you do?  

A Holy Ambition: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

It started out to be a normal workday for Utah highway patrolman Lieutenant Nick Street.  When Mr. Street saw a car driving down the highway at 30 mph swerving in and out of lanes; it didn’t strike him as out of the ordinary to his daily experiences. However, when he could pull the vehicle over, his normal workday would be one that he would remember for a long time.  

Lt. Street was expecting to find an adult, possibly with a medical condition when he made his way to the front of the car. Instead, he found a five-year-old boy.  The boy had taken the keys to his parent’s SUV.  He told the Lt. Street that he was driving to his sister’s house in California and would buy a Lamborghini with the 3 dollars he had in his pocket.  The five-year-old boy showed tremendous ambition.  

Ambition can be good, or it can be bad. One person has defined ambition “as a striving for some kind of achievement or distinction, and involves, first the desire for achievement, and, second, the willingness to work towards it even in the face of adversity or failure.”  This is a good definition.  

Aristotle spoke about the distinct characteristics of ambition as virtues. He distinguished between “healthy ambition,”, “unhealthy ambition,”, and “lack of ambition,”.  Healthy ambition, said Aristotle, is a “measured striving for achievement or distinction, whereas unhealthy ambition is destructive and more akin to greed.”    

We can see the dark side of ambition in our world and culture today.  One only has to do a Google search for self-help books on ambition and you will find titles like: “Looking Out for Number One”, “Every Man is a King”, “Pushing to the Front”, and “How to be King of Your HIll.”  This is an unhealthy ambition, and it is surely a nonbiblical ambition.   It is an unholy ambition.  

The Scriptures call us to be ambitious for the kingdom of God and for the glory of God.  The word of God calls us to a holy ambition.  A simple definition of holy ambition is aspiring to live a life that is pleasing to God. 

The apostle Paul wrote these words, “Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more,” (1 Thessalonians 4:1).  Pleasing God needs to be our ambition in life.  Paul further defines this ambition in subsequent verses, “Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and aspire (make it your ambition) to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you. So that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one,” (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12).  

In verse ten, Paul exhorts Christians to love “more and more”. He states in verses eleven, “and aspire”. Some translations say, “make it your ambition”.  This ambition calls us to a God-honoring ambition. There is an enormous difference between worldly ambition and a holy ambition. Worldly ambition aspires to do what self wants to do.  A holy ambition aspires to be who God wants you to be and to do what God wants you to do. Paul gives four truths in verses nine through twelve that should be the ambition of every follower of Christ. First, we should make it our ambition to have a maturing love for others.  

Maturing love for others. 

In verses nine and ten, the topic is love. Not just any love, but brotherly love.  The Greek word translated is a compound word. It combines the Greek word “phileo” with “adelphos.” Phileo love speaks of a love that is tender and affectionate.  Adelphos is a family term.  Paul is speaking about an affectionate love that God’s family needs to have for one another.  

As believers in Christ, we are born again into the family of God.  We become joint-heirs with Jesus, which makes Jesus our elder brother and God our father.  The Thessalonians were doing an outstanding job affectionately and tenderly loving one another.  God taught this brotherly love to them and to us.  

In the last part of verse nine, it says, “for you have been taught by God to love…” The Greek word for love is not “phileo,” but “agape.”  Agape love is sacrificial love. It is divine love. It’s the love that we experience when we come to Christ and the Holy Spirit pours the agape love of God into our hearts.  The Son of God teaches us to love too. 

It was Jesus, in the thirteenth chapter of the gospel of John, who gave us a new commandment to “love one another, as I have loved you.” He also said, “By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” God is love, and he teaches us to love. Not only does he teach us to love; he also gives us the ability to do it.  

In verse eight, it says, “Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”  God gives his Holy Spirit to true believers, and only by his Spirit can we live the Christian life and continue to mature in our love for God and for others. As we experience the filling of the Spirit and keep in step with the Spirit, we can truly love others with the same love that we have experienced from God.    

Paul says that we must continue to mature in our love “more and more.” It is a lifelong process. And one of the most frequent ways God matures us in our love is by putting unlovable people in our lives.  Some of these people have hurt us terribly to where we consider them our enemies.  What does God’s love teach us? It teaches us to forgive those who have wronged us. It teaches us to pray for them. It teaches us to bless them.  What does that look like? For me, I ask God to bless my enemy with the same blessings I want him to give me.  I then pray for God to help me rejoice in those blessings if he blesses them.  It must be our ambition to mature in our love for God and others.  Second, it must be our ambition to have increasing faith in Christ.  

Growing faith in Christ. 

In verse eleven, begin a series of commands, “and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you.”  The apostle is dealing with a specific situation in Thessalonica with these commands.  The expectation of Christ’s return consumed this church, to the point they were no longer working and taking care of their own needs.  They were also anxious about Christ’s return.  A few of the believers had died, and they wondered about what would happen to the dead at his return.  Therefore, Paul addresses this issue in the subsequent verses.   

The first command deals with the quality of life lived as believers.  Paul makes an interesting word choice, “and to aspire to live quietly.” Literally, he says, be quiet.  Another way to translate this is “stay calm” or “make it your ambition to be still.”  Paul is referring to the tranquillity of life, calmness, and simplicity in life.    

The anxiety of the Thessalonians caused them to be annoying. It’s addressed in the second command, “and to mind your own affairs.”  One translation says, “don’t be busybodies.”  The Patrick Mead translation of the first two commands is, “stay calm, be still, trust God, and don’t be annoying.”  The only way we can overcome anxieties and avoid becoming that annoying person controlled by anxieties is by trusting God and asking him to give us an increasing faith in his promises.  

I pastored a lady anxious about her salvation. She constantly questioned her salvation. She would call me, or email me with this issue constantly.  I would share the scriptures with her and the promises of God, and it helped for a while. However, over time she would become anxious about the same thing and who did she call or email? Yes, her anxiety was annoying, and what she lacked was a simple faith in the promises of God.    

What about our own lives? We live in a fast-paced society, running in all directions, causing much tension and anxiety. I’m convinced that one wonderful thing from COVIC-19 has been the slowing down of our lives.  As believers, we need to be still and spend time in the presence of God, which results in increasing our faith.  

Recently, the Lord gave me Psalm 46:10 for the season I’m in, “Be still and know that I am God.” The NAS says, “Cease striving.”  I really love The Passion Translation, “Surrender your anxieties to the Lord, stop striving and know that I’m God.”   The Lord is saying, “stay calm and trust in me. Stop trying to make things happen, sit back, and watch me work.”  Third, we must make it our ambition to have a penetrating impact on society. 

Penetrating impact on society

The last command Paul gives concerning the specific situation is, “and to work with your hands.” With the anticipation of the imminent return of Christ, the Thessalonians stopped working. As a result, they became dependant upon family, friends, and society to take care of them.  They were unproductive contributors to society. There is a broader principle to apply from this command.  

The impact the Thessalonians were having on society was not a positive impact.  It did not reflect well upon Christianity.  Our ambition as believers should be to have a penetrating, positive, Christ-centered impact on the society that we live in.  This impact is about being the person God wants you to be so you will do the things that God wants you to do.  When you have a penetrating impact for Christ you are being productive for God. 

I recently finished the biography of Jim Elliot, one of the five missionaries killed on January 8, 1958 in Ecuador by the Auca Indians. Jim’s wife, Elisabeth, after his death, reached the unreached people with the gospel, and the men who killed the missionaries gave their lives to Jesus.  The lives of Jim and Elisabeth had a positive impact on subsequent generations and continues today.  Madelina Pena said it well about this couple: “Jim and Elisabeth Elliot are two of the most influential people in the history of missions.  Their lives reflect total devotion to Christ and the message of the gospel. Their stories of perseverance, suffering, and even death have inspired many to go reach unreached peoples.” Be all that God wants you to be and do all that God wants you to do.  Have a penetrating impact on society.  Fourth, we must make it our ambition to have a fitting representation before outsiders.  

Fitting representation before outsiders 

It states the reason for having a holy ambition in verse twelve, “so that you may walk properly before outsiders.”  The outsiders that Paul is referencing are unbelievers, people who have never given their life to Christ.  A proper walk with Christ, a holy ambition, gives a fitting representation of Christ to those who don’t know Christ.   

Have you ever been to a funhouse at the fair or carnival? Most every funhouse has a section full of mirrors. They call some house of mirrors.  The house of mirrors is full of distorted mirrors, which do not represent the image in front of the mirror.  Some mirrors make you look fat, others skinny, or tall, or short.  These mirrors purposely distort.  When we don’t have a holy ambition, we distort the image of Christ.  And when we distort the image of Christ, we distort an outsider’s understanding of Christ.  

It’s interesting to think spiritual things are best understood through what we can see, hear, taste, smell, and touch.  God uses material evidence to reveal spiritual truths. This material evidence is a sacrament. The word sacrament means a visible sign of an invisible reality.  We see this in baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and marriage.  

As followers of Christ, we should strive to make our lives a sacrament, a visible sign of an invisible reality, Christ Jesus.  To do so, we must have a healthy, holy ambition to please God, one that aspires to love others, trust Christ, be what God wants us to be so we can properly represent our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  

Obeying the Spirit's Direction

"As I approach my year anniversary, I  must tell you that I have been wrestling with God over many things that God has put on my heart concerning our church, our facilities, and the future.  I am burdened in my soul because we have lost ground on the devil.  God has burdened me with urgency for us as congregation to get our focus on reaching people, and to do whatever it takes to reach people."

I preached those words approximately nine years ago to the congregation of First Southern Baptist Church in Bryant, Arkansas.  I was approaching my first anniversary with the church and God was putting a burden and vision in my heart for the future.

One of the challenges I had was discerning what God wanted the church to do with two properties.  One property was located near the highway and the other south of town.  The highway property was the future vision of the church under a previous pastor.  The southside property was going to be sold, which resulted in a property that wasn't being maintained very well (This was another challenge).

It became apparent within the first year that God was impressing me to lead the church to stay put at the south property.  For several years the church had sold out to the former vision of moving north, but now God was leading a different direction.

When I finally communicated the vision of staying at the south property, God affirmed the direction most effectively, unknowing to me at the time. The Bryant School District purchased the Hill Farm, just south of the church, and was planning on building a new elementary and junior high in the future.

The future is now. I have been driving my wife to the bus lot, which is located on the old Hill farm property.  I am in awe of the new elementary and junior high (pictured above).  But mostly, I am in awe of how First Southern Baptist Church is strategically positioned to be a great witness in the area.

God kept that congregation there for a reason, to introduce as many people as possible to the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. I continually pray for FSBC to make an impact for Jesus.