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.
