Destroying Fortresses

"Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses."  (2 Corinthians 10: 3-4)

For almost 40 years I have been interested in eschatology, or the study of end time biblical prophecy.  One part of that is the discussion of the who and when and where about the person the Bible calls the Antichrist.

One of the descriptions given in scripture of the Antichrist is that he honors a god of fortresses.

"He will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know;  he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures.  He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god."  (Daniel 11: 38-39)
 
This would seem to indicate that this future world leader builds up an impressive military force within his own culture and territory in the last days.  He first establishes his own base and with that secure he goes on the offense, perhaps in alliance with another culture which follows a different religion.

One day I came across the word "fortresses" in 2 Corinthians 10:4 and I realized that fortresses are also strongholds that our adversary uses to secure his territory within us.  The next verse defines what they are:

"We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God."

Then tells us how these can be destroyed:

"And we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."

The spirit of the antichrist which the apostle John tells us is already in the world denies that Jesus is God  come in the flesh, that He suffered and died for our sins so that we could be reconciled with the Father, that He rose as the first fruits of a wonderful salvation that defeated the world, the flesh and the devil, and that one day every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

The spirit of the antichrist, like the world we live in, denies that Jesus is Lord.  And so the struggle we have is that although through Jesus we already have the victory over the world, the flesh and the devil we often do not live in that victory.  We want to be lord of our thoughts, our emotions, our feelings.  We want to be lord of our activities, our finances, our future.  By our own devices we guard ourselves against all the hurts and pains that are part of living in this world.

The enemy knows this and works full time to confuse, diffuse and abuse.  The first tactic is the same today as it was in the Garden of Eden - Did God really say?  And his next is just as ancient.  Knowing that after we get hurt we want to protect ourselves from suffering again he helps us build those fortresses that ultimately exclude the only One who can truly heal and protect.

And isn't it strange?  Just as the Antichrist honors a god of fortresses with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures, so in the same sense do we.  We take pride in our strongholds.  We take pride in our knowledge.  We invest resources and time to maintain their beauty.

But God did say.  His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.  True freedom only comes through total surrender to the One who truly loves us.

Jesus is Lord and as Lord He wants to be involved with the way we process our thoughts when we encounter all the stings and stones that are hurled against us in this life. 

Come to the Lord who created you and has a plan for your life.  Come to the Savior who took away your sins and says "Go and sin no more."   Come to the Son of Man who loves you so much he sees your tears and feels the pain you feel.

Come and then obey.  I tell you with every fiber in my being - It is so much better.