WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:04.030 I want to invite you to second Corinthians chapter 10… Is where we are today. 00:00:04.180 --> 00:00:05.620 Second Corinthians Chapter 10. 00:00:06.500 --> 00:00:08.760 The Book of Corinthians wonderful book, Love this book. 00:00:09.020 --> 00:00:14.020 It's a very personal book about Paul's life and some of the things that he went through in order to minister for the Lord. 00:00:14.060 --> 00:00:21.160 Some say it's the most personal letter out of all of Paul's epistles, and it's one of the things that I find so beautiful about this letter is that 00:00:21.560 --> 00:00:26.830 as Paul's doing ministry, yes, none of us are the Apostle Paul, but all of us face adversity. 00:00:27.140 --> 00:00:33.440 And seeing how Paul worked through adversity in his own life is an encouragement to us as we think about living for the Lord. 00:00:33.960 --> 00:00:41.300 And the first seven chapters of the book of Corinthians, second Corinthians Paul deals with his 00:00:41.300 --> 00:00:43.700 relationship with the church directly. 00:00:44.600 --> 00:00:51.700 Those that have just they've had some adversity in their love towards Paul and Paul's had some challenges in his opportunities to love them 00:00:51.700 --> 00:00:52.340 back. 00:00:52.360 --> 00:00:54.700 And so Paul's dealt with the idea of reconciliation in those. 00:00:54.720 --> 00:00:57.210 First seven chapters of the Book of Corinthians. 00:00:57.580 --> 00:01:04.700 And then when you get to Chapter eight and nine, he talked about the idea of generosity, which we've discussed, took us three weeks to get through Chapter eight 00:01:04.700 --> 00:01:05.080 and nine. 00:01:05.080 --> 00:01:09.700 As we looked at the idea of generosity and what it means for the body of believers. 00:01:10.300 --> 00:01:17.560 And now when you get to Chapter ten, these remaining chapters, this these are the chapters where Paul turns 00:01:17.560 --> 00:01:19.660 his sights towards the. 00:01:19.760 --> 00:01:26.100 False teachers that are attacking him and he starts to address them. 00:01:26.100 --> 00:01:30.210 And in a sense, they're really individuals that are trolling the Apostle Paul. 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:37.520 And now he puts his sights on the remainder of this book towards them and how he's going to respond to the accusations 00:01:37.520 --> 00:01:39.000 they're making against him. 00:01:39.020 --> 00:01:41.120 But let me ask you before we jump into this text. 00:01:42.340 --> 00:01:47.500 If someone were attacking you, how would you respond? 00:01:49.640 --> 00:01:54.220 What do you what's your typical reaction when others malign you or come against you? 00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:57.470 Some might get physical. 00:01:58.720 --> 00:02:01.020 Some might get verbal. 00:02:01.880 --> 00:02:05.280 Some might just want to sweep it under the rug and run away. 00:02:06.490 --> 00:02:11.100 Some might show us how they can put their foot where the sun just kidding. 00:02:11.100 --> 00:02:17.930 But I think the more important question we could ask is how would, how would Jesus respond? 00:02:20.020 --> 00:02:27.400 And in a more practical way, looking this passage of Scripture, we can see How does Paul respond? 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:30.380 In fact, that's the main question we want to answer today. 00:02:30.460 --> 00:02:32.340 How do you respond when you get trolled? 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:35.520 And we're going to look at how does Paul respond? 00:02:36.460 --> 00:02:37.520 What does it mean? 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:43.090 How should we respond, and what is the benefit of that response? 00:02:43.160 --> 00:02:45.420 So question number one, how does Paul respond? 00:02:45.460 --> 00:02:47.230 We start to see it here in the first couple of verses. 00:02:47.820 --> 00:02:55.120 Paul says this, "I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ I who am humble when 00:02:55.120 --> 00:03:02.220 face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away, I beg of you that when I am present, I may 00:03:02.220 --> 00:03:09.480 not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us 00:03:09.480 --> 00:03:16.500 of walking according to the flesh." So Paul gives us and really in this these first 00:03:16.500 --> 00:03:23.500 couple of verses, he gives us a picture of the accusations that are being brought against him and also his response to towards those 00:03:23.500 --> 00:03:25.940 that are that are maligning Paul or attacking Paul. 00:03:26.520 --> 00:03:30.680 And what we find in these first couple of verses is, one, they're making fun of, Paul. 00:03:30.700 --> 00:03:32.420 They're really calling him a wimp. 00:03:33.140 --> 00:03:36.360 In essence, what they're saying this passage is, look, Paul writes these letters. 00:03:36.660 --> 00:03:37.880 He looks all big and bad. 00:03:37.920 --> 00:03:41.060 But when you meet him personally, he is a wimp. 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:44.040 He talks a big game, but he does not show up that way. 00:03:44.480 --> 00:03:46.820 That's the accusation (they're) making about the Apostle Paul. 00:03:46.820 --> 00:03:49.770 In fact, I try to think, what does this relate to in our culture? 00:03:50.100 --> 00:03:52.680 For me, I think it's The Wizard of Oz, right? 00:03:52.920 --> 00:03:55.360 If you remember the story, the Dorothy finally gets there. 00:03:55.680 --> 00:03:56.820 She finally gets to the great halls. 00:03:56.860 --> 00:03:59.220 You see the big green monster. 00:03:59.220 --> 00:04:03.300 And then all of a sudden Toto runs over, pulls the curtain, and then behind the curtain is just a little wimp. 00:04:04.220 --> 00:04:09.520 And that's the accusation that they're making about the apostle Paul is, look, Paul sounds like he wants you to fear him. 00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:12.020 And his letters sound like he's tough, he's strong. 00:04:12.440 --> 00:04:15.720 But they're saying, but honestly, we've met the guy and no one's afraid of him. 00:04:16.920 --> 00:04:23.940 In fact, they go a little bit further and they describe the Apostle Paul at the end of verse two, as he says, I count on showing 00:04:23.940 --> 00:04:28.620 against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. 00:04:29.160 --> 00:04:30.920 So they're saying Paul's poem is spiritual. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:36.800 He's not even a great follower of the Lord like he's he just lives very fleshly in his life. 00:04:36.940 --> 00:04:43.630 But then when the Apostle Paul responds, he responds to these accusations the way Paul chooses to respond. 00:04:43.700 --> 00:04:47.440 I've got to say, at first glance, it's like, Paul, you're not doing yourself any favors here. 00:04:47.960 --> 00:04:50.400 These individuals are coming against you. 00:04:50.760 --> 00:04:51.480 They've maligned you. 00:04:51.560 --> 00:04:53.760 They've destroyed your relationship with the Church of Corinth. 00:04:53.880 --> 00:04:56.420 You've had to write this letter to work on rebuilding it. 00:04:56.460 --> 00:04:59.200 It's taken a time for you to seek this reconciliation. 00:04:59.560 --> 00:05:01.120 And these people are still in the church. 00:05:01.500 --> 00:05:06.540 And how does Paul introduce himself when he gets ready to turn his sights towards those that oppose him? 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:08.680 He describes himself this way. 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:16.000 I, Paul, myself, entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ I who am 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:16.760 humble. 00:05:18.220 --> 00:05:25.560 I don't know about you, but how many of you about to go toe to toe going into battle would choose these adjectives 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:27.480 to describe yourself? 00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:29.150 I mean, what kind of trash talk is that? 00:05:29.160 --> 00:05:30.360 You ever played a sport? 00:05:30.360 --> 00:05:32.850 You get on the on the field against your enemies and you're like, you know what? 00:05:33.280 --> 00:05:38.180 You're about to see my meekness at a level you have never experienced this in humility and gentleness. 00:05:38.520 --> 00:05:38.980 Right. 00:05:39.080 --> 00:05:45.080 And that is not a word that's going to put your enemies in fear of your presence. 00:05:45.080 --> 00:05:48.100 They are not going to cower at that description. 00:05:49.220 --> 00:05:51.920 And Paul is not helping himself out. 00:05:52.180 --> 00:05:55.600 At least it looks like, when he begins to describe himself this way. 00:05:57.580 --> 00:05:59.580 When you think about these words, though. 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:03.780 Meekness, gentleness, humility. 00:06:03.960 --> 00:06:08.280 And then you see the way the Apostle Paul lives his life. 00:06:10.600 --> 00:06:17.820 We also find that while he carries these this sort of description or these adjectives, he also composes himself 00:06:17.820 --> 00:06:18.280 with. 00:06:19.780 --> 00:06:22.300 Incredible boldness and courage. 00:06:23.180 --> 00:06:24.500 Acts Chapter 9, verse 29. 00:06:24.520 --> 00:06:28.920 He spoke and disputed against the hellenists, but they were seeking to kill him. 00:06:29.940 --> 00:06:37.140 Or in Acts 19, and he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the Kingdom 00:06:37.140 --> 00:06:39.000 of God. 00:06:39.220 --> 00:06:46.480 Even in the very next chapter, the end of Chapter 11 Paul starts to describe certain things that he went through in order to live 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:48.260 a life in obedience to Christ. 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:52.530 Paul was very brave. 00:06:53.700 --> 00:07:00.700 And yet when you look at the posture of his character and makes your mind wonder how can someone live with such 00:07:00.940 --> 00:07:08.040 courage and in the midst of adversity, still describe himself with gentleness, meekness and humility. 00:07:08.280 --> 00:07:08.700 What you find. 00:07:08.900 --> 00:07:12.900 It's not only characteristic traits of the Apostle Paul, it's also reflective of Jesus. 00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:19.600 In Matthew, chapter 11, verse 29 This is the only verse in the Bible where Jesus actually describes for us his heart. 00:07:21.160 --> 00:07:22.840 And when he describes his heart, look what he says. 00:07:22.980 --> 00:07:25.120 He says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. 00:07:25.140 --> 00:07:29.300 For I am gentle and lowly", or the word is meek in heart. 00:07:31.380 --> 00:07:33.160 Jesus describes himself as meek. 00:07:33.180 --> 00:07:40.180 And then when you look at the character of Christ as it's lived out, the way that Jesus demonstrated himself in Hebrews 12, consider him who endured from sinners 00:07:40.180 --> 00:07:47.200 such hostility against himself so that you may not grow weary or faint hearted, Or in 1st Peter 2, "When he was reviled, he did not revile in 00:07:47.200 --> 00:07:48.620 return when he when he suffered. 00:07:49.100 --> 00:07:56.300 He did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly." Matthew, Chapter 12 "A bruised reed 00:07:56.320 --> 00:08:06.140 he will not break and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory." Incredible 00:08:06.140 --> 00:08:06.240 courage. 00:08:08.660 --> 00:08:12.940 Extremely bold in adversity. 00:08:13.740 --> 00:08:17.660 But when you think about those words, meekness, gentleness, humility. 00:08:17.660 --> 00:08:18.320 Let's be honest. 00:08:18.640 --> 00:08:25.660 If you ever if you've ever gone to a job interview and someone says to you, what are what are some characteristics that make you who you are? 00:08:25.660 --> 00:08:27.390 What are some things that we would be interested in? 00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:29.980 And how many of you have gotten into that? 00:08:30.020 --> 00:08:33.120 And you've said, I've got to lead here with meekness, right? 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:40.200 I wouldn't even include that in their top 15 of character qualities that you would want to describe yourself as to someone else. 00:08:40.340 --> 00:08:47.780 When we think about that term, it's an interesting word the Apostle Paul chooses to utilize in the midst of the opposition 00:08:47.780 --> 00:08:48.500 that he is facing. 00:08:50.660 --> 00:08:51.920 Which leaves us to ask the. 00:08:53.280 --> 00:08:54.270 What does it mean? 00:08:56.420 --> 00:09:02.410 What does it mean to describe yourself as meek? 00:09:04.500 --> 00:09:12.000 By definition, the word meekness is said this way it's free of anger, hatred, 00:09:12.580 --> 00:09:15.080 bitterness, and a desire for revenge. 00:09:16.420 --> 00:09:21.400 Meekness is not weakness, but rather power under control. 00:09:23.500 --> 00:09:30.660 I think one of the best images that we could use to illustrate the idea of meekness comes from the 00:09:30.660 --> 00:09:33.200 way that the Greeks would actually use it. 00:09:33.420 --> 00:09:35.380 There was a practice in Greek culture. 00:09:36.180 --> 00:09:38.740 where they would want to prepare horses for battle. 00:09:38.840 --> 00:09:45.220 And what they would do, they would they would go out among wild horses and they would gather them in and bring them to see if they could train them. 00:09:45.900 --> 00:09:49.050 And some horses they found were it didn't have the ability to be trained. 00:09:49.100 --> 00:09:51.640 And so they were they were just simply released back into the wild. 00:09:52.220 --> 00:09:57.780 And then other horses could be trained, but they found out they weren't exactly ready for battle or battle worthy. 00:09:57.780 --> 00:10:04.250 And so they became the kind of horses that would just pull he the different items they needed to go into battle. 00:10:04.540 --> 00:10:08.510 And so when they would have a military campaign that these horses would carry all the equipment. 00:10:09.040 --> 00:10:10.080 But then there are horses. 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:13.160 That they determined were battle ready and battle prepared. 00:10:15.180 --> 00:10:22.360 And these horses were fierce They were they were not afraid of charging into to battle at 35 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:26.780 miles an hour in the face of arrows and swords and torches. 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:34.840 Yet yet with just with he touch of the rider, they would be obedient to turn or at the 00:10:35.460 --> 00:10:38.700 voice of a command could stop, come to a sliding stop. 00:10:39.240 --> 00:10:44.240 These horses were incredibly powerful, but yet totally disciplined. 00:10:46.220 --> 00:10:53.320 It's described this way that to be meek was to take from a state of wild rebellion and 00:10:53.320 --> 00:10:57.380 make boldly loyal and dependent upon one's master. 00:11:00.040 --> 00:11:07.220 And when these horses were prepared, they were described as praus, which 00:11:07.260 --> 00:11:09.150 is the Greek word for meekness. 00:11:11.580 --> 00:11:12.500 Meekness is not weakness. 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:17.280 It has power under control. 00:11:18.860 --> 00:11:23.580 Paul not only describes himself as meek, but he also describes himself as gentle. 00:11:23.680 --> 00:11:31.060 And the only other time that this particular Greek word gentleness is used in the New Testament comes in chapter 24, verse four, 00:11:31.080 --> 00:11:35.360 and it's defined or it's described as the word kindness. 00:11:35.460 --> 00:11:39.360 So where gentleness is also uses the word same Greek word as kindness. 00:11:39.640 --> 00:11:43.440 And when it's applied to someone who is in authority like the Apostle Paul, it means this. 00:11:43.820 --> 00:11:49.600 It means to graciously refuse to insist on the full measure of their legal rights. 00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:52.280 And then there's humility. 00:11:52.340 --> 00:11:59.340 When you look at these words in the early church, the idea of meekness and gentleness, these were virtues that 00:11:59.340 --> 00:12:00.640 were pursued by people. 00:12:01.040 --> 00:12:04.500 But the word humility was not a word that was sought after. 00:12:05.620 --> 00:12:11.460 The word humility was seen as more of a of an insult than a word that we should aspire to as God's people. 00:12:11.760 --> 00:12:17.570 It was considered one who was ignoble or despised, not the attitude of any self respected person. 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:25.400 In fact, in the second century, Lucian wrote this, he said, The humble witted are neither sought by their friends nor 00:12:25.400 --> 00:12:27.920 feared by their enemies. 00:12:29.800 --> 00:12:31.940 But Paul chooses to use these words. 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:33.300 Why? 00:12:35.480 --> 00:12:42.660 Paul is saying, there is no end short of sin to which he will not go to be a 00:12:42.660 --> 00:12:44.790 servant of Christ. 00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:54.000 So let me propose this, with these three characteristics that Paul 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:58.900 lays out for us, I think we can only really view these three characteristics. 00:12:59.340 --> 00:13:00.600 Under two scopes. 00:13:01.060 --> 00:13:06.750 Either person, number one, who describes himself as meek, gentle and humble. 00:13:06.860 --> 00:13:11.180 Person number one, this person is either one, he's totally insecure. 00:13:13.180 --> 00:13:16.340 And therefore, he just he walks with no esteem in this world. 00:13:17.460 --> 00:13:19.450 Because he doesn't understand who he is and his identity. 00:13:21.760 --> 00:13:24.340 Or he is completely secure. 00:13:25.460 --> 00:13:28.620 Because he knows who he is, who he belongs to, and where he's going. 00:13:29.580 --> 00:13:34.440 And therefore, because of that, he's able to put others before himself. 00:13:35.980 --> 00:13:40.400 And given because we're talking about the Apostle Paul here and have seen the way his conducted himself in this world. 00:13:40.920 --> 00:13:47.920 We would go on to say that the Apostle Paul is not one who is insecure, but rather he is completely secure in 00:13:47.920 --> 00:13:48.820 his identity. 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:57.380 Because he knows who he is in Christ and therefore he needs no one to give him worth, value, or meaning because he 00:13:57.380 --> 00:14:00.160 has discovered who he is completely in the Lord. 00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:03.300 And because of that he is therefore able to put others before himself. 00:14:05.560 --> 00:14:09.940 Rather than The Wizard of Oz, Probably a better picture of him is. 00:14:11.300 --> 00:14:11.540 A champion. 00:14:12.620 --> 00:14:16.520 More specifically Rocky Balboa and the 10th round to the soundtrack of Eye of the Tiger. 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:17.900 But. 00:14:19.060 --> 00:14:19.680 That's who he is. 00:14:21.300 --> 00:14:27.990 You may think you have him defeated for the first nine rounds, but play a little Eye of the Tiger and everything changes. 00:14:30.520 --> 00:14:35.560 And this is what Paul is saying about himself in his identity as he describes these characteristics. 00:14:35.680 --> 00:14:36.600 He is praus. 00:14:40.040 --> 00:14:43.980 He is confident in who he is because he is confident in the Lord. 00:14:43.980 --> 00:14:51.060 So the question then for us is, given how Paul responds to those that oppose him and understanding what it 00:14:51.060 --> 00:14:53.960 means, how should we respond? 00:14:56.040 --> 00:14:58.700 And in verse three, Paul goes on, he says this. 00:15:00.040 --> 00:15:07.060 "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to 00:15:07.060 --> 00:15:14.040 the flesh." So Paul, here he goes from he goes from the meek to now he's talking about warfare. 00:15:14.140 --> 00:15:15.560 This is where it's about to get serious, right? 00:15:15.800 --> 00:15:20.160 He's not maybe that wimpy idea we had of meekness, but rather he is fierce. 00:15:20.560 --> 00:15:20.970 He is praus. 00:15:21.220 --> 00:15:22.300 He is charging the battle. 00:15:22.300 --> 00:15:24.740 Now he's discussing the idea of warfare. 00:15:24.740 --> 00:15:30.880 And Paul is saying to us in this passage, there is something bigger happening that drives what we do. 00:15:30.880 --> 00:15:32.500 And it's not just in the physical. 00:15:35.020 --> 00:15:36.340 There's something deeper. 00:15:36.680 --> 00:15:37.290 It's in the spiritual. 00:15:39.300 --> 00:15:41.720 Paul's saying there's something more destructive. 00:15:43.340 --> 00:15:44.960 Then just a person. 00:15:48.400 --> 00:15:51.860 What Paul is going to point to, it's the idea of a belief. 00:15:53.420 --> 00:15:57.800 It's something that we begin to believe in a spiritual realm that affects what happens to us personally. 00:15:57.800 --> 00:16:05.080 And Paul's saying, look, to just take the bait and respond physical for physical here, it's not going to get anywhere with what God wants to accomplish. 00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:07.080 And you understand there's something deeper happening. 00:16:07.400 --> 00:16:11.020 And what's taking place here is happening on a spiritual level. 00:16:11.020 --> 00:16:18.060 And so Paul then goes on in verse four and he says this he goes, "For the weapons of our warfare are not 00:16:18.060 --> 00:16:23.290 of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 00:16:24.940 --> 00:16:32.020 We destroy arguments in every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God." Paul 00:16:32.020 --> 00:16:36.200 wants us to see our real battles are not with people. 00:16:39.080 --> 00:16:40.340 But the lies we embrace. 00:16:42.600 --> 00:16:43.780 Because they become strongholds. 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:48.800 And those strongholds destroy us. 00:16:50.700 --> 00:16:52.140 The false teachers in Corinth. 00:16:53.640 --> 00:16:55.210 He would have had no power. 00:16:57.200 --> 00:16:58.320 If they were not believed. 00:17:00.940 --> 00:17:07.200 It's the false belief driving what these people are doing that created a stronghold. 00:17:09.319 --> 00:17:16.500 Now, when you think in terms of strongholds, all of us have them in our lives because we all have the tendency to believe a lie rather 00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:22.760 than the truth and strongholds can take all sorts of different forms in our life. 00:17:23.300 --> 00:17:25.500 It's not that we don't know the truth sometimes. 00:17:29.540 --> 00:17:34.010 It's that sometimes we allow something to take precedent over it. 00:17:34.800 --> 00:17:36.620 It's like the church in Corinth. 00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:38.340 They had the truth taught to them. 00:17:39.240 --> 00:17:40.800 It's not that they didn't know what was true. 00:17:42.420 --> 00:17:46.250 And so they started to buy into a lie rather than the truth that Paul had taught them. 00:17:46.460 --> 00:17:49.980 And buying into lie, it became a stronghold. 00:17:52.100 --> 00:17:55.180 One of the things I was reminded of yesterday as I was reading through the book of Galatians. 00:17:56.200 --> 00:18:00.740 I was reading about one of the Apostle Peter's downfalls. 00:18:00.760 --> 00:18:02.580 And we know one of them. 00:18:02.580 --> 00:18:03.520 We're familiar with it, right? 00:18:03.520 --> 00:18:04.680 When the night Jesus was betrayed. 00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:08.320 Peter denied Christ. 00:18:10.300 --> 00:18:11.560 And we're familiar with that story. 00:18:11.580 --> 00:18:15.800 But do you know, that's not the only time the apostle Peter, the apostle Peter fell. 00:18:17.260 --> 00:18:19.020 There's a story in the book of Galatians. 00:18:19.360 --> 00:18:25.880 That also talks about when the apostle Peter had a public falling. 00:18:26.140 --> 00:18:29.400 And it's described in an Galatians chapter two. 00:18:29.420 --> 00:18:36.520 And not only does it describe it to us in Galatians chapter two, it also tells us the reason why Peter chooses to walk in a lie rather than 00:18:36.520 --> 00:18:36.980 the truth. 00:18:37.040 --> 00:18:37.420 But look at this. 00:18:37.800 --> 00:18:39.700 This is an interesting passage of scripture. 00:18:39.700 --> 00:18:46.700 But in chapter two, verse 12, it says this "before certain men came from James and Jerusalem, Peter was eating with the 00:18:46.700 --> 00:18:47.200 Gentiles. 00:18:47.380 --> 00:18:53.040 But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party." Right. 00:18:53.500 --> 00:19:00.440 Which to me is hilarious without the context, because you think, if there's something to fear in your life, it's certainly a circumcision party. 00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:08.100 You think any party you're going to attend, you can attend birthday parties, you can attend anniversary parties, you can attend graduation parties. 00:19:08.580 --> 00:19:12.180 Holiday parties, work parties just never attend a circumcision (party). 00:19:12.380 --> 00:19:13.960 It will not go well for you, right?. 00:19:14.060 --> 00:19:15.880 That is not a party you be hanging around in. 00:19:16.120 --> 00:19:16.880 Paul. 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:19.020 No wonder he's afraid of attending this party. 00:19:19.060 --> 00:19:19.760 I'm just kidding. 00:19:19.820 --> 00:19:23.380 That's not the kind of party that this is what they're saying. 00:19:23.460 --> 00:19:26.420 This passage is that the Jews. 00:19:26.420 --> 00:19:30.800 It's another way of referring to the Jewish people that the Jews have shown up to the Paul's life. 00:19:30.800 --> 00:19:31.480 And they are. 00:19:31.620 --> 00:19:32.340 Peter excuse me. 00:19:32.340 --> 00:19:39.420 I keep confusing that shows up to before Peter and Peter is giving into the temptation to follow after 00:19:39.480 --> 00:19:43.960 them and start to really change the presentation of the gospel. 00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:49.920 He's teaching them to pursue law rather than grace in Christ that faith alone in Christ is not enough. 00:19:50.660 --> 00:19:53.480 And Peter's starting to pursue after them. 00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:57.880 And it tells us in this passage the reason he's motivated to do this. 00:19:59.340 --> 00:20:01.080 Peter knows the truth. 00:20:04.060 --> 00:20:05.800 But what drives him to live contrary to Christ? 00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:08.020 It's fear. 00:20:10.980 --> 00:20:12.720 For Peter, it was fear. 00:20:14.920 --> 00:20:17.220 And Paul said this to us in. 00:20:18.460 --> 00:20:23.260 In this passage of how we tend to get to that place in our life. 00:20:23.260 --> 00:20:26.200 And can I just tell you this morning, just like Peter. 00:20:26.700 --> 00:20:28.300 If Peter can fall, so can we. 00:20:28.300 --> 00:20:28.540 I mean. 00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:29.500 Think about who Peter is. 00:20:29.760 --> 00:20:30.700 Jesus said to Peter. 00:20:31.120 --> 00:20:32.180 Who do you say that I am? 00:20:32.180 --> 00:20:33.740 And Peter confesses, You're the Christ. 00:20:33.760 --> 00:20:34.840 And Matthew 16. 00:20:34.840 --> 00:20:36.960 And he says, Upon this rock I will build my church. 00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:39.060 And we calls… He refers to himself. 00:20:39.060 --> 00:20:46.220 I think Jesus refers to himself as the rock, but he looks to Peter and he refers to Peter for the first time as not just Simon, but Simon. 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:49.080 Peter, which means Little Rock, based on the profession of Christ. 00:20:49.120 --> 00:20:50.760 There's this foundation in Jesus. 00:20:50.760 --> 00:20:52.540 When you rest there, God builds his church. 00:20:53.180 --> 00:20:54.380 But Peter gives in to fear. 00:20:56.500 --> 00:21:02.340 And when we let fear lead us, we do such incredibly stupid things. 00:21:06.380 --> 00:21:08.160 And in this passage. 00:21:10.620 --> 00:21:11.480 Paul shows us why. 00:21:13.720 --> 00:21:25.400 He tells us, "we destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God." The 00:21:25.520 --> 00:21:29.640 tendency in our lives when we give in to the lie rather than the truth is that. 00:21:30.920 --> 00:21:31.700 Those strongholds. 00:21:33.600 --> 00:21:38.900 The tendency of the strongholds are to elevate man above the Lord. 00:21:39.340 --> 00:21:43.440 Or at least to elevate the opinions of man above the Lord. 00:21:43.760 --> 00:21:46.510 We raised what we think and we lower what God thinks. 00:21:47.640 --> 00:21:53.140 And he is describing it here for us in this very passage that these lofty opinions raised against the knowledge of God. 00:21:53.160 --> 00:21:56.060 We want to elevate what man's thinks and we want to diminish what God thinks. 00:21:57.480 --> 00:21:58.120 And we do this. 00:21:58.140 --> 00:21:59.320 We give in to the fear of man. 00:22:02.020 --> 00:22:05.360 Rather than the truth of God. 00:22:05.360 --> 00:22:09.960 The strongholds can come to us not only in fear, but there's other ways that we could describe it. 00:22:10.460 --> 00:22:14.560 Guilt or shame or the struggle in our identity. 00:22:14.560 --> 00:22:21.620 Trying to find value in places we are not intended to or to diminish our hope, to take away our hope to say and all those things 00:22:21.620 --> 00:22:23.500 that God doesn't love you. 00:22:25.180 --> 00:22:26.360 God doesn't really care about you. 00:22:27.740 --> 00:22:29.220 That isn't near you. 00:22:29.260 --> 00:22:31.200 God doesn't forgive you. 00:22:31.240 --> 00:22:32.340 God can't rescue you. 00:22:32.340 --> 00:22:33.520 And He cares about everyone else. 00:22:33.540 --> 00:22:34.760 But you're the anomaly, right? 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:39.800 And we start to buy into those lies. 00:22:42.360 --> 00:22:44.370 It leads us down a path of destruction. 00:22:44.420 --> 00:22:48.880 So the question for us is then how should we respond, how should we respond? 00:22:49.620 --> 00:22:57.200 And he says to us in verse five, he tells us that we should take every thought captive 00:22:57.200 --> 00:22:59.260 to obey Christ. 00:23:01.800 --> 00:23:07.190 There are these strongholds in your life that lead us to destruction. 00:23:09.060 --> 00:23:16.240 You don't understand when something bad is happening, when somebody is coming against you, there's something deeper happening there than just simply responding 00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:17.120 in the flesh. 00:23:17.460 --> 00:23:19.870 There's a lie that's been believed is creating destruction. 00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:27.820 And so the question for us then is how do we remove these strongholds that are destroying what God desires to accomplish in our lives 00:23:27.820 --> 00:23:29.000 and through us in this moment? 00:23:29.220 --> 00:23:33.380 Not to just attack someone else or malign, tit for tat, back and forth. 00:23:33.460 --> 00:23:34.960 That's not what we're about as God's people. 00:23:35.940 --> 00:23:36.880 We're not here to fight against people. 00:23:40.100 --> 00:23:41.040 Rather to fight for them. 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:42.920 Praus. 00:23:44.900 --> 00:23:45.500 Power under control. 00:23:47.660 --> 00:23:50.120 We can live that way when we're confident in who we are. 00:23:51.900 --> 00:23:53.660 And that confidence doesn't come from people. 00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:56.340 It comes from the Lord. 00:23:56.340 --> 00:23:59.530 And that's why he says we take every thought captive to obey Christ. 00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:01.040 So how do we respond? 00:24:01.040 --> 00:24:02.220 Number one, he's saying this to us. 00:24:02.520 --> 00:24:04.360 He's saying, embrace God's truth. 00:24:06.460 --> 00:24:09.780 Take captive what keeps you from the knowledge of God. 00:24:10.780 --> 00:24:13.460 Truth helps us identify what's right from wrong. 00:24:13.820 --> 00:24:16.000 You cannot defeat what you do not define. 00:24:16.040 --> 00:24:23.140 These strongholds in our life, when we can declare them as lies and understand what God communicates to us, then we can remove them from 00:24:23.140 --> 00:24:24.600 our life and continue to hear God's truth. 00:24:25.460 --> 00:24:30.120 To change your life by changing your mind, by embracing God's mind. 00:24:32.250 --> 00:24:37.950 What you think will determine what you do. 00:24:38.560 --> 00:24:41.870 Because what you believe you will obey. 00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:43.760 In Scripture. 00:24:43.760 --> 00:24:46.640 It encourages us over and over again to have the mind of Christ. 00:24:46.780 --> 00:24:53.900 Listen to these verses in Romans 8:5 "For they that are after the flesh do not mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the 00:24:53.900 --> 00:25:01.240 Spirit, the things that are of the Spirit." In Romans 12:2 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of 00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:02.600 your mind. 00:25:03.060 --> 00:25:10.340 Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things 00:25:10.340 --> 00:25:12.640 are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:19.720 If there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things." Ephesians 4:23 and be renewed by the 00:25:19.720 --> 00:25:26.480 spirit of your mind that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and truth and holiness. 00:25:27.880 --> 00:25:31.420 The Ephesians 1:18, Paul gives us his prayer for the church. 00:25:31.500 --> 00:25:38.640 He says this I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you the 00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:44.560 riches of his glorious inheritance in His holy people. 00:25:47.400 --> 00:25:50.210 To see yourself not as people say you are. 00:25:52.080 --> 00:25:53.490 But as God says you are. 00:25:55.160 --> 00:26:03.390 It's worth stopping and asking the question what stronghold to Satan have over you right now? 00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:08.230 What lie do you believe? 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:13.380 Where do you think God is not enough? 00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:19.310 Or where might you believe that He is not faithful? 00:26:22.100 --> 00:26:26.640 What is it that you might want in your life that's more important to you then the Lord? 00:26:29.320 --> 00:26:30.020 Then he goes on. 00:26:30.020 --> 00:26:33.900 He says, not only do we take every thought captive, but then he leaves it to this to obey Christ. 00:26:34.260 --> 00:26:36.640 The purpose of this is obedience to Christ. 00:26:38.080 --> 00:26:41.310 It's a heart fully committed to the Lord. 00:26:42.260 --> 00:26:49.480 Sometimes it's difficult for us to really know the motive of the heart, the motive 00:26:49.480 --> 00:26:50.980 of someone else's heart, for sure. 00:26:51.620 --> 00:26:54.080 But we can even fool ourselves in the motive of our own heart sometimes. 00:26:56.190 --> 00:27:00.720 So how do we know that we're not just simply believing something but also living something? 00:27:01.080 --> 00:27:02.360 This is what he's saying is that we obey. 00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:12.060 That we obey and a good way of the demonstration of your obedience, if it's an aligned with Christ to an outward way to see that is 00:27:12.060 --> 00:27:13.920 the way your character manifests itself. 00:27:15.940 --> 00:27:16.960 How do I know my heart's really given? 00:27:17.080 --> 00:27:19.360 Well, one is, do you understand the truth of God and align to the truth? 00:27:19.800 --> 00:27:21.260 How is your life playing it out? 00:27:21.560 --> 00:27:22.820 I can't read your heart. 00:27:22.820 --> 00:27:24.300 I don't know what's on your heart. 00:27:24.620 --> 00:27:24.720 But. 00:27:24.780 --> 00:27:29.980 But we can look at the evidence of the truth that you understand and the way that your life is living it out as an indicator. 00:27:29.980 --> 00:27:31.860 If your heart is really resting in the Lord. 00:27:32.300 --> 00:27:33.940 What is your character? 00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:39.650 True evidence of following Christ isn't just believing. 00:27:40.740 --> 00:27:41.550 But it's obeying. 00:27:43.140 --> 00:27:44.340 It's one thing to know the truth. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:50.240 But it's another to let it be lived through your life and your character. 00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:53.700 True character is revealing of what you truly believe. 00:27:56.880 --> 00:28:01.600 Everyone thinks they're right. 00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:06.040 The good test of your surrender to God is seen in your character. 00:28:08.040 --> 00:28:08.620 Meekness. 00:28:10.320 --> 00:28:11.200 Gentleness. 00:28:12.520 --> 00:28:13.000 Humility. 00:28:15.780 --> 00:28:17.220 Does your life model those things? 00:28:20.420 --> 00:28:24.540 Can you see a contrast in your life of who you were before Christ? 00:28:26.640 --> 00:28:29.990 And now who you are in Christ through those characteristics. 00:28:30.080 --> 00:28:32.680 I know not not one of us in this room is perfected in this way. 00:28:34.520 --> 00:28:41.830 But can you see an indication in your life where the character of Christ is being made known in that way? 00:28:43.040 --> 00:28:44.630 Is the evidence there? 00:28:46.280 --> 00:28:49.520 Now, Paul's reminding us, look, we go into these battles. 00:28:49.520 --> 00:28:56.860 We understand that there's the opposition and let's not take the bait, that it's just this fleshly fight that we're in, because there is something far 00:28:56.860 --> 00:28:58.660 greater, far more important taking place. 00:28:59.060 --> 00:29:00.560 And it's a battle over the truth. 00:29:00.680 --> 00:29:07.740 And we're not here to wrestle with the flesh and blood, but to understand that God wants us to take captive the thoughts that destroy a relationship, 00:29:07.800 --> 00:29:14.840 to point us to the ultimate truth that is in Christ, that we can have right relationship with the Lord and experience good relationship with one another because 00:29:14.840 --> 00:29:15.280 of that. 00:29:15.760 --> 00:29:21.380 And this should be demonstrated in your life by the way you surrender to the truth of God, not allowing fear to dictate. 00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:26.320 But him. 00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:28.940 The evidence of that. 00:29:30.840 --> 00:29:34.240 It's the way that your heart leans when you embrace the truth. 00:29:35.200 --> 00:29:35.710 Are you praus? 00:29:38.300 --> 00:29:45.340 Are you able to charge into the battle with extreme confidence but still put others before yourself because you don't need 00:29:45.340 --> 00:29:50.060 them to affirm you, but rather you know who you are and in Christ. 00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:53.280 So then what is the benefit? 00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:56.020 And what's the benefit for us? 00:29:56.080 --> 00:30:01.280 In verse six, he goes on and says, Being ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete. 00:30:01.340 --> 00:30:02.410 Let me read verse five again. 00:30:02.560 --> 00:30:08.340 We destroy arguments in every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ. 00:30:08.340 --> 00:30:12.410 Being ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete. 00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:15.760 What is the benefit one for us? 00:30:16.460 --> 00:30:17.900 Freedom. 00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:19.520 We have freedom. 00:30:20.670 --> 00:30:25.770 Because we don't have to prove ourselves to anyone when we know who we are in Christ. 00:30:26.880 --> 00:30:29.110 When you're able to find your identity in Jesus. 00:30:29.380 --> 00:30:30.500 Nothing holds you. 00:30:30.500 --> 00:30:31.080 No stronghold. 00:30:32.940 --> 00:30:34.310 There's freedom for you personally. 00:30:34.460 --> 00:30:38.360 Number two, the Lord is glorified in you through through obedience. 00:30:39.140 --> 00:30:46.480 When you walk in and meekness and humbleness and gentleness and God moves, it's obvious whose hand is at work, because 00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:48.620 it's not done by your strength, but rather his. 00:30:51.620 --> 00:30:54.140 And number three others are able to join in. 00:30:56.120 --> 00:31:01.480 See for Paul in this moment his position of authority as an Apostle, it's not about him gaining power. 00:31:03.360 --> 00:31:08.890 But rather it's about him using his position to empower others that they may live for the Lord together. 00:31:10.820 --> 00:31:11.740 That's Paul's desire. 00:31:11.760 --> 00:31:13.880 He doesn't want to fight a battle on an island to himself. 00:31:15.820 --> 00:31:20.020 He wants God's people to be aligned in the truth that they may live on mission as a community together. 00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:28.120 This is why, from the very beginning of Second Corinthians, he didn't come just guns blazing and said, forget you all, we're done. 00:31:28.120 --> 00:31:28.660 This is over. 00:31:28.740 --> 00:31:29.290 You're too difficult. 00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:32.020 There's other churches that are easier than this one. 00:31:33.640 --> 00:31:35.450 Rather he continued to submit himself. 00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:40.060 That they could strive together for what Christ has called them to. 00:31:41.400 --> 00:31:45.600 So you think about so how does how does all this look in our lives when we live this out? 00:31:45.600 --> 00:31:47.320 What is what does this look like? 00:31:47.340 --> 00:31:48.050 As a is a good example. 00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:54.940 Let me give you a one of the best I think I've found in church history is "Mighty Mary" Slessor. 00:31:56.140 --> 00:31:59.520 She developed this nickname because of some of the great things she did for the Lord. 00:31:59.660 --> 00:32:01.500 But Mary Slessor she was from Scotland. 00:32:02.900 --> 00:32:10.060 Born in the mid 1800s when she was 25 years old, the great missionary to Africa, David Livingstone, 00:32:10.140 --> 00:32:11.380 died. 00:32:11.500 --> 00:32:17.150 And inspired a group of young people to then take up that mantle and go to Africa as missionaries. 00:32:17.540 --> 00:32:21.460 And Mary Slessor went as a single young lady at the age of 27. 00:32:21.460 --> 00:32:22.790 She went to Nigeria. 00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:30.260 And she went to places in Africa where no European lady had gone alone before. 00:32:31.380 --> 00:32:33.920 And she served for 40 years. 00:32:35.420 --> 00:32:38.250 And the Lord used her to do all kinds of incredible things. 00:32:38.500 --> 00:32:45.180 There was this superstition in Nigeria that when twins were born, they should kill the twins because of some evil spirits related to that. 00:32:45.180 --> 00:32:46.770 And so she fought to get against infanticide. 00:32:47.940 --> 00:32:50.040 And she's she even adopted children. 00:32:50.040 --> 00:32:52.320 She traveled into dangerous regions. 00:32:52.320 --> 00:32:54.400 She championed women's rights. 00:32:54.400 --> 00:32:57.190 She set up a mission hospital for the locals. 00:32:57.420 --> 00:33:04.460 And when people saw her, they saw while she was just married, they saw this mighty figure. 00:33:04.780 --> 00:33:07.960 And so she developed the nickname Mighty Mary. 00:33:09.820 --> 00:33:13.960 She embodied the character of Prause. 00:33:15.980 --> 00:33:16.680 Of meekness. 00:33:18.240 --> 00:33:18.800 Daring. 00:33:20.100 --> 00:33:21.120 Incredibly strong. 00:33:22.080 --> 00:33:22.380 Yes. 00:33:22.380 --> 00:33:24.590 She was a humble servant. 00:33:26.460 --> 00:33:28.060 And she said these sort of things in her life. 00:33:28.080 --> 00:33:32.320 She said, Lord, the task is impossible for me, but not for you. 00:33:32.620 --> 00:33:35.580 Lead the way and I will follow. 00:33:35.860 --> 00:33:38.620 Or she says, Why should I fear? 00:33:38.660 --> 00:33:40.100 I'm on a royal mission. 00:33:40.160 --> 00:33:42.540 I am the service of the King of kings. 00:33:42.640 --> 00:33:49.920 And you can think as a as a young lady in her twenties going to Nigeria single during that time period, especially 00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:54.940 the kind of remarks that she would get as being a young lady going to Nigeria, going through the jungles. 00:33:55.240 --> 00:33:56.580 And she said this about her. 00:33:56.700 --> 00:34:01.160 So she said, when you think of the woman's power, you forget the power of the woman's god. 00:34:02.100 --> 00:34:03.480 I shall go on. 00:34:06.920 --> 00:34:07.440 She was meek. 00:34:09.860 --> 00:34:12.219 Because the spiritual battles were too important. 00:34:14.120 --> 00:34:15.139 She knew God's truth. 00:34:16.219 --> 00:34:20.139 And she was determined to believe them more than the strongholds. 00:34:22.940 --> 00:34:23.360 Friends. 00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:24.179 Can I ask you this morning? 00:34:27.400 --> 00:34:28.900 Are you confident in who you are in Jesus? 00:34:32.800 --> 00:34:34.760 Are you confident you have Jesus? 00:34:37.460 --> 00:34:44.739 You know, Matthew 7, there's an interesting passage in Matthew 7 where religious people come to Jesus and they say to Jesus, Lord, 00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:47.940 Lord, do we not do many wonderful works in your name and casting out demons? 00:34:48.120 --> 00:34:49.580 And Jesus says to them. 00:34:50.840 --> 00:34:51.320 Depart from me. 00:34:52.540 --> 00:34:54.300 I never knew you. 00:34:57.600 --> 00:34:59.200 We think about following after Christ. 00:34:59.280 --> 00:35:02.220 It's not an invitation about living a good life. 00:35:04.760 --> 00:35:07.400 It's an invitation to live in a relationship with Christ. 00:35:08.740 --> 00:35:13.750 And as Jesus has surrendered his life to you on the cross, that He could pay for your sins. 00:35:14.180 --> 00:35:19.240 Jesus then calls you to surrender your life to Him so that you might live for His glory in this world. 00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:20.840 To know him. 00:35:22.040 --> 00:35:23.520 To delighting in him. 00:35:24.760 --> 00:35:29.020 But there has got to come a place in our lives where we surrender to him. 00:35:30.820 --> 00:35:38.280 That we understand that we cannot achieve what God desires in our own strength, that we cannot undo anything wrong that we've ever done against God, 00:35:38.600 --> 00:35:41.160 that stands eternally as an offense against God. 00:35:41.300 --> 00:35:44.670 That the only thing that we have is to cry out for His forgiveness. 00:35:46.940 --> 00:35:49.140 And Jesus has opened that way through his cross. 00:35:49.140 --> 00:35:50.600 It's not based on what we do. 00:35:50.840 --> 00:35:52.700 It's based on what he has done for us. 00:35:54.360 --> 00:35:56.060 And when we step in that. 00:35:57.280 --> 00:35:58.720 Anything that we do moving forward. 00:36:00.200 --> 00:36:01.440 It's not about our glory, but his. 00:36:03.040 --> 00:36:04.590 Not in our power, but his. 00:36:05.460 --> 00:36:06.850 Because he's the one that pursued us. 00:36:07.360 --> 00:36:08.590 He's the one that freed us. 00:36:08.940 --> 00:36:11.640 He's the one that gives us his spirit to live. 00:36:11.980 --> 00:36:13.960 His purpose in this world. 00:36:14.200 --> 00:36:15.280 By his strength. 00:36:17.220 --> 00:36:32.700 God has given you a wonderful name. 00:36:33.320 --> 00:36:35.060 If you belong to Christ. 00:36:36.440 --> 00:36:38.080 Adopted child of God. 00:36:39.380 --> 00:36:44.110 Able to live for His glory, the King of of Kings and the Lords.