Tearing Down Strongholds

Worldviews & Apologetics Series: Part 3 | Part 2 | Part 1

The last article in our series unpacked how to faithfully live out our Christian worldview and engage with a secular world.  We looked at 1 Peter 3:14-15, a critical passage for understating our call to Apologetics – defending the Christian faith. Make no mistake about it, our enemy Satan is engaged in a spiritual battle, and we need to be equipped to fight with God’s weapons.  Let’s look at 2 Corinthians 10 to see how we can tear down the strongholds of the world and build up the gospel in people’s hearts. In this letter, the apostle Paul is defending his ministry and his gospel from opponents trying to undermine him.  He writes, 

“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.” | 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

Although Christians walk in the flesh – meaning we’re humans who live in the physical world – we don’t wage war according to worldly practices! We don’t wage warfare with human, fleshly weapons. In the battle for ideas, we can see three primary weapons of the world:

• Coercion – bribery, offering a reward; tricking someone into thinking that what is harmful will benefit them; manipulating someone with guilt or shame into doing what you want. 
• Aggression – using sheer strength or force to make people do what you want; being loud, aggressive, or using fear to get your way. 
• Deception – deceiving people, tricking them with lies, half-truths, and empty promises that sound appealing. 

These are not the weapons of God’s people. You don’t fight fire with fire – you fight fire with water. Earlier in 2 Corinthians, Paul says he has “renounced disgraceful, underhanded, cunning ways” (4:2).  When unbelievers in the world get arrogant, angry, and loud, followers of Christ remain humble, calm, and confident. When false teachers use insults, name-calling, put-downs, and slander, Jesus’s people speak truth with kindness, gentleness, and respect, because all people (even those who oppose Christ) are created in the image of God. When those blinded by Satan use violence and force to get their way, Christians stand firm in the love and peace of God. We are commanded, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). 

In the face of injustice and oppression, we remain calm and confident because we have a King sitting on the throne. When lies and deceit spread and capture the hearts of those around us – we stand up humbly and confidently declare the truth, because we know it is the truth and we know that no lie can change that. We don’t need to shout; we only need to be loud enough to be heard. When there is suffering, pain, and turmoil we can certainly grieve, feel sad, and maybe even feel righteous anger – but we don’t lose our temper and lash out; we don’t yell and scream.  We belong to Jesus. He purchased us with his blood! He has died, he has been raised, he is returning, and he is victorious. 

In this battle against false worldviews, we use totally different kinds of weapons. These weapons don’t do physical harm – in fact, they are more powerful! “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” The word “stronghold” means a fortress – a heavily defended fort. And the word “destroy” means to pull down. What are these strongholds that our weapons can destroy? Verse 5 says these strongholds are the arguments and lofty opinions that are raised up to stand against the true knowledge of God.  

In the context of the Corinthians, Paul is fighting false teachers in the church. That’s why he says in verse 6 that he is “ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” In other words, once the majority of the church has been convinced to stand firm in the true gospel, then he’ll have the firm footing to take care of the wolves, the false teachers leading them astray. 

So, here is the picture the passage gives us: The knowledge of God is all around. Evidence of his power, wisdom, creativity is in nature. Evidence of his beauty, intelligence, and love is found in every human being created in his image. Evidence of his grace and mercy is found in Christians and churches proclaiming and living the gospel. And so, the glory and goodness of God is revealed, spreading, shining across the world.  But, people who are trapped in sin, blinded to the truth, and driven by selfish pride don’t want to accept this. They resist embracing the true knowledge of God, because they don’t want to see him. But because he is such a powerful force, they must build a fortress, a stronghold with high walls to stand behind so they can live in their own version of reality.  

These strongholds are worldviews, deeply rooted in false, prideful convictions. As we saw in the Worldview Chart from part 2, there are various false worldviews at work, but let’s look at three main ones: 

• Rationalism (Materialism, Empiricism) – There is no god or spiritual world, all that exists is the physical world can be measured with our five senses. Through reason, science, and technology we can advance human society and achieve peace and happiness in this life.  
• Relativism (Nihilism, Hedonism) – We can’t know if there is a god, what he is like, and it doesn’t matter anyway. No one can really know anything – all truth is relative. All you have to go with is your own feelings and experience. So, the only thing left to do is whatever feels good – be who you want to be and do what you want to do.
• Religious Humanism – God is a judge who rewards good and punishes evil. You have to work hard, be good, stay disciplined, obey the rules of religion or system, so you can receive the reward you deserve in this life and the next.  

Both on a micro/interpersonal level, and a macro/social level, these are the strongholds we are called to tear down. To do this, we can’t just shout truth statements. This usually isn’t effective. We need to listen to people, understand their worldviews, and boldly contend for the faith. The Holy Spirit can bring down these strongholds as we lovingly persuade people of the devastating cracks in the foundations of their worldviews: 

• Inaccurate – What are their false beliefs that don’t correspond to the actual state of reality? For instance, a materialist believes the universe is the result of random, chaotic chance, yet we see order, design, and the uniformity of nature all around us.  
• Inconsistent – How are their own convictions in conflict with themselves? For instance, the hedonist says that personal pleasure is all that matters but will still endure pain in the name of love.  
• Ineffective – How does their own system not actually accomplish for them what they hope? For instance, a religious humanist will work hard, stay disciplined, follow all the rules in an attempt to find spiritual life, peace, and purpose – yet they live weighted down by a crushing burden they can’t lift.  

The battle that Christians and our churches are engaged in has a two-step strategy – tear down the strongholds and “take every thought captive to obey Christ.” Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit’s divine power can tear down these fortress walls – and then the knowledge of God can come flooding in so they will trust Christ and obey him!

Remember, we fight this spiritual battle against false worldviews, not with the worldly weapons of coercion, aggression, and manipulation – but with spiritual weapons. Wayne Grudem says, 

“These weapons, used against demonic forces that hinder the spread of the gospel and the progress of the church, include such things as prayer, worship, the authority to rebuke demonic forces, the words of Scripture, faith, and the righteous conduct on the part of the members of the church. When we consider this spiritual power in a broad sense, it certainly includes the power of the gospel to break through sin and harden opposition and awaken faith in the hearts of unbelievers. But this power also includes spiritual power that will render demonic opposition to the gospel ineffective.” Systematic Theology

We can summarize these spiritual weapons in three areas: 

• Prayer & Faith – Thanksgiving, praise, petition, intercession are all spiritual weapons, pushing back the darkness by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our God and Father hears our prayers and answers our prayers for his Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. Furthermore, the New Testament makes it clear that disciples of Christ have authority to rebuke demonic work. “Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee” (Jas. 4:7).
• Scripture & Gospel – God’s Word is called a sword, the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17, Heb. 4:12). God’s Word is truth, living and active, capable of destroying strongholds. The Gospel is the central message of all of Scripture – salvation through faith in Christ’s death and resurrection, this Gospel has power to transform lives (Rom. 1:16).
• Righteousness & Love – The faithful witness of each Christian and the corporate church is a light shining to drive out the cosmic forces of darkness. Living an obedient life of faith, truth, righteousness and love are weapons against the spiritual forces of evil (Eph. 5:7-16, 6:10-18).

This is a spiritual battle against spiritual forces of the world, the flesh, and the devil. This is not a traditional war with lines of soldiers coming out to face one another on a single battlefront. This is guerilla warfare, with multiple fronts, with enemies lurking, hiding, and popping up all over the place. If we engage in a one-dimensional battle – only facing one way, fighting in one direction, against one manifestation of the enemy, with only one type of weapon – we’re setting ourselves up for failure. We need to engage in the war on three fronts: 

• Gospel Evangelism: Transforming Hearts – prioritize relationships with the lost, live a righteous life, proclaim the gospel, and share your testimony. 
• Mercy Ministry: Serving People – help those who are hurting, give to the poor, serve those in need through adoption, foster care, immigrant support, and care for the homeless.
• Cultural Engagement: Building Structures – build and support schools, community centers, social programs; work for ethical business, living wages, fair laws, and a just government.

The Christian worldview is true and good, but we are in a spiritual battle against worldviews that are false and harmful.  We don’t fight this battle with worldly weapons, but with divine power to tear down strongholds, with spiritual weapons to lead people to Christ. Stand with Christ and fight with the peace and confidence that he has already won.