2 Corinthians 10:4-5
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
It is interesting that the word stronghold means to fortify, to hold safely. It is the idea of a castle that is well protected against attack. This definition would normally be viewed as a good thing but that is not the contextual thought of these verses in 2 Corinthians. This stronghold is protecting evil things in your life that will not allow you to remove them. It is needful to pull down these protections of the stronghold so that the evil can be dealt with. (“Pulling down” means to demolish, to destroy, or to make extinct.) When these evil things infiltrate our lives (and have found a fortified lodging place to dwell) they attack us from within. Once a stronghold is established, it is impossible to remove it without the mighty hand of God.
The words “casting down” in verse 5 are very close kin to the “pulling down” of verse 4. It also means to demolish and destroy but it adds that it is done through a lowering in position. By the very definition this lowering is done violently. This is not a casual thing but a “warfare”. The lowering puts down the evil imaginations and those “high” things that need to be put in their proper place, which is under the feet of Jesus. The word “captivity” also helps us to understand that these evil things must be bound in such a way that they cannot get loose. We do not have the ability to do this. That is why we must yield ourselves to the one who can destroy the strongholds, bring down the prideful walls, and bind them with unbreakable cords. We are no match for the strongholds but the strongholds crumble under the power of God. (Consider the city of Jericho in Joshua 6:20. God brought down the walls because the people trusted and obeyed the Lord.)
Mark 3:27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
The only one who can “bind the strong man” is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We must submit ourselves to him if our battle with the fortified opposition will ever be won.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Submission to God comes before victory.
In Christ's Service,
Bro. Adrian Moore
2 Cor. 4:5
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