“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds…” 2 Corinthians 10:4
In the spiritual warfare in which the true believer in Christ is engaged, Paul gives us a vision of the soldier of Christ in his letter to the Ephesian church. This picture, and treatment of the subject of the engagement of the soldier in the warfare, only comes after Paul has dealt with the great, monumental, and all-eclipsing truth of the believer’s union with Christ, having been placed IN HIM at the new birth. The ramifications of this truth, though we can only grasp some small measure of it, is somewhat like the very sick woman who stretched out her hand to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment. She knew that Christ was the Messiah, and that He would heal her if only she touched His garment. So likewise, we stretch forth the hands of our hearts to again touch the hem of Jesus’ garment, that He, by the Spirit might reveal to us the greatness of this foundational truth of Christianity by which all becomes possible in response to faith. The soldier of Christ is first and foremost IN CHRIST, His Life, Provider, Savior, Lord, and Captain, his very Victory in the conflict. Paul then proceeds to describe this soldier, his armor, and the one offensive weapon, which is as he writes to the Corinthian believers as being “…mighty through God to the tearing down of strongholds.” The armor given by Christ is that by which the soldier can repel the attacks of the enemy, maintaining his position of faith according to the will of God. However, the “word of God,” which is the Sword of the Spirit, sharper than any two-edged sword, is that weapon by which the enemy is practically renounced, rejected, repelled, and ruled over. This “word of God” opens up to the believer also four more weapons of great worth, power, effectiveness, and which work with certainty to put the enemy to flight, breaking down “strongholds,” those points of resistance and rebellion which the enemy controls. The soldier of Christ is called upon, and called forth, to engage the enemy, with Christ as his life and power, in order that “the loins of kings” should be loosened, (his control removed), the bars severed (points of resistance where the enemy enslaves men by his lies), but also, according to the words of Christ’s promise concerning His church, and the resistance of the enemy: “… the gates of Hell shall NOT prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:18)
The first of these great and effective four weapons in Christ, given to the church and every member of Christ’s body, is the blood of Christ. Why is this the first? It is because throughout Scripture the testimony of God to fallen man is this, that sin must be dealt with, with regard to its offense to God, His wrath being constantly against it. Only the blood of Christ can cleanse from sin. Isaiah could not minister until his lips were cleansed. Joshua the high priest in Zechariah’s day could not minister, being constantly accused and condemned by Satan, until his sin was removed. And then there are the Psalmist’s words: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will NOT hear me.” The blood of Christ is the only thing in heaven and earth that the enemy must acknowledge, respect, and flee from, with regard to forgiveness and cleansing from sin, simply because it is God’s provision for sin, affirming one’s acceptance before Him.
Secondly, the all-powerful, victorious name of Christ. Being IN Christ, the believing soldier has been commissioned IN JESUS’ NAME, in the power and authority of that name, a name above every other name because of His complete victory.
Thirdly, the cross of Christ is the eternal declaration of Christ before all creation that God has dealt totally with all that is not of Christ in God, having nailed it to the cross, and this forever.
Lastly, Christ’s power by the Spirit is given in answer to prayer.
Dear Father, Make us effective soldiers. In Jesus’ name, Amen.