Weapons to Destroy Fortresses

In our previous studies on this theme, we've come to see ourselves as Christians involved in a tremendous conflict that spans the whole universe from heaven to earth. A conflict between God and the forces of good on the one hand, and on the other hand, Satan and the forces of evil. We've seen Satan as the enemy, the adversary, the resister, the one who opposes God, his purposes and his people, who rules over a kingdom in the spirit world of fallen, rebellious angels and does everything that he is able to do against the people of God to frustrate us, to harm us, and actually to destroy us.

In the light of this revelation from scripture, we could easily become fearful or discouraged unless the scripture had also provided us with an unshakable basis for courage and for strong confidence. So let me give you just briefly some of the scriptures which are there to counterbalance this picture of evil and show us how we are designed to be victors and how we have all that is needed for victory supplied to us by God.

First of all, in 2 Corinthians 10:4 and 5,

“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh,” they're not physical, they're not material, “but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.”

Our weapons are spiritual weapons supplied by God, are divinely powerful. Literally, they are powerful through God. In other words, as we operate these weapons that God has given us in faith and in dependence upon God, the very power of God himself is available to us through these weapons. So these weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses, that is Satan's fortresses. Notice, we are not on the defensive. We're not wondering where Satan is going to strike us next, but we are moving out on the attack. We're moving out against Satan's fortresses to destroy them with these spiritual weapons that we have been talking about this week.

And then Paul goes on in the next verse,

“we are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God.”

Everything that opposes God's knowledge, God's purposes, God's people, wherever Satan has raised up a fortress, it's our responsibility in God, with the weapons that God has supplied us with, to come against these things and destroy them. We must not remain passive, we must not remain on the defensive. We've got to realize who we are in God, what God has supplied us with, and then move out actively in faith to attack.

You might say, well, I'm so weak, I'm so unworthy. Well, be careful how you use those words because sometimes the devil puts those words in your mouth. In a certain sense, it's true you are weak, but then let me read these words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:27 and 28.

“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, that he might nullify the things that are.”

So we could say, well, I'm so foolish or I'm so weak or I'm so unworthy. In a certain sense, that's true. But remember that in his infinite wisdom, God has chosen people of that kind, people just like you and me to overthrow the things that are, and that is primarily Satan's kingdom.

Our confidence, you see, is not in ourselves, but in our weapons. And you remember the three weapons that we've been specifically speaking about: the blood of Jesus, the word of God, and our testimony. And we've applied that this way: We overcome Satan when we testify personally to what the word of God says that the blood of Jesus does for us. I'm going to go on repeating that statement this week so many times that you'll be able to say it in your sleep because it's got to become part of your thinking. Even when you're not consciously on your guard or consciously being spiritual, you've got to have this attitude deeply ingrained in you. We overcome Satan when we testify personally to what the word of God says that the blood of Jesus does for us.

Now, in my previous talks this week, we've looked together at four wonderful provisions of the blood of Jesus. First, redemption, second, forgiveness, third, cleansing from sin, and fourth, justification. In each case, we've seen how to appropriate these provisions by making the right personal testimony. Today, I'm going to share with you on yet another wonderful provision: sanctification.

Now again, sanctification is a kind of technical word in the New Testament. It's from a Latin root and it's rather a long word and it frightens some people. But let me explain very simply, without going into too many details, to sanctify means to make holy. In the original language, the word sanctify is directly related to the word holy. And to make holy means to set something or someone apart to God. A holy person is someone who is set apart to God.

Now let's see what the scripture says about how we are sanctified through the blood of Jesus. Hebrews 13:12 is one sufficient verse.

“Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.”

In other words, he was crucified outside the city. Why did he do that? That he might sanctify the people through his own blood. In other words, through the blood of Jesus, we are sanctified, made holy, set apart to God.