Understanding the Battleground

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal [fleshly or physical] but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3–5)

Our warfare against Satan is waged in the spiritual realm; therefore, the weapons are spiritual and appropriate to the realm of the warfare.

It is tremendously important that we understand where the battle is taking place. Paul used various words in 2 Corinthians to speak of the battleground and our objectives. In different translations, we find the following words:

• Imaginations
• Reasonings
• Speculations
• Arguments
• Knowledge
• Thought

Notice that every one of those words refers to the realm of the mind. We absolutely must understand that the battleground is in our minds. Satan is waging an all out war to captivate the minds of the human race. He is building strongholds and fortresses in our minds, and it is our responsibility, as God’s representatives, to use our spiritual weapons to break down these strongholds, to liberate the minds of men and women, and then to bring them into captivity to the obedience of Christ. What a staggering assignment that is!

Satan deliberately and systematically builds strongholds in people’s minds. These fortresses resist the truth of the gospel and the Word of God and prevent us from being able to receive the message of the gospel.