Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Demolishing Strongholds
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV)
The sword of the Spirit that the apostle Paul talks about in Ephesians 6 is not only for deflecting a blow from the enemy; it’s also for inflicting one. This is something the devil doesn’t want you to know. He doesn’t want you to start attacking, because if you’re always defending, then he’s in the superior position. But if you’re attacking, then you’re in the superior position.
If you have a hard time picturing your Bible as a weapon, look at Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 above. As believers, our battles are spiritual. Standard military weaponry and tactics don’t apply. The battles take place in our hearts and minds. They’re played out in our thoughts, philosophies, priorities, and beliefs. And because the Bible is God’s truth—the ultimate and most powerful source of truth—nothing else can match its impact. It has the power to demolish the excuses, philosophies, reasoning, and arguments that cause people to oppose and reject the Christian faith.
As spiritual warriors for Christ, we must confront the lies of this world with the truth of God’s Word. That’s how we wield the sword of the Spirit.
We also use it to set the devil’s spiritual captives free. We do that by sharing the gospel with unbelievers using the words of Scripture. In Acts 8, we see this scenario play out in the life of Philip, an early Christian evangelist. Philip ministered in the city of Samaria, where he “told the people there about the Messiah” (verse 5 NLT). As a result, “people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (verse 12 NLT).
What looks like evangelism to us is actually spiritual battle. Philip used the Good News to attack the devil’s stronghold in Samaria. In verse 26, an angel of the Lord gave Philip marching orders: “Go south” (NLT). Like a good soldier, Philip obeyed. He found an Ethiopian official who was trying to understand a Bible passage. Philip used the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, to help the man understand the truth about Jesus. Armed only with the words of Scripture, he took the battle to the devil.
Make no mistake about it: There is authority and power in the Word of God. My words will fall to the ground, but God’s Word sticks. God’s Word breaks through. We could spend all day trying to defend and explain the Bible, but I have a better idea: Use the sword of the Spirit. That’s what Philip did, and that’s what we need to do as well.
Reflection question: In your circle of acquaintances, what are some faulty philosophies, reasoning, and arguments that need to be confronted with the truth of God’s Word?
Copyright © 2025 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Greg Laurie is the pastor and founder of the Harvest churches in California and Hawaii and of Harvest Crusades. He is an evangelist, best-selling author, and movie producer. His latest film ‘Jesus Revolution,’ from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, is now available on-demand worldwide.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com and weekly podcast on LifeAudio.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
Have you ever wanted to share your faith but didn’t know where to start? You’re not alone—and you’re not without help. This month’s premium resource is Tell Someone, a down-to-earth, gospel-centered guide written by Pastor Greg Laurie. It’s filled with biblical insights and practical stories from Greg’s decades of evangelistic experience, showing how every believer, no matter their background or personality, can boldly share the hope of Jesus. Request your copy today with your gift to Harvest Ministries.
