We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
II Corinthians 10: 5 (NLT)
Paul was always ready to defend his ministry. He was also always ready to encourage and correct those he made disciples. This devotion looks at his encouragement to disciples to overcome obstacles in witnessing.
Nuggets
- There can be many obstacles that can keep people from believing the gospel.
- It is important to note that Paul didn’t mock nonbelievers for thinking as they did.
- True disciples have to teach nonbelievers to obey Christ.
When we are witnessing for Christ, disciples can come across a variety of obstacles. Paul gave us some pointers on how to deal with that.
Let's Put It into Context
Paul faced a lot of opposition. There were not only false teacher circulating in the churches he had founded, but there was also false disciples. This was especially true in the church at Corinth.
To read Do We Still Have to Worry About False Teachers?, click the button below.
When we get to chapter ten of II Corinthians, Paul began the chapter by defending his ministry. He noted that while he was gentle with them in person, he could be bold in writing these letters to them.
Verse 2 is hilarious to me. “I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of acting in worldly fashion” (II Cor. 10: 2 RSV). I can just hear him saying, “Don’t make me come up there!”
Verses 3 and 4 remind the Corinthians — and us — that the battle is spiritual warfare. It is a war taking place in our hearts and in our minds. That is why we need divine power to combat our enemy and destroy his hold on us.
Let’s see how what advice Paul has for us.
Obstacles to Salvation
“We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God …” (II Corinthians 10: 5 NLT)
There can be many obstacles that can keep people from believing the gospel. It can be their intellect. Nonbelievers may say they will not believe in God until they have figured it all out — until they understand different aspects that we have to take on faith.
Or nonbelievers may be unwilling to consider differing beliefs. They know what they know, and no one is going to change their minds.
Independence may also be keeping nonbelievers from believing in God. They may feel that they do not need Him.
The reason may be on a continuum from indifference to pride. Nonbelievers may not see they have a need for a Lord and Savior. They may just not care one way or the other.
Maybe nonbelievers think there is probably some kind of god, but they put off searching for the One true God. They figure they have a lot of time left to search for Him.
It seems today that the biggest obstacle is nonbelievers’ belief that the gospel is no longer relevant. They see it as outdated at best and a lie at worst.
Nonbelievers can use any or all of these arguments to attack the gospel. If they are trying to convince disciples to think the way they do, they are leading us away from God. It is up to true disciples to help point them to the Way. That is Jesus (Jn. 14: 6).
How Do We Approach Nonbelievers?
“… We capture their rebellious thoughts …” (II Corinthians 10: 5 NLT)
It is important to note that Paul didn’t mock nonbelievers for thinking as they did. He didn’t call them names and put them down. He didn’t tell them not to reason things out.
On the contrary, Paul started where nonbelievers were at. What is it that they did believe? Then he used the Old Testament prophecies and all they had seen and heard from Jesus’ and the apostles’ ministries to convince them that Jesus is our Savior.
Don’t you love Paul’s imagery here? The enemy is storming the walls of our minds. They are trying to breach the walls and overrun the city of our minds. Satan is trying to capture our thoughts.
But don’t despair! God’s army will fight back. He is fighting for believers to remain firm and nonbelievers to believe. He hasn’t written us off as just a casualty in the battle. He knows we are a prisoner of spiritual war with Satan.
So, God and His vast army of angels are fighting back. He wants believers back and nonbelievers in His camp.
What? You think God wouldn’t fight for just one person — just little ol’ you. He will.
God will use all the resources in heaven to ensure our safety — if we make Him our Sovereign Lord. He loves us that much.
Let’s look at it this way. Our thoughts are used by the enemy to attack us. When the Holy Spirit starts to convict us, He also uses our thoughts.
We have to understand that we are in a sinful condition — regardless of how good or bad a person we think we are. We are spiritually dead, and we need a Savior.
It is when we accept that guilt and need that our thoughts of not needing God are taken prisoner. It is when we ask Jesus to be our Redeemer and Savior and God to be our Sovereign Lord that the battle is won.
Sometimes our thoughts can still be rebellious. We may be disciples, but every once in a while, this thought pops up that tempts us to deny God or do something against His laws and commandments.
Disciples Have to Teach Nonbelievers
“… and teach them to obey Christ” (II Corinthians 10: 5 NLT)
The last part of II Corinthians 10: 5 is important. True disciples have to teach nonbelievers to obey Christ. We have to show them the Way.
“… teach them …” (II Cor. 10: 5 NLT) sometimes trips us up. Unfortunately, our teaching them doesn’t always lead to their learning. Doesn’t matter.
Our job as a disciple is to proclaim the gospel and make disciples. It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict.
The Disciple’s Job Description
Job Duty #4
Proclaim the Gospel (Mark 16: 15)
Job Duty #6
Make Disciples (Matthew 28: 19-20)
Even if we don’t think the nonbelievers will turn around and start following God, we need to share the gospel anyway. We never know when we will plant a seed that will be harvested in the future.
Making the Connections
The King James Version translates the verse this way. “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” (II Cor. 10: 5 KJV).
Don’t we imagine a lot of things in our minds. Some are true and accurate. Some, not so much. Some will happen; some, never in a million years. Pride is sometimes tied up in that.
Let’s look at the “… against the knowledge of God …” part (II Cor. 10: 5 KJV). No, God is not against knowledge. In fact, He wants us to “… grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ …” (II Pet. 3: 18 ESV).
It is the “of God” part that is crucial. Yes, it is important to have knowledge so we can live this life.
This life isn’t as important as our eternal life. It isn’t as important as our spiritual life.
How Do We Apply This?
To apply this, disciples have to be ready to share our story, share our faith. We can’t rely on others to do it. Witnessing is in all of our job descriptions.
So, we have to prepare for the arguments we will encounter from nonbelievers. We have to address their lack of knowledge about the One true God. We may have to correct what they do know or fill in the gaps of what they don’t know.
We have to show them the urgency of believing in God. Yes, every generation since Christ ascended has believed their’s to be the last. No, He hasn’t come yet.
But people have continued to die. Their time of choice has ended even if everyone else’s hasn’t. We have to show them the urgency in their lives.
Yes, we become set in our ways. And yes, becoming a disciple for Christ means we have to change our focus, sometimes our ways.
What biblical facts do we need to brush up on to address those. Why do we believe what we believe? Some aren’t going to accept something just because it is written (even if they accept other things without first-hand knowledge. We have to show them how it has affected our lives and how God has changed our ways of thinking.
When we are witnessing, we may not get the immediate response we would like. We have to let God work on His timetable.
God can and will destroy obstacles that are keeping mankind from believing on Him. He will use us as messenger to get that word out to a dying world. We have to be ready.
Father. Your love for mankind is limitless. There are so many times that You could have just turned Your back on us and allowed the punishment we deserve to be handed out. You don’t do that. Because of Your love and mercy, You do break down the barriers that are separating us. Lord, we pray that all who will come to You do so soon. Use us to help accomplish that. Amen.
What do you think?
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