…casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God… —2 Corinthians 10:5
Determinedly Demolish Some Things. Deliverance from sin is not the same as deliverance from human nature. There are things in human nature, such as prejudices, that the saint can only destroy through sheer neglect. But there are other things that have to be destroyed through violence, that is, through God’s divine strength imparted by His Spirit. There are some things over which we are not to fight, but only to “stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord…” (see Exodus 14:13). But every theory or thought that raises itself up as a fortified barrier “against the knowledge of God” is to be determinedly demolished by drawing on God’s power, not through human effort or by compromise (see 2 Corinthians 10:4).
It is only when God has transformed our nature and we have entered into the experience of sanctification that the fight begins. The warfare is not against sin; we can never fight against sin— Jesus Christ conquered that in His redemption of us. The conflict is waged over turning our natural life into a spiritual life. This is never done easily, nor does God intend that it be so. It is accomplished only through a series of moral choices. God does not make us holy in the sense that He makes our character holy. He makes us holy in the sense that He has made us innocent before Him. And then we have to turn that innocence into holy character through the moral choices we make. These choices are continually opposed and hostile to the things of our natural life which have become so deeply entrenched— the very things that raise themselves up as fortified barriers “against the knowledge of God.” We can either turn back, making ourselves of no value to the kingdom of God, or we can determinedly demolish these things, allowing Jesus to bring another son to glory (see Hebrews 2:10).
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Journal DJR
Good Morning Lord,
Destroying old things by sheer neglect caught my attention today. It sounds really good. But my experience is that some of those things keep resurrecting and neglect hasn’t worked too well by itself. Then you reminded me of the tools in the toolbox metaphor that you have given us. And one of the tools that seems to work well for us humans is the tool of “replacement” We can’t stand a vacuum, so we replace one habit with another, hopefully a less destructive one, even a more godly one, or, as the devo suggests, we move toward sanctification. But I find that even those tools don’t work 100%.
The “tools” as you mention work best in the surrendered life. Sowing and Reaping, for example, can turn from something beautiful to something ugly if you approach it with force. I don’t run a cosmic vending machine, and when people try to make it that with their “service in, — blessings out” quid pro quo approach…. well, That’s not what I bless. Even the tool of replacement or substitution, won’t work as well if you are planning it out and forcing things to happen. All these tools work best in the surrendered life. If you start with surrender, I can empower the sanctification in my time and my way. You’ll be happier so just relax stay connected and let me complete the good work that I began in you. I secured all the power you’ll ever need at the Cross 2000 years ago. Just let it flow. Surrender and Connection. Then live out of what I show you.
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