Tearing Down Lofty Arguments
Key Verse to Read and Treasure
A time to tear down. (Ecclesiastes 3:3, NIV)
For Insight
Here is an example of a good, productive, necessary, and fruitful way of tearing down. God deals with the tearing down or demolishing of strongholds forcefully. You cannot be gentle with this kind of tearing down. What has been, cannot remain. In 2 Corinthians Paul writes the Church about strongholds and arguments that are counterproductive to the Word and promises of God, saying, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” Through Paul’s words can you visualize what an intention activity this is?
Paul recognized he could not just make it his goal to gather a big crowd to hear him preach or teach. His duty and task were to preach a word from the Lord where people were transformed, strongholds and lofty arguments demolished. And he had a task before him that could only be accomplished through the Holy Spirit because people do not easily let go of what they have been taught or learned to believe about God or themselves.
I remember seeing a documentary some time ago about the process of deprogramming those who have been part of religious cults. It’s intense and not just anyone can do it only those especially trained in that area. Many of us are old enough to remember what happened in Jonestown Guyana in 1978, and the cult established by Jim Jones. Thousands of people died in one day drinking a deadly cocktail of Kool-Aid laced with poison, but many more lives were shattered and never whole again because of his misguided teachings.
If you have ever been involved in a relationship where you were verbally, psychologically, or emotionally abused or raised in an environment where you were torn down, told you were no good, stupid, never amount to anything in life, then you know all too well how these messages go deep, wound your heart, corrupt your correct way of thinking, program your brain to believe what you hear day after day.
Solomon’s message is right on time for whatever generation we are part of. There may be a season or time(s) we experience tearing down in the negative and demonic sense, but there is also a season and times God has ordained and purposed to tear down deception, abolish the strongholds of mental, emotional, and verbal abuses, demolish the lies that we have been fed day after day, year after year, season after season. God’s truth, light and transformation of the spirit, mind, and heart will not be denied. His purpose in our lives remains rebuilding and restoring the broken and hurting.
Check Yourself:
Are you someone who has experienced being torn down? Have you experienced the Holy Spirit’s ministry of helping you demolish arguments, deception, and strongholds? What season are you in presently? How does Solomon’s and Paul’s words encourage you to hang on?
Praying Ecclesiastes 3:4
Jesus, we will be torn down in so many ways over our lifetime, you also experienced in in your earthly life, but thanks be to God who daily bears our burdens, your word promises there will also be a time when the arguments and strongholds will be demolished, torn down and no longer have an impact on us. Send your Holy Spirit to heal and deliver, to help us demolish any thought that does not serve the Father’s purposes in our life. Amen
Digging Deeper
Devotionally Yours 