STRONGHOLDS OF THE MIND
2 Corinthians 10 & 11
I. THE INNER LIFE
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23)
A. There are several influences that feed or form our inner man. Some of these are our natural sinfulness, the atmosphere
of our home life, meditation on the Word, confessions of faith (truths we speak out deliberately), etc.
B. What we feed our minds with determines our thoughts. If our thoughts are to be right and true, we must
intentionally feed our minds on His Word in a deliberate, continual way.
C. When our thoughts are going the wrong direction, we can also change them by speaking truth with our mouths––
the confession of faith. When we speak the Word of God, we impact our minds to follow what we speak.
1. For example, when Jesus was tempted by the devil in Matthew 4, each time He responded by speaking the truths
found in His Word.
4But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the
mouth of God.’”… 7Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’”… 10Then Jesus
said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall
serve.’” (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10)
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
2. James refers to this principle when he says that if we get our words right, our thoughts, emotions, and behavior will be right.
2 If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect [mature] man, able also to bridle the whole body. (James 3:2)
D. Our emotional life is formed by our thought life. When our emotions are led by righteous thoughts, righteous activity and
behavior will also follow.
II. STRONGHOLDS OF THE MIND
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal
but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 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)
A. The flesh referred to here is not sinful desires. Rather it is referring to our natural abilities and resources. We
cannot fight according to our physical abilities because the war is spiritual. We must fight this battle using spiritual
weapons.
B. It is in using our spiritual weapons that we have authority. Then when we pray and sing, we actually move angels
and demons. We affect the supernatural realm when we war against negative strongholds with spiritual weapons.
C. The spiritual weapons we have may seem weak in the natural, but they are effective and powerful in God for pulling down
strongholds.
D. Strongholds in our minds are collections of thoughts that are in agreement with darkness––that accuse the truth about
Who God is, what He is like, and who we are before Him. Just like a stronghold or fortress would be in the natural, we do
not pull them down instantly. Our war is not fought in a single moment, but through the countless moments that comprise
our daily lives.
E. The weapons we use are fasting, prayer, obedience, blessing our enemies, humility, the confession of faith, etc.
We bring our thoughts into captivity by agreement with the Word of God. We can find many of these realities in the
Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).
III. DEVOTION TO CHRIST
2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present
you as a pure virgin. 3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray
from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:2-3 NASB)
A. It is critical that we view 2 Corinthians 10 and 11 together. The two chapters go together very specifically because
chapter eleven applies the principles found in chapter ten.
B. The goal of pulling down strongholds of the mind and bringing our thoughts captive unto Christ is that we would love
God with all of our hearts––that we would be single-minded. If we are to live in the simplicity and purity of devotion to
Christ, we must intentionally guard our minds from being led astray.