This is a section of scriptures. Often, portions of it are quoted independent of the surrounding scriptures, but I want to take a deeper look at this whole portion. When it was written, it would not have had the scripture references and would have been a more complete thought if read together.

While this section is said to apply to the church and false teachings infiltrating the Corinthians at that time, I also find value in these scriptures for personal edification as well.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Everyone reading this article walks in the “flesh”. Meaning that we are mortal beings in a physical life.

The scripture then goes on to say we do not war after the flesh.

“After” can mean “according to” but the Greek word “kata” has quite a few meanings as it has been used elsewhere.

The word “war” here denotes military service or serving as a soldier.

“Warfare” in verse 4, denotes a military expedition or campaign.

In referencing service for Christ as a soldier, it is essentially saying that we do not serve in a fleshy way, because the weapons of our campaign are not fleshly. A military campaign takes place over a period of time, so it represents more than just one battle. This indicates that this warfare also takes place over a period of time. When fighting in a campaign, strategy unfolds over a longer fight and may encompass multiple battles of different shapes and sizes.

Our weapons are not “carnal” or “fleshly” meaning they are not physical nor do they come from our mortal nature or carnal nature.

This is important to note as we get into the next portions of scripture.

Our weapons are “powerful through God”.

God is the source of our power. The word “powerful” denotes possibility and that means that while possible, a personal responsibility rests on the person wielding the power.

The “pulling down” or “overthrow” of strongholds means to utterly demolish them.

“Strongholds” as it is used here only occurs once in the New Testament.

The next portion of scripture mentions “imaginations” which can translate as “reasonings”. Some scholars believe the strongholds are “arguments” or “reasonings”.

It also could allude to Proverbs 21:22 which says, “A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, And casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.”

This means “tears down the stronghold in which the ungodly trust.”

If we look at how that connects with the scriptures we are reading, we can conclude that the arguments or reasonings that are strongholds are ungodly, and we trust in them or believe them. See how this matters as we talk about the next part.

“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;

“high thing” can represent “strongholds” just as the word “imaginations” can, but more specifically I believe “high thing” refers to “obstacles” that we have put a high level of trust in and have given those obstacles high position of authority in our ways of thinking.

These are reasonings and arguments that are ungodly which we cannot defeat and overcome within the powers of our own mind.

“Exalteth” means to lift up in pride.

It is interesting that says exalteth “itself”.

These reasonings and arguments; these strongholds which are prideful and ungodly which we have given a high place of authority in our minds exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. They are like soldiers who no longer obey their commanders and are waging war on their own terms, harming their own campaign and losing the war.

These thoughts are only able to be overcome by the Spirit of God in His power.

The scripture says these prideful thoughts attempt to pridefully exalt themselves against the “knowledge of God” as if they are higher or more true. You can’t have something to be more true than truth. If it is more true than truth, then it is false.

‭‭If you know a friend really well, and someone says something about your friend that is false, you know it is false because you know your friend.

Likewise, when you have knowledge about God, ungodly thoughts that try and imitate truth or attempt to change your way of believing in God’s truth must be captured before they can do harm.

The verses go on to say, “and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”

“Captivity” here is referencing “taking prisoner” as in a prisoner of war. This denotes that these thoughts are the enemy and from the enemy.

It says that we are to avenge or “revenge” against these thoughts when our own obedience is fulfilled.

1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ says, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:”

‭‭It is often our ignorance that weakens us to believing the lies of the enemy and even more so, believing them to be more true than God’s Truth.

So our own obedience can be said to be fulfilled when we return our focus to God and not onto the old things that distract and harm us from our “former lusts”.

We must submit our thoughts to the Lordship of Jesus.

This means that we cannot just accept every random thought that pops into our head and believe it is of God, Godly or proper to dwell on.

I may have an evil thought pop into my head to revenge something recently done to me by someone and think that it is perfectly reasonable because I was hurt by them. Yet that kind of thought is not obedient to Christ and His love. That kind of thought seeks to exalt my own pride and hurt feelings above the truth that God’s grace is sufficient, that God’s love is stronger and that thought isn’t consistent with who I am in Christ.

As I then refocus my attention on God and His truth, I once again become obedient to His precepts and His way of thinking. I revenge the disobedient thought by retraining my mind to better resist such thoughts in the future, and the thought that came against me is replaced by forgiveness or at the very least, forgetfulness.

A hurt forgotten is not as beneficial as a hurt forgiven, because the enemy can always bring back a forgotten hurt from the past and make it feel new again. When you forgive, you take away the enemy’s power for the hurt to affect you anymore. The same is true with acts of disobedience. Satan will use your past disobedience against you, so it is important that you have justification through obedience to Christ so that your past cannot have rule over you.

You cannot fight thoughts using more “pure” thoughts or even thinking about scriptures because both the good and the bad thoughts are coming from the same mind.

You have to speak against thoughts sometimes to overcome them. Pray in tongues, pray in the Holy Spirit and speak against these thoughts and by using the power of your words, you will see better results.

When you speak the truth of God’s Word, you exalt His Word above any thought that has come against His truth.