攻破坚固的营垒
林后10: 3-5 因为我们虽然在血气中行事，却不凭着血气争战。我们争战的兵器，本不是属血气的，乃是在 神面前有能力，可以攻破坚固的营垒，将各样的计谋，各样拦阻人认识 神的那些自高之事一概攻破了，又将人所有的心意夺回，使他都顺服基督。
在圣灵的感召和带领之下，教会晨祷会已进行了四周。每次有十多位弟兄姐妹参加，上周六有十九位弟兄姐妹（包括三位小朋友）参加。上周二轮到我带领分享。题目：“攻破坚固的营垒”。经文：林后10：3-5。这段经文非常宝贵，每个细节都很重要。它至少向我们显明以下六方面真理：
- 属灵的争战真实存在
保罗提醒我们，世界有邪恶势力存在。正义与邪恶、光明与黑暗，撒旦与上帝在争战。基督徒每天的生活都是一场战争。旧约中常讲到上帝吩咐以色列人要靠主战胜他们的仇敌。新约教导基督徒面对的是无形的仇敌和灵界的争战。耶稣在十字架上的死已彻底击毁蛇（魔鬼的象征）的头，但现今它的残余势力仍在垂死挣扎，因为“魔鬼知道自己的时候不多，就气愤愤地下到你们那里去了”（启12：12）。故此，我们要做好准备，随时以信心迎战。
- 基督徒是精兵
记得一个摩门教徒（摩门教不相信三位一体，并在《新旧约圣经》之外加了一本《摩门经》，正统基督教派通常将摩门教视为异端）嘲笑我说：“你们基督徒没有战斗力啊，信主不像信主样子，既不好好悔改，也没有很好的属灵操守。”话糙理不糙。信异端的人比我们更有传教和信仰的热忱。反观今日基督徒属灵光景，有许多人躺在上帝的恩典上睡大觉，将基督徒的身份视为廉价的恩典，信主不愿付代价，只愿得属世好处和平安，却忘记了每位基督徒都应是基督的门徒，是基督的精兵（提后2：4）。精兵要训练有速，服从命令，有时甚至要冒着生命危险去战场争战。晨祷会可谓基督徒的练兵营，它操练我们在主里学习节制、谦卑、忍耐、顺服、愛心，使我们可以预备好为天国的荣耀而战，像约翰·班扬《天路历程》里描述的天路客基督徒那样雄赳赳气昂昂，不畏艰险、勇往直前，向着天国进军。
- 争战的兵器不是血气、而是神的能力
我们的兵器是什么？它不是血气的。比如我们在面对孩子顽皮时常会动怒，想用自己肉体的强势或大吼大叫将对方压倒，然而这些就是血气的方式。这些方式不但不能解决问题，反而会雪上加霜，将问题变得更加严重。
“在神面前有能力“这句话是说“有神的能力”。我们的兵器是神的能力，这能力来自于神的话语、来自于圣灵的充满。当神的话借着圣灵在我们里面工作时，我们就能活出基督的生命，并带着更多的柔和与谦卑来面对每天的人和事。
- 仇敌的营垒十分顽固，但我们有更牢固的营垒
“营垒”（strongholds）：原文是复数，指顽固不化、坚固的军事据点。说明仇敌像癌细胞的毒瘤一样顽固，不容易彻底摧毁。今日摧毁后，明日还可能死灰复燃。这营垒可能是网络上瘾，也可能是我们里面某种隐藏的罪，比如不信、骄傲、贪恋或自私等。故此，我们需要不断借着祈祷来抵挡和击垮它。同时，仇敌的“营垒”也提醒我们，基督徒有更坚固的营垒——即上帝的保守和眷顾。上帝为每位基督徒儿女预备了永恒的家，这家“是不能震动的国”（unshakeable kingdom来12：28）。靠着主的力量，我们无坚不摧。只要坚持不懈地祈祷，便能滴水穿石，更多经历主成就的大事！
- 这营垒是什么？
这营垒是什么？注意，这营垒不是有形的建筑。它是“各样的计谋，各样拦阻人认识神的自高之事”，即各样属世的观点或学说以及拦阻人认识上帝知识的高墙。这营垒并不是金银所铸，而是各样虚假的谎言与学说，以及所有欺骗我们远离上帝、依靠自己的思想。魔鬼是谎言的灵，它从起初就欺骗夏娃。今日它仍然在借着各种理论学说欺骗人，让人怀疑上帝的话语与信实。我们一旦怀疑上帝、迷信自己，便会立刻落入魔鬼的圈套之中，成为它的囊中之物，受它摆布控制。故此，基督徒要谨防世上的小学（西2: 20）。
- 争战的最终目标是什么？
“将人所有的心意夺回，使它都顺服基督了”。“所有心意”是指每一个意念。顺服基督是争战的最终目标。“夺回”：指被俘虏。马丁·路德在《意志的束缚》一书中指出，本质上人的意志是不自由的。他认为，人的意志如同妓女。它只有两种可能，要么受魔鬼奴役服从魔鬼，要么受上帝奴役、服从上帝。上帝的恩典则体现在三个层面：（1）通过上帝的圣灵的力量使罪人皈依；（2）通过对罪的赦免与基督的结合使罪人称义；（3）在上帝的圣灵的帮助下，成圣是一种不断增强的愛的能力（罗明嘉教授博士 Prof. Dr. Miikka Ruokanen：《Unio cum Christo in Spiritu sancto在圣灵中与基督联合: 马丁·路德《论意志的束缚》中三位一体上帝的恩典》）。这愛的能力则需要圣徒不断借着祈祷，抵挡罪恶，使我们的心灵更好地被圣灵所使用，不断操练成圣，从而达到顺服基督的目的。从而，基督徒借祈祷竭力争战，为了让我们每个意念都降伏在基督的权下，为主所用。
之前教会一周只有周三晚上一次祷告会，藉着祷告驱散黑暗，带来光明。今年我们每天都有晨更祷告会，在晨光乍现之前便借着祈祷迎接光明。何等蒙福！二十世纪初中国著名布道家宋尚节常说：“奋兴使者没有什么可夸的，所有显而可见的奋兴光景，全仗代祷的人们”。我们晓得，属灵的争战是真实的。基督徒是精兵，我们每天要穿戴上帝所赐全副军装，用上帝所赐的力量，攻破魔鬼坚固的营垒，为上帝国度永恒的荣耀战，使自己顺服基督！使家庭顺服基督！使教会顺服基督！使人心顺服基督！愿主感召更多祈祷的勇士加入祷告大军！以基督之名，阿门！
Demolish Strongholds
2 Cor. 10:3-5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world
does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the
contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 10:5 We demolish
arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of
God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ
Guided by the calling of the Holy Spirit, the church’s morning prayer meeting has been going on for four weeks. Each time, more than ten brothers and sisters participate, and last Saturday, nineteen brothers and sisters (including three children) attended. Last Tuesday, it was my turn to lead and share. The topic was “Demolish Strongholds,” and the scripture was 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. This passage is very precious, and every detail is important. It reveals at least six aspects of truth to us:
- Spiritual Warfare is a Reality
Paul reminds us that there are evil forces in the world. There is a constant battle between good and evil, light and darkness, the devil and God. The daily life of a Christian is like a war. In the Old Testament, God instructed the Israelites to rely on the Lord to overcome their enemies. In the New Testament, Christians face invisible enemies and engage in spiritual warfare. The death of Jesus on the cross has completely crushed the head of the serpent (a symbol of the devil), but its residual influence is still struggling, as “the devil knows that his time is short, and he is filled with furious” (Rev 12:12). Therefore, we must be prepared and ready to face the battle with faith at any time.”
- Christians are Special Forces
I remember a Mormon (Mormons do not believe in the Trinity and have an additional book called the Book of Mormon. Mormonism is considered by mainstream Christianity as heretical) challenged me, saying, “You Christians lack dedicating spirit. You don’t seem like true believers. You neither repent sincerely nor have good spiritual discipline.” His words were rough but had some truth. People adhering to heresies often exhibit more enthusiasm for spreading their faith. Examining the spiritual state of numerous Christians today, it is evident that some find comfort in the grace of God, regarding their Christian identity as something easily attained and undervalued. They are unwilling to pay the cost of following Christ and only seek worldly benefits and peace, forgetting that every Christian should be a disciple of Christ, a good soldier for Christ (2 Tim 2:4). A good soldier needs rigorous training, obedience to commands, and sometimes even risking their lives on the battlefield. The morning prayer meeting can be considered as a Christian training camp, where we practice self-control, humility, patience, obedience, and love in the Lord. This prepares us to fight for the glory of the Kingdom, just like Christian the pilgrim described by John Bunyan in The Pilgrim’s Progress, who was bold, fearless, marching forward, unafraid of difficulties, advancing toward the Kingdom.
- The Weapons of Warfare Are Not of the Flesh, but of God’s Power
What are our weapons? They are not of the flesh. For example, when facing a mischievous child, we might be tempted to get angry and try to overpower them with our physical strength or by yelling loudly. However, these are ways of the flesh. Not only do these methods fail to solve the problem, but they also make things worse, escalating the issue further.”
The phrase “they have divine power” reminds us that our weapons are the power of God, and this power emanates from God’s Word and is fully present in the Holy Spirit. When God’s Word works within us through the Holy Spirit, we can live out the life of Christ and approach each day with more gentleness and humility.
- The Enemy’s Strongholds Are Stubborn, But We Have Stronger Fortress
The term “strongholds” is in the plural form, indicating stubborn and solid military base. It illustrates that the enemy’s strongholds are as persistent as malignant tumors, not easily eradicated. Even if destroyed today, they may resurface tomorrow. These strongholds could be an addiction to the internet or some hidden sins within us, such as disbelief, pride, greed, or selfishness. Therefore, we need to continually resist and demolish them through prayer. On the other hand, the enemy’s “strongholds” also remind us that Christians have even stronger stronghold or fortress—the protection and care of God. God has prepared an eternal home for each child of God, the home is “an unshakeable kingdom” (Heb 12:28). With the strength of the Lord, we can overcome any obstacle. Through persistent prayer, we can achieve great things in the Lord!
- What Is This Stronghold?
What is this stronghold? Note that this stronghold is not a tangible structure. It is “arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. It refers to various worldly viewpoints, theories, and walls that hinder people from understanding the knowledge of God. This stronghold is not made of gold or silver but consists of various false lies and doctrines, deceiving us to turn away from God and rely on our own thoughts. The devil is the spirit of lies, deceiving Eve from the beginning. Today, it continues to deceive people through various theoretical teachings, causing doubts about God’s word and faithfulness. Once we doubt God and trust ourselves, we naturally fall into the devil’s trap, becoming its prey, subject to its manipulation and control. Therefore, Christians must be cautious of the “basic principles of the world” (Col 2:20).
- What is the Ultimate Goal of Spiritual Warfare?
“Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” “Every thought” refers to every idea. The ultimate goal of the warfare is to make every thought obedient to Christ. “Take captive” implies being captured or enslaved. Martin Luther, in his book “The Bondage of the Will,” pointed out that fundamentally, human will is not free. He compared the human will to a whore, having only two possibilities: either enslaved to the devil, obeying the devil, or enslaved to God, obeying God. God’s grace is manifested on three levels: (1) Through the power of the Holy Spirit, sinners repent; (2) Through the forgiveness of sins and union with Christ, sinners are justified; (3) With the help of the Holy Spirit, sanctification is an ever-increasing capacity for love (Professor Dr. Miikka Ruokanen: “Unio cum Christo in Spiritu sancto – The Grace of the Triune God in Martin Luther’s ‘On the Bondage of the Will’’). This capacity for love requires saints to continuously resist evil through prayer, allowing our minds to be better used by the Holy Spirit, continually being sanctified, and thus achieving the purpose of obedience to Christ. Therefore, Christians strive in prayer to bring every thought under the authority of Christ, to be used for the Lord’s purposes.
In the past, the church held a prayer meeting only once a week on Wednesday evenings, to dispel darkness and bring in light through prayer. This year, we have a morning prayer meeting every day, welcoming the light before dawn through prayer. What a blessing! In the early 20th century, the well-known Chinese evangelist John Sung often said, “Revival messengers have nothing to boast about; all visible scenes of revival depend on those who pray on behalf of others.” We understand that spiritual warfare is real. Christians are heavenly soldiers, and every day we must put on the full armor of God, using the divine strength to demolish the devil’s strongholds, fighting for the eternal glory of God’s kingdom, and making ourselves obedient to Christ! Making our families obedient to Christ! Making our churches obedient to Christ! Making our hearts obedient to Christ! May the Lord call more prayer warriors to join the prayer army! In the name of Christ, Amen!
(小石城以马内利华语浸信会Little Rock Immanuel Chinese Baptist Church)