Big Healing Book - 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

2 Corinthians 10:3-5:

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;)
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;

Notes on 2 Corinthians 10:3-5:

Many Christians misinterpret this passage as proving the need to “pull down” demonic strongholds over cities. Our warfare does not go on in the upper troposphere somewhere; it goes on between people’s two ears! It is thoughts (imaginations) that are being cast down here, not demons. The high “things” are not demons, but thoughts, as you can see here – we bring into captivity every thought (not every demon) to the obedience of Christ. Jesus already defeated the demons themselves (Colossians 2:15), so you don’t need to defeat them again! God gives us His armor, which is primarily defensive in nature, not for attacking Satan but for “standing” your ground. The ground has already been taken and you are part of God’s occupying army, not part of His warring army. Now you’re just defending what you already have been given; you’re not taking new ground.

You don’t see Jesus, His disciples, or any other New Testament believers “binding” principalities over areas. If principalities were what you were supposed to bind, there would be instruction on doing so and examples of people who did it. There are no such examples. Trying to do so is waste of time that serves only to glorify demons, not Jesus. Frankly, they like the attention, and they’ll probably come hang out where they can get it. Often so-called “spiritual warfare” experts lament how Satan is ceaselessly attacking them, supposedly because Satan and his cohorts are so afraid of their special spiritual warfare methods. Actually, they open doors to Satan’s team by talking all the time about how big and powerful Satan and his principalities are. Just walking in the victory over Satan that Jesus already won for us is preferable to the idea of struggling to win a won battle. When you walk in that victory, you don’t feel like you’re under attack all the time because you don’t feel like you’re in a spiritual slugfest all the time. You’re not; Jesus already punched the devil’s lights out for you. You can just go ahead and enjoy your free victory that Jesus won for you. You will battle demonically inspired thoughts, but you can “take them captive.”

We’ve seen amazing miracles pastoring without ever “binding demons” over any town. We didn’t have to; they were already defeated. They just had to stay there and sulk while watching Jesus perform signs and wonders. Nothing can stop the Word from working when it’s mixed with faith! Our job is to preach the Word, not to defeat a defeated foe.