“INTENSITY”
2 Corinthians 10:1-6
Series: “Parental Guidance: A Study of 2 Cor 10-13”
Pastor Rusty Russell
New Day Christian Church, SW Florida
May 10-11, 2025 (Mother’s Day)
INTRODUCTION
A. BACKGROUND OF 2 CORINTHIANS
The Apostle Paul wrote the letter of 2 Corinthians because he needed to correct a problem. Some hipster preachers had moved to Corinth and gained a following. Paul sarcastically calls them the “super apostles.” They were competitive and tried to put Paul down, claiming he was a false teacher. Paul had to write this letter in part to defend his own credibility.
B. BACKGROUND OF THESE FOUR CHAPTERS (2 COR 10-13)
Paul waits until the end of the letter to really deal with this head on. Here in these four chapters Paul talks about why they should know that they can trust him. He clearly feels awkward about having to talk about himself, but he has to do it.
Paul is like a parent concerned about the influence the “cool kids” are having on his children. Paul has to say, “Don’t follow them! Remember what I taught you. Remember how I behaved around you compared to them.”
As Paul reminds his spiritual children to be wise and discerning, we learn a lot about how to teach our children to choose the right leaders, and we’re reminded what kind of leaders we want to be. Be like Paul and not these hipster preachers. While these lessons would apply to any Christian leader, they especially apply to parents.
[2Co 10:1-6 NIV] 1 By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you–I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away!
2 I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 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. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
AN OUTLINE OF THE PASSAGE
I. I HOPE I WON’T HAVE TO CONFRONT THE WRONGDOERS
A. I HUMBLY APPEAL TO YOU IN CHRIST
B. I – PAUL – THE ONE WHO IS “TIMID” WHEN WITH YOU BUT “BOLD” WHEN NOT WITH YOU
C. DON’T MAKE ME COME FIX THIS PROBLEM
II. WE’RE FIGHTING SPIRITUAL BATTLES – FOR HEARTS & MINDS
A. WE ARE HUMAN BUT WE AREN’T FIGHTING A HUMAN BATTLE
B. WE ARE FIGHTING WITH DIVINE POWER BREAKING DOWN FORTRESSES (OR STRONGHOLDS)
C. WE FIGHT IN THESE THREE WAYS
1) WE TEAR DOWN THE “WALLS” OF FALSE ARGUMENTS
2) WE TAKE AS CHRIST’S “PRISONER” EVERY THOUGHT
3) WE “PUNISH” EVERY DISOBEDIENT ACT
APPLICATION: HOW TO FIGHT FOR YOUR CHILD’S SOUL
Moms and dads, you are engaged in a great spiritual war. You are battling against a vicious enemy for your child’s heart and mind.
The Bible says Satan is the prince of this world. The world’s systems are under his control. Satan uses them to infiltrate your child’s mind, to change their beliefs.
This passage is a reminder: These are spiritual battles. The passage has some great application for us as Christian parents. As Paul talks about battling for the minds of his spiritual children, we’re reminded of some foundational Christian parenting principles.
A. ACCEPT YOUR GOD-GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY
B. RECOGNIZE THE SPIRITUAL ENEMIES
[2Co 10:4-5 NIV] 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 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.
C. STAY CALM IN CHRIST (humble and gentle)
D. USE SPIRITUAL WEAPONS
[Eph 6:14-18 NIV] 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
[Deu 6:6-9 NIV] 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
E. EXPECT OBEDIENCE AND PUNISH DISOBEDIENCE
V. 6: “And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.”
Christian parents should expect obedience and punish disobedience.
Three times the book of Proverbs says good parents discipline their children:
[Pro 22:15 NIV] 15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.
[Pro 13:24 NIV] 24 Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.
[Pro 23:13 NIV] 13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.
CONCLUSION
For a great resource for training your mind in a biblical worldview so you can train your kids: Young moms consider podcaster Allie Beth Stuckey
https://www.alliebethstuckey.com/
INVITATION
Maybe your mom has been praying that God would break through strongholds you have set up in your life against him. Consider the truth:
[Jhn 3:16 NIV] 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
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