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I. THEY ARE FOR USE IN THE GREATEST OF ALL CONFLICTS

1. Not a physical conflict. These are poor, of comparative unimportance, often very contemptible, can effect little.

2. Not for the destruction of men. What labour, thought, skill, genius, are expended by man for man's destruction!

3. Not a mere mental conflict. Intellectual battles are not chief.

4. A spiritual conflict.

5. A conflict in which the honour and glory of the Eternal are contended for.

6. A conflict in which man's highest interests are sought.

7. A conflict against evil in every form.

II. THEY ARE HERE DESCRIBED.

1. Negatively. They are not carnal.

(1) They are not physical. Physical weapons have often been used in the cause of religion, but always by mistake. Peter's blunder in cutting off the ear of Malchus has had many repetitions.

(2) They are not carnal, for they are not of man. The apostle did not carry on his conflict by using

(a) cunning and trickery in order to secure converts. Some unwisely think that, if converts be obtained, it is no matter how. But Paul desired to "strive lawfully" (2 Timothy 2:5).

(b) Nor did he rely upon human eloquence. He came not with "wisdom of words" (1 Corinthians 1:17).

(c) Nor upon human reason. Philosophical subtleties he discarded. He had a revelation, and, whilst willing to demonstrate to human intelligence that this was a Divine revelation, he then employed it, and hoped for victory only as the Divine Spirit blessed his efforts. The apostle preached the gospel by his words, by his deeds, by his spirit, by his life; and using these weapons he relied pre-eminently upon that supreme weapon, Divine power, to secure the victory.

2. Positively. Carnal weapons seem strong. They impress men. Paul's weapons, which are ours, are apt to excite ridicule on the part of fleshly men, who judge by outward appearance. But the apostle contends that these weapons are mighty. They have done what all others have failed to do.

(1) They cast down strongholds. By these Satan is hurled from his seats, from his fastnesses in the hearts of men.

(2) They triumph over sceptical human philosophies and false religions (ver. 5). This is the conflict between truth and error. Truth has won. Truth will win. Though these are high things exalted against the knowledge of God (ver. 5), they find something higher and mightier in the gospel and in the accompanying power of God. They are but Dagons; before the ark they must fall.

(3) They make captive human thought (ver. 5). Illustrated in a true conversion. Thought is then dominated by Christ - no more a boastful foe, but a servant, a captive. The wise man becomes a fool that he may be truly wise (1 Corinthians 3:18). Pride, boastful and arrogant in the realm of human thought, is smitten - smitten to the death.

(4) They are mighty before God. Through God, but also before God, i.e. in his judgment. They come from his armoury. They are specially fashioned by him for this strife.

III. WE SHOULD RELY ONLY UPON THESE WEAPONS IN THE GREAT CONFLICT. Our strength is here. There are many temptations to use others. The devil loves to furnish us with weapons wherewith to attack his kingdom! With what strange weapons has the Church fought! No wonder the strife has so often gone against her. With what weapons are we fighting?

IV. WE SHOULD SEEK SKILL IS THEIR USE, 'Tis not enough to have good weapons, we must know how to employ them. The best weapons are the worst in unwise hands. We must enter the military school of Christ. - H.

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KJV: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

WEB: for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds,