“We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:4–5 (NLT)
The Apostle Paul reminds us that the real battle isn’t fought with human strategies—it’s fought in the mind. People build castles of reasoning, pride, and false arguments that keep them from knowing God. These mental strongholds must come down before faith can reach the heart. That’s true not only for unbelievers, but also for us as believers when we struggle to think with the mind of Christ.
Comparison is one of the most dangerous strongholds. Paul warns later in this chapter not to boast or measure ourselves against others. If we think we’re better, pride takes root. If we think we’re less, discouragement crushes us. Either way, comparison cripples us. The approval of people may feel important in the moment, but Paul says the only commendation that truly matters is from the Lord.
God has given us mighty weapons—truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, peace, the Word, and prayer (Ephesians 6). These weapons are not for outward show, but for inward transformation. As we study the Word and listen to the Holy Spirit, our thoughts are captured and reshaped to obey Christ. That’s where true freedom and lasting approval come from—not in what others think, but in what God says.