“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh” (2 Cor. 10:3).
Did you know that if you have given your life to Jesus Christ, you are in warfare? Now, don’t let that frighten you. God has given us weapons to successfully win this war. Remember this, our warfare is not in the flesh; we do war in the spirit.
You see, there is a spiritual realm that is more real and more powerful than the natural realm. After all, God is a Spirit. He created this physical world, right? So clearly, the natural world is less real than the spiritual world from which it was created.
Listen to what Paul is saying to the church in Corinth. Some people were saying Paul writes strong, tough letters…but he doesn’t look like much. Have you have made that mistake before – judging a book by its cover?
Paul’s outward appearance wasn’t very impressive – he was small in stature and quite unattractive. But Paul’s attitude is, “that’s all right, you’re judging me based on my outside appearance, but I don’t walk according to the flesh. The power that I derive and utilize is according to the Spirit.”
Paul understood the spiritual realm. He says in verse three, “For though we walk in the flesh….” The Greek meaning for walk is “to travel on a well-traveled path.” That means the flesh road is familiar to us; it’s a well-traveled path – so much so, that all the grass is worn away.
Clearly, we are used to doing things only by the flesh, which is what we can see, hear, feel, taste, and smell. However, even though we’re familiar with this well traveled path in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. In other words, we don’t physically make war against circumstances, but we are to wage war in the spiritual realm.
The reason we don’t war after the flesh is because this war cannot be won in the flesh realm – that’s Satan’s turf. Satan operates entirely by the flesh, particularly by coming against your mind. He does it with sickness, depression, or poverty. But notice, they all started in the spiritual realm and then progressed into the natural realm.
We cannot fix a spiritual problem with a natural solution. But we have powerful weapons, God’s Word, and prayer which are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. We conquer the (natural) flesh with the (spiritual) Word of God!
Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 15:44-48; Romans 8:4-5
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Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).