The violence, rioting, plague, murders, stupidity in defunding the law enforcement, as well as, preventing police and other law enforcement officers from stopping crime and criminal acts in this country, have been well documented. The people promoting Marxism and Communism are generally known. Antifa and others seeking to overthrow and destroy the government of the U.S.A are also known generally. There are also people who profess to be Christians promoting Communism in churches and denominations around this country. Marxism and Communism is at its very heart atheist! One cannot be a Christian Communist any more than one can be a Christian mobster or Christian gangster! What can we do?

When Peter preached the Glorious Gospel of Christ at Pentecost, after the Holy Spirit was poured out upon those gathered, they were cut to the heart, and cried out - “men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter did not ignore the question. He did not say “I do not know”, for Rome is against us and the Church leaders are against us.” He said, “[you] Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” We see that Peter did not advocate violence and fighting against those who had crucified Jesus. He did not say, go and vote for a particular political party. The call of Peter was to each one. You “repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of [your] sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” The same remains true today.

We see that we are not weaponless! We “do not war after the flesh.” “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (2Corinthians 10:3-5)

As we take a brief look at his passage of scripture, it is my earnest hope and expectation that we will all be helped, and put these mighty weapons to holy use to the pulling down of strongholds in this nation. What are these weapons?

I. The Gospel of Christ

The first thing before we can use any of God’s mighty weapons that he has given us is, we must repent! That was Peter's call at Pentecost. That is the call of the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 4:17, “...Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” John the Baptist, speaking before Christ said, “Repent ye: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2) The Apostle Paul preached to the Jews and Greeks, “Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ”. (Acts 20:21) So the very first thing the WE must do is repent!

What is repentance? It comes from the greek words meta and noia, meaning to change one’s mindset; not merely to be sorry; not merely to be sorry one got caught; but Godly sorrow with a purpose, in Christ, not to commit that sin or sins anymore. It is ultimately a surrender of one’s will to the Lord God Almighty in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the first call. To be sure, it is not repentance or anything else we do that saves us. It is God alone who saves us in and through the Lord Jesus Christ alone! We are saved, redeemed, and  justified through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ! “He was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification”. (Romans 4:25)  We are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:24) Jesus said, “verily, verily, I say unto you, he that hears My Word, and believes on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24) “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Second, we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. What does it mean to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Ultimately , it is TRUST. We must receive what He said. We must believe what He said is true, even as Abraham did. Abraham saw the day of the Lord Jesus Christ by revelation (John 8:56) and was glad. In Galatians Chapter 3, verse 8, we are instructed of the fact that God preached the Glorious Gospel of Christ to Abraham and Abrham believed God and “it was counted unto him as righteousness.” Therefore, we have to hear, receive and believe  the truth of Jesus. He came to save God’s people from our sins! Finally, we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. If one said he could walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope, we would not be trusting him to do that unless we got on his back and let him carry us across. Therefore, it is not merely intellectual assent, it is trust. Therefore, repent from your sins and believe in The Lord Jesus Christ and tell others to do the same!

II. THE RECOGNITION OF THE WEAPONS

The great commentary of Matthew Henry says, “The doctrines of the gospel and discipline of the Church are the weapons of this warfare; and these are not carnal: outward force, therefore, is not the method of the gospel, but strong persuasions, by the power of truth and meekness of wisdom. A good argument this is against persecution for conscience’ sake: conscience is accountable to God only; and people must be persuaded to God and their duty, not driven by force of arms. And so the weapons of our warfare are mighty, or very powerful; the evidence of truth is convincing and cogent. This indeed is through God, or owing to him, because they are his institutions, and accompanied with his blessing, which makes all opposition to fall before his victorious gospel. We may here observe, [1] What opposition is made against the gospel by the powers of sin and Satan in the hearts of men. Ignorance, prejudices, beloved lusts, are Satan’s strong-holds in the souls of some; vain imaginations, carnall reasonings, and high thoughts, or proud conceits, in others, exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, that is, by these ways the devil endeavours to keep men from faith and obedience to the gospel, and secures his possession of the hearts of men, as his own house or property. *But then observe, [2] The conquest which the word of God gains. These strong-holds are pulled down by the gospel as the means, through the grace and power of God accompanying it as the principal efficient case. Note, the conversions of the soul is the conquest of Satan in that soul.” (Matthew Henry, Commentary on Second Corinthians Chapter 10 , page 635 )

Therefore, we are instructed that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, which means they are not worldly or fleshly weapons, but mighty through God. He gives them to us and expects us to use them! In the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Church at Rome, we are instructed as to the opposition. In verses 18-23, we see the fact that the wrath of God is already revealed! It is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness and therefore, this nation above all needs to repent. The call to use the weapons of our warfare is to us who know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent! (John 17:3) When Israel disobeyed God by the family of Achan (Joshua 7) and 36 men died at the battle of Ai and Israel was chased, Joshua rent his clothes and fell to the earth and put dust on his head before God and prayed. God told Joshua to “get up”; why are you lying on your face, there is sin in the camp.

There is sin in the camp in America! We need to quit wringing our hands and “get up” and use the weapons of our warfare. Let all of God’s people repent from our failure to use the weapons that God has given to us and preach and teach the Holy Truth of God and the Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are facing the ungodly, unrighteous, and liars, those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Their leader is defeated! (Matthew 12:29) Satan has been bound. He has been cast out. The Lord Jesus Christ said to His disciples, “I beheld Satan fall like lightning from Heaven '' (Luke 10:18) indicating that, at the least, Satan’s kingdom had been dealt a very detrimental blow. Even more revealing is the testimony of the Son of God found in the Gospel of John. In Chapter 12 of John’s Gospel, The Lord Jesus Christ, in telling His disciples that “the hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified, (John 12:23) testified as follows : “Now is the Judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” (John 12:30)

Therefore, the devil, being “cast out” of Heaven and “bound” cannot prevent the spread of the Glorious Gospel of Christ. The hour is late, and we do live in perilous times, but fear not, proclaim the Gospel of Christ! Call men and women that you know to repent and believe the Gospel of Christ because the Kingdom of God is near!

Take to yourself the whole armour of God (Ephesisans 6:10-20) and get busy. “The hour is late, and the ax is already laid at the root of the trees.” (Matthew 3:10) However, “God’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither is His ear heavy or dull that He cannot hear”! (Isaiah 59:1) Get up! Get to using these mighty weapons that the Lord God has given us. Pull down the stronghold of ungodliness! Pull down the stronghold of unrighteousness! Pull down the stronghold of suppressing the Truth! (Read Exodus Chapter 20)! Tell others what you’ve read and know.

III. THE WEAPON OF ALL PRAYER

Pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watch thereunto all with all perseverance and supplication for all saints everywhere and, for all of us to make known the Glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

CONCLUSION

God created this nation to serve Him. To be His people, even as He created Israel. We have broken all His commandments and done wickedly in His sight. We need to repent and use the weapons of our warfare which He has given us.

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-12)