It's a Birthday week! The word for this week is "carnal". The first Scripture that comes to mind for me is 2 Corinthians 10:4:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) KJV
This is the Greek word "sarkikos". Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: having the nature of the flesh; pertaining to the flesh, i.e. to the body. Vine's Expository Dictionary adds: governed by human nature, instead of by the Spirit of God. The Amplified Bible makes it clear:
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, AMP
I really like the idea of using God's weapons of prayer, praise, the Name of Jesus and the Word of God MUCH better than relying on natural, physical strength! Another Scripture that comes to mind is 1 Corinthians 3:1-4:
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? KJV
Again, the Amplified Bible is clearer:
1 HOWEVER, BRETHREN, I could not talk to you as to spiritual [men], but as to nonspiritual [men of the flesh, in whom the carnal nature predominates], as to mere infants [in the new life] in Christ [unable to talk yet!] 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough [to be ready for it]; but even yet you are not strong enough [to be ready for it], 3 For you are still [unspiritual, having the nature] of the flesh [under the control of ordinary impulses]. For as long as [there are] envying and jealousy and wrangling and factions among you, are you not unspiritual and of the flesh, behaving yourselves after a human standard and like mere (unchanged) men? 4 For when one says, I belong to Paul, and another, I belong to Apollos, are you not [proving yourselves] ordinary (unchanged) men? AMP
For the born again believer, carnal here doesn't necessarily mean sinful, but it IS speaking about someone who hasn't grown enough in the Word of God to be able to control their human nature to obey the Word. The Holy Spirit is the One responsible for working the "good work" (Philippians 1:6) in us, but He uses the Word of God that we put inside. We have all had, as Jesse Duplantis so aptly puts it, a "fit of carnality" where we slip and loose our temper, get discouraged, hesitate to forgive, and so on. The great thing about growing in the Word, and counting on the Holy Spirit inside, is that it only takes a moment to recognize it, confess it, and get right back into fellowship with God and growth in the Word! I have to say that the moment I first met you I felt inside that YOU were the man that God had chosen for Kristine! Watching your growth in the Word, and the way that you love and protect your family, is one of my greatest joys! I know that our prayer for Kristine to have the life that God intended has been answered abundantly! I pray that you have a wonderful Birthday Week! Our gift to you will continue to be this little blog for as long as it is a blessing to you! We love you Brian! Here is a fun kids song by Hillsong Kids called "I'm really Happy":
Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!
