Cast it down

Never let an imagination enter into self-gratification — cast it down. Never let a thought enter into a division and discord in your spirit — cast it down. Carl H. Stevens

” …because you are seated way above the devil. There is a great divide. He can only attack you and I when we’re playing in the dust, that’s all.” CHS

I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 10:4-5,

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

The word for “pulling down,” implies the entire clearance of an obstacle, ” “strongholds” is found here alone. These “fortresses” were the opposition aroused by factious and hostile partisans.” “Every high thing that exalteth itself; rather, every height that is exalted against the knowledge of God. ” Pulpit C.

Against “Imaginations; rather, disputations, or reasonings.” (we cast down), “we prioritize opposition.”

Ignorance, prejudices, beloved lusts, are Satan’s strong-holds in the souls of some; vain imaginations, carnal reasonings, and high thoughts, or proud conceits, in others, Matthew Henry

“To the obedience of Christ — In pursuance of the metaphor. The obedience is the new stronghold into which the captives are led.” The obedience is Christ’s.

The battle here is of lies opposing truth. These lies appear as truths. The true truth includes all of my legal position in Christ, in virtue of my being placed in Him at Salvation. It must be studied and affirmed constantly, (building up yourselves)Jude 20. Building on the faith is equivalent to building on Christ, the object of faith. JFB

1Corinthians 3:11  “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. “

Examples of this foundation would be, 1Corinthians 1:30  “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: ” and “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ” 2Corinthians 5:17 . 2Peter 1:3  “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.””

Throughout the battle of Joshua 10, Joshua kept his roots in Gilgal—the city of power, of resurrection, of faith. This city, mentioned five times in that chapter, typifies the place where grace reigns over sin through righteousness. It is a place of restoration, of realization, and of revelation. At Gilgal, the Lord Jesus Christ—the captain of the Lord of Hosts—met the soldiers of Israel with His sword drawn.” CHS

Gilgal is our place of grace, of Christ. It is where the stones which were taken out of Jordan were set up a memorial. Joshua 4:20  “And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.” It signifies metaphorically that the nation had gone through death, (Jordan river).

Our cross, see Mark 8:34, is a daily glance at the memorial where we died. A reminder of death to all old things, of our restoration to the pristine race before the Fall of Genesis 2, a realization of our redemption, a revelation of the finished work of Christ.

Mark 8:34  “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Friends, when He died, we died. We stand fast in our position at Gilgal.

Lastly, we were buried with him too. ” When you pour sugar into a cup of hot coffee, the sugar dissolves into the liquid. You cannot find the granules of sugar anymore because they have become one with the hot coffee. You now cannot see the sugar and the sugar cannot be separated out from Him.” CHS

Beloved, fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of your Gilgal of resurrected, eternal life. love ya