Tearing Down Strongholds
05-06-26 Tearing down strongholds
Glory of Gods Grace preliminary study
Content creation date: 2026-05-06 19:04:03
Opening remarks and series transition
Introduces a new series beginning tonight.
Intends to finish a review before the moment of silent prayer.
States that last week was the final lesson (lesson 18) in “the grace of confession.”
Clarifies that some of the last studies were transitional: they belonged in “grace of confession” but were slowly moving toward “the glory of God’s grace.”
Notes tonight’s and next week’s messages (and possibly further) will be preliminary—not yet the formal lessons of “the glory of God’s grace.”
Expresses desire to get to the Book of James tonight.
Opening corrective theme: Misuse of grace and misunderstanding God’s plan
Assertion addressed: “I can still continue to do this and continue to do that, and it doesn't matter what I do with my life; God's grace is covering me.”
Corrective: This mindset “misses the whole point of the plan of God” for one’s life.
Affirmation of salvation by grace: “You got salvation down. Yes, it's God's grace. God's grace is covering you. You are as sure as heaven as if you were there.”
Categories and inheritance language
Reference to passages that list “idolaters” and other sin categories who “will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Warning against collapsing categories: People are “collapsing that category and applying that to salvation,” which is inaccurate.
Nuanced accuracy:
Accurate in the sense that those “that live that way, absolutely aren't going to rule and reign in heaven.”
Inaccurate to conclude they “won’t be saved,” because “it's not talking about salvation in those passages.”
Ruling/reigning vs. mere entrance:
Illustration: A believer who “just barely get[s] in just by you've believed and you've done nothing else”—never grew, never took in the Word, continued living however—does not receive ruling authority: “Here is like five cities for you to run.” “It doesn't make any sense that that would happen.”
Distinction maintained: Salvation = by grace; inheritance/ruling rewards = conditional and related to spiritual growth and obedience.
Misunderstanding identity in Christ
Error: “I am still the same old person. I'll never change.”
Effect: Elevates past failure over new identity.
Pastoral note: Previously “talked about this on Sunday in the Lord's Supper.”
Doctrinal rejection involved: “Rejects doctrinally positional truth and regeneration.”
Positional truth: The believer’s identity in Christ as established by grace at salvation.
Regeneration: New birth and new nature; not to be denied or minimized by fixation on past failures.
Personal testimony and pastoral exhortation
Confessional background:
“Walking away from the ministry.”
Self-description: “Called myself an agnostic for many years.”
“Bad mouthing Christianity here and there over the years.”
Resulting temptation: “I am really not a good person. I am not a person that God uses… Look what I did… all the years that I was away from God.”
Comparison with mature believers: “People here… that have been twenty thirty years… walking with God.”
Self-question: “Who am I? … I don't deserve to be teaching the Word of God.”
Pastoral correction:
Warning: This can become “a hipsum”—“an elevated thing in your life”—that keeps one out of God’s plan.
Proper perspective: “Who are any of us? … You don't deserve to be there. It's God's grace. You are not worthy.”
Exhortation: Do not let reflections on past failures “become a form of arrogance.”
Clarification on humility vs. confidence:
Putting oneself down is not necessarily humility.
A confident person might be truly humble; external demeanor is not the measure of humility.
Moment of silent prayer and theological framing
Purpose: ensures the filling of the Spirit.
Recalls 18 hours/weeks spent on 1 John 1:9:
Scripture quoted: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Doctrine: At the moment we name and cite any known sin to God:
God is faithful and justified to cleanse us from that sin and forgive us for that sin.
He also cleanses us from any unknown sins we may have committed.
Outcome: Ensures the filling of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit then teaches; the believer is able to metabolize doctrine.
The believer operates in the predestined plan of God.
Prayer offered:
Thanksgiving for the opportunity to study the Word.
Petition: Holy Spirit to open hearts, make the Word understandable, edify and build up, and cause growth in grace and knowledge.
Intercession for friend Joe:
Gratitude that surgery appears to have gone well; request continued healing and restoration.
Application: Even through injury and sudden tragedy, believers can glorify God by letting His grace be on display to all around.
Petition for the speaker:
To speak with the authority Scripture deserves and with the grace Scripture teaches.
Concludes: In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture reading and framing for review direction
Announces reading: 2 Corinthians 10:3–5.
Sets expectation: very fundamental review, foundational for where the next weeks will go.
Notes the necessity of foundational categories in doctrine for executing the pre-designed plan of God.
Mentions prior teaching on categorical teaching:
Aim: make categories understandable; recognize divisions and that statements about one subject cannot be misapplied to another.
Observation: language changes when categories change in Scripture.
States plan to get into the Book of James for a couple of weeks:
Describes James as a favorite book, controversial, and often misquoted.
Also notes Hebrews as often misquoted.
Diagnosis: misquotations stem from lack of understanding Greek language and method.
Emphasis: “It all goes back to ICE”—categorical and exegetical teaching.
Instruction: Without applying ICE to teaching, one becomes lost and confused and cannot execute God’s plan.
Positional confidence before production
Recalls recent teaching on the doctrine of imputation.
Insists on being solidified and confident in position (positional sanctification) before moving to production.
Transition beyond positional and experiential sanctification to production.
Addresses grace-believers’ concerns about “works”:
States they will talk about works because God has ordained them for believers to walk in.
Plans to explain how works “all works and how it all happens.”
Pastoral application:
If not confident in position, one cannot execute God’s plan—will stumble over failures and mistakes.
Common cycle: emotional momentum from a service, then failure (e.g., fight with spouse, an act of sin), leading to deflation and defeatism (“I’m not strong enough/good enough”).
Correction: Must be solid on identity in Christ—what happened at salvation and who we are.
Position and standing with God are not in question.
Distinguish:
Fellowship can be broken (we have rebound/confession).
There can be periods out of fellowship; divine discipline may occur.
But God never casts out, condemns, or sends a believer to hell.
Position in Christ remains constant.
Reading: 2 Corinthians 10:3–5 (quoted and referenced)
2 Corinthians 10:3: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.”
2 Corinthians 10:4: “For the weapons of our warfare are not the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.”
2 Corinthians 10:5: “We are destroying speculations, and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God. And we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
Initial observations:
“Walk in the flesh” here means living in a natural body, natural realm.
Paul employs military language commonly—but to describe spiritual realities, not physical combat.
Clarifies: Paul is not speaking of physical warfare (raiding villages, tearing down physical fortresses).
The military terminology is used to reveal where the true battle takes place and what weapons are available—key to executing God’s plan.
Spiritual warfare context and daily application
Battlefield: daily reality for believers—living in a cosmic system ruled by the devil; we are in a war zone.
Not according to the flesh:
Do not look at life as battling people or systems.
Tests involve people/systems, but warfare is not against believers/unbelievers or anything fleshly.
War is for the soul.
Weapons:
“Divinely powerful” (2 Cor 10:4)—powered by God.
These are the means by which fortresses and lofty things are brought down.
Historical note:
Teaching emphasis on operating in divine power since the start of Wednesday night studies (began May 14; now approaching one year as of May 6, 2026).
Opening assertion: The unbeliever’s incapacity for spiritual reception
Statement: “If they're not saved, they're not going to have the Holy Spirit. They're not going to be a new creature.”
Doctrinal implication:
Unbelievers lack the indwelling Holy Spirit and the new-creature status; therefore, they lack capacity to receive, convert, and operationalize spiritual information into wisdom.
Default interpretive system in the soul functions apart from the Spirit.
Application: Time, effort, or emotion cannot remove entrenched soul fortresses.
“These fortresses are not removed by time, effort or emotion.”
Correction of common self-help approach: “If I just give it enough time… if I put in more effort… that’ll happen.” Response: “No, that’s absolutely not going to work.”
Flesh versus flesh: The futility of self-powered reform
Principle: “You are using the energy of the flesh to try to defeat the flesh. That's not going to work.”
Doctrinal clarification:
Christianity is not a self-help or behavior-modification program, even if help and behavior change occur as byproducts.
True spiritual change requires divine power, not human flesh.
Application warning:
Attempts to “be a better person” in the flesh will not glorify God because they do not utilize His power.
Divine method of transformation: Truth applied under the filling of the Spirit
Core mechanism: “They are removed by… truth applied under the filling of the Spirit.”
Repetition emphasized: “The word of God applied under the filling of the Spirit.”
Definition of “applied”:
Simple, situational obedience to specific doctrine learned and metabolized, at the point of testing.
Even without exact verse citation, doctrine is recalled and operationalized.
Illustration: Handling antagonism with doctrine rather than the default system
Scenario: An antagonistic person triggers irritation or injury (“pushes your button”).
Default responses (old interpretive system):
Lash out, punch, bitterness, revenge.
Learned doctrinal responses:
“Not to repay evil for evil.”
Operate in “impersonal, unconditional love.”
Christ’s example: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34, quoted conceptually)
Application moment:
Metabolized doctrine interrupts old defaults: “No, I should not punch this person out.”
Failure protocol:
If you fail the test, you will get another test; patience is needed.
Positive application:
Decision: “I am going to let God handle this.”
Orientation: “Grace-oriented, impersonal, unconditional.”
Professional analogy:
Treat the antagonistic person as you would an unruly patient—no retaliation—demonstrate impersonal, unconditional love.
Clarification: “You don't have to like the person.”
Transition: “So we are destroying speculations.”
Personal testimony:
“Does that time really come? Yeah, it does. It comes many times for me… sometimes I mess up.”
Pastoral counsel:
Patience with self; celebrate victories.
Diagnostic humility: “Anything bad that you see in me, that's me, that's my flesh… Whenever you do see anything… that's God's grace in my life.”
Observation: “Sometimes, God's grace isn't operating as effective as I'd like it to in my life.”
Recovery procedure: “I rebound and keep moving.”
Steps:
“I pick up the pieces and I move on.”
Reject guilt entirely: “I don't ever, ever allow myself to have a stitch of guilt…”
Practice:
Put past failures behind; “press on and press on and press on.”
Expectation management:
Change takes time; patterns developed over years will take time to be dismantled.
Pauline model of pressing on and forgetting the past
Citation (speaker’s recollection): “It's in Philippians, I think. Not sure…”
Quote: “This one thing I do: forgetting those things that are behind me, I press on towards the mark of the high calling of God.” (Philippians 3:12–14, referenced)
Doctrinal context given:
Paul on spiritual maturity: “I am not looking at myself as to someone who has achieved it yet.”
Despite writing Scripture, Paul denies having “achieved it.”
Paul’s past and grace:
“Murders, persecuting the church, killing families…”
Potential discouragement: “God could never use me.”
Divine outcome:
“God used him to write most of the New Testament.”
“He was the one apostle that didn't even walk with Jesus.”
Insight claim: “He had more insight into the mystery doctrine of the church age than the others did.”
Anticipated study: Paul and James as complementary
Teaching intention:
“We're going to talk about James as well if we get that far.”
Desire: “I'll teach the whole book of James. I would love to.”
Theological claim:
“There is nothing opposing taught between the doctrines of Paul and James. It's complementary, completely complementary.”
Promise:
Proper understanding will “revolutionize and change your life.”
Return to review: “Lofty things”
Review aim:
“This is where I wanted to get back to reviewing from last week… go over the patterns again.”
Greek word study:
Term: hypsōma (transcribed by speaker as “hypso,” H Y P S O M A).
Context phrase: “destroying fortresses, speculations, and every lofty thing—every hypsōma.”
Military metaphor applied to mental life:
“We use a military language, but we're talking about mental constructs.”
Lexical and theological definition of hypsōma
Root meaning:
“Something elevated, raised up, or exalted.”
“An elevated barrier… pride-based obstruction.”
Application shift:
Not physical fleshly structures; rather “something… in our souls, something in our mind that is elevated.”
Construct description:
“A structure of thought built on pride, independence, and human viewpoint.”
Function:
“Resists or opposes Bible doctrine.”
More than “sin behavior”; fundamentally “thinking that elevates itself above God's truth.”
Formal definition provided:
“A hypsōma is a pride-based system of thinking that a person builds up in their soul that keeps them from accepting, believing, and applying truth.”
Word study: “Destruction of fortresses”
Greek term: kathairesis (destruction)
Meaning: demolition, tearing down; violent overthrow, not gradual improvement.
Nature of “fortresses” in the soul:
Military strongholds: reinforced, defended structures in the soul.
Definition supplied:
A fortress is a repeatedly reinforced pattern of thinking built over time.
Formation:
Built through habit, culture, false teaching, and personal sin patterns.
Process implications:
These elevated “fortresses” took time to form; they will not disappear overnight.
Romans 12:2 referenced for process:
“Transformed by the renewing of your mind” is present tense—continuous process.
Pastoral counsel:
Be patient with yourself; employ grace orientation.
Allow room to grow; the speaker notes personal tendency to be hardest on himself.
Principle: You cannot love others if you cannot love yourself—maintain a proper, grace-oriented view of self.
Theological application:
Through the process of tearing down strongholds via filling of the Spirit and the perception, metabolization, and application of Bible doctrine, God’s grace becomes visible in life.
Change occurs little by little; breakthroughs are incremental.
Expect possible reemergence of certain strongholds; remain patient and consistent; do not quit.
Opening emphasis and purpose
“This is very, very important for us to focus in on.”
Reason for repetition: “That’s why we’re going over it again this week.”
Aim: Moving forward in the plan of God, glorifying God, displaying God’s grace in our lives.
Thesis: There are constructs in our lives—things that have elevated themselves—that oppose accepting, believing, and applying the truth.
Definition and framing: Hypsōma (“lofty thing”)
Term: “Hypsoma,” described as “a lofty thing.”
Function: A mental or spiritual elevation that opposes divine truth and application.
Example 1: Intellectual pride
Description: People who say, “I don’t need the Bible; I am educated enough; I can figure it out for myself.”
Pastoral observation: These mentalities can happen to us at any moment.
Pastoral prayer pattern
Often prays for God to open “doors and opportunities for them to glorify You with their life.”
Sometimes verbalized fully, sometimes partially.
Theological intent: God to create situations requiring trust and acknowledgment of Him.
Scriptural basis introduced: Proverbs 3
Quoted substance: “Trust in the LORD with all of your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; acknowledge Him in all of your ways and He will direct your paths.”
Application: Pray that God opens opportunities where believers must:
Trust Him with all their heart.
Not lean on their own understanding.
Acknowledge Him in all things.
Result: Glorifying God.
Theological point: Intellectual pride elevates human intellect over divine revelation and rejects Scripture’s authority—“human viewpoint over divine viewpoint.”
Example 2: Self-righteous and religious pride
Pastoral difficulty: “These are very tough people to deal with,” nearly as difficult as those in false teaching/cults.
Salvation clarification
Lord’s Supper reflection: “What we were and what we are now.”
To come to salvation, one must recognize the need of a Savior.
Doctrinal precision: Salvation is belief in the Lord Jesus Christ; repentance-as-reformation is not forced as a prerequisite, yet recognition of one’s lostness is necessary.
Diagnostic statement: “I am someone that was lost and I am someone that has fallen short of the glory of God.”
Warning: Mere belief in Jesus’ existence without trusting Him for salvation is not salvific.
The self-righteous claim: “I am a good person, I go to church, I don’t need grace.”
“Grading on a curve” analogy
Moral unbelievers comparing themselves to Christians; turned off by hypocrisy.
Classroom curve: As long as enough people get F’s and D’s, one can “skate by” with a C—incorrect spiritually.
Scriptural assertions (general biblical teaching)
“We’re all equal at the foot of the cross.”
“There is none righteous, no, not one.”
“There is not one person that seeks after God ever.”
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Pharisee vs. tax collector illustration
Pharisee’s prayer: “Thank you, God, that I am not like this tax collector… I tithe… I fast… I pray three times a day…”
Tax collector’s plea: “God, have mercy on me.”
Outcome: Jesus said the tax collector went home justified; the Pharisee did not.
Doctrinal point: Elevating personal morality over grace rejects salvation by faith alone.
Pastoral experience: These are some of the hardest people to reach.
Divine principle: “God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.”
Pastoral counsel: Praying for certain loved ones may mean praying for suffering that breaks pride; this can be God’s grace to prevent eternal loss.
Exhortation: If truly desiring someone’s salvation, be aware that suffering may be instrumental.
Example 3: Emotional reasoning
Audience scope: Primarily addressing believers; the unregenerate lack capacity to escape these hypsōmata.
Pattern: Believer confesses sin (1 John 1:9), yet says, “I don’t feel forgiven, so I must not be.”
Error: Elevating feelings over truth; rejecting passages like 1 John 1:9 and the doctrine of restoration of fellowship.
Result: Believer trapped “living behind a hypsoma,” kept from all that God has for them.
Example 4: Bitterness and resentment (with Facebook note)
Mentioned resource: A “Strength of Today” Facebook post on bitterness and resentment.
Gravity: One of the most crippling things that can enter a life; if anything will take you out of the plan of God, it will be bitterness.
Form: Bitterness with self-justification is a hypsōma—blocking acceptance, belief, and application of the Word.
Church context: Many get hurt at church and “throw the baby out with the bathwater”—stop attending or change churches due to offense.
Claim: “They hurt me so I have a right to stay angry.” Correction: “You do not have the right to be angry.”
Biblical mandate: The Bible commands forgiveness.
Diagnostic warning: If constantly at war, offended, in conflict—red flag that something is off in thinking or teaching.
Suffering theology
Jesus foretold persecution; Christians will suffer.
Yet daily warfare with people should not be constant.
Principle stated: “You elevate your personal offenses over the divine command to forgive” whenever bitter.
Jesus’ instruction on reconciliation before offering (altar instruction; paraphrase)
Summary: If you have a problem with your brother, leave your gift at the altar, go reconcile first; do not proceed with giving or praying while bitter.
Qualification: Some situations cannot be made right; the believer must still reject the mental attitude of bitterness.
Pastoral counsel: Free yourself from bitterness; sometimes disengage from certain fellowship, but often God intends endurance rather than removal.
Providence principle
“If God doesn’t remove a situation, God intends for you to go through it.”
People testing: Levels and examples
Elementary level: The antagonistic jerk at work; victory is not retaliating and giving it to God—an easier, episodic test.
Advanced level: As one grows in doctrine and spiritual maturity, God separates you from certain people; unexpected antagonism arises—even from those you didn’t expect.
Addressing Judy’s question (live pastoral Q&A moment)
Not the immediate response: “Anyone opposing what God is doing in my life—I separate.” No.
Application of problem-solving devices:
Grace orientation.
Impersonal unconditional love.
Occupation with the person of Jesus Christ.
Goal: Pass the test by not running away.
Discernment: Sometimes separation is needed (when they drag you from the Word/doctrine), but often God wants you to stay, stand in truth, apply problem-solving devices, and watch God work.
Failure mode: Isolating oneself with only flattering people; running away from tests is failing and not relying on God.
Quoted pastoral maxim (attribution)
“Pastor Bob said… ‘Not one person—there’s not one person that’s worth you getting out of the predestined plan of God for your life… Not one person is worth you getting out of God’s will for your life.’”
Application: Give it to God, let Him handle it, move on.
Example 5: Independence from God (human autonomy)
Attitude: “I don’t need to rely on God; I’ll handle this myself.”
Error: Elevates self-sufficiency over dependence on God.
Pattern: Wanting God to work while simultaneously “helping God” with human effort—rejecting the faith-rest drill.
Doctrinal point: Elevating self above God and His Word is pride/arrogance; believers must be humble.
Example 6: Cultural ideologies (“my truth”)
Pet peeve: People saying “my truth.”
Theological stance: “My truth is the Bible.”
If it does not line up with Scripture, it is not truth.
Truth is not subjective; belief does not equal truth.
If someone rejects the Word, we may need to agree to disagree—but truth remains objective and biblical.
Error: Elevating culture over absolute truth contradicts the nature of God and His Word.
Pastoral caution: This can happen to any of us at any point.
Anticipation for series
As the glory-of-God’s-grace series progresses, it will be challenging.
Pastoral exhortation: Stay objective; studies are not targeted at individuals but are truths the pastor is applying personally and teaching.
If something “hits,” do not shy away; receive it.
Attribution: “Pastor Bob would always say… the pastor’s not picking on you.”
Personal note: The pastor generally does not know most individuals’ situations.
Mutual challenge: The teaching is challenging for the pastor as well.
Final exhortation on grace and sanctification
Warning against passivity: Do not retreat into a comfort zone that says, “It’s all God’s grace; I’ll just sit here; God will do everything for me; I can continue living in sin.”
Call: Engage with doctrine, trust God, apply truth, resist hypsōmata, and pursue growth that glorifies God.
Pre- and post-salvation interpretive default systems
These reinforced patterns become default interpretive systems in the soul.
Pre-salvation: Unregenerated persons only have this default; they lack capacity for divine viewpoint.
Pastoral application:
Extend grace to the unregenerated; do not be hard on unbelievers for not “getting on board.”
Recognize capacity limitations apart from regeneration.
Lexical and conceptual analysis of 2 Corinthians 10:3–5
Key terms in the text:
Fortresses
Speculations
Lofty things
Thoughts
Interpretation:
Although “fortresses” can be physical, in context Paul is addressing mental constructs.
The passage defines:
The true battlefield of the Christian life: the believer’s thinking.
The nature of spiritual warfare.
The method of victory.
Review emphasis:
Reiterates this is review from last week due to information density; intends deeper reinforcement.
Definition and doctrinal development: Hypsōma / hypsōmada
Terminology:
“A hipsumma is not just a bad thought; it is a fortified system of thinking, built over time, reinforced by repetition, and protected by pride.”
Pauline strategy: “That's why Paul says, ‘We don't manage it; we destroy it.’”
Required action: “We have to destroy these things, systematically with the renewing of our mind by the Word of God.”
Replacement principle:
Continual process: “We have to constantly replace these repetitive thoughts and default systems of evaluation of things with the Word of God.”
Necessity of Bible study: “This why Bible study is so important… if you are not taking in the Word of God on a regular basis, you will not make it.”
Observational pastoral insight:
Online interactions: Many have “a lot of knowledge” but “you can tell these people don't sit under a pastor.”
Source issues: Knowledge “just stuff that they've read” or heard “one preacher” say on a podcast.
Exhortation to listeners “on tape”: Find “a person that is teaching the Bible… put your anchor down… give it consistency… a year or two.”
Discipline of consistent doctrinal intake
Personal practice and metrics:
“Two and a half years… almost three” back in church.
Intake estimate: “About two thousand hours… two thousand messages.”
Repetitive study: “Doctrine of election with Pastor Bob” twice; other series repeated.
Weekly rhythm: “Like twenty hours a week… consistency.”
Clarification: Not prescribing identical volume for everyone—teacher’s category differs.
Baseline goal: “Hour a day… daily… if you miss a day here and there… should be the exception to the rule.”
Proper method:
Under a “prepared person,” not random reading: “Not from just open up the Bible… flip to whatever passage.”
Systematic teaching required.
Example of contentious doctrine engagement:
“Eighteen messages on the grace of confession.”
Ongoing challenges: People on Facebook “want to battle me… go against me… come up with stuff” already addressed in the series.
Pastoral critique: Refusal to sit under a pastor-teacher; desire to “criticize and fight… [without] take the time to sit under somebody's teaching.”
Time stewardship: Expectation that teacher dedicate “special time” to argue is “kind of arrogant.”
Broader doctrinal disarray: Some challengers are “off on other doctrines,” lacking basics.
Illustrative lack: “Don't even know what the Greek alphabet is.”
Counsel: Anchor under sound teaching; “take in the doctrine… even if you don't fully agree… think about it, pray about it… six months… it clicked.”
Principle of understanding by consistency: Only happens with “forced humility into the teaching consistently.”
Impossibility of drive-by learning: “Eighteen weeks… if somebody picked out just one of those messages… how are you ever going to learn eighteen hours of that?”
Rational humility: Consider that “couple of scripture verses” may not “undermine the whole eighteen hours.”
Non-negotiable for growth and glorification:
“You cannot go forward… grow… ever glorify God… without metabolizing and applying doctrine.”
Steps: Learn it, hear it, metabolize it, apply it. “It's just never going to work any other way.”
Nature of the Christian life: Thought-war, not behavior modification
Contrast: “The Christian life is not a behavior modification; it is a systematic destruction of false thinking.”
Replacement with divine viewpoint:
Each promise claimed, doctrinal rationale built, and doctrinal conclusion reached participates in this process.
Faith drill application: “We are tearing down these hypsomadas”—plural of hypsōma.
Refined definition:
“A ‘hipsummer’ is a pride-based mental stronghold, an elevated system of thinking that resists the truth of God's Word.”
Mandate: “We have to destroy those things; we have to break those things down.”
Scheduling note and preview: James not covered tonight
Immediate decision: “We are going to stop here… we're not going to get to James tonight.”
Correction to prior communication: “Anybody that I did say that to… You are a liar.” (Light-hearted self-correction)
Prepared materials: “I have it here… slideshow… probably going to be two parts.”
Scope: Not a full book study; focus on “the most controversial passages in the book of James.”
Core controversy: “Faith without works is dead”—often used to claim “you have to have works to prove your salvation.”
Thesis: “Absolutely not true.”
Harmony claim: James and Paul “are totally in harmony… I am going to prove it to you.”
Upcoming series: “Glory of God's grace”
Promise: “Life is going to change… life changing thing… for all of us.”
Timeline:
“Next week will be the first preliminary message on the glory of God's grace.”
“They'll probably be two preliminary [messages], and then we'll get right into the main messages.”
Announcement: Doctrine of Balance (Sunday nights)
Date setting:
“Not this Sunday is Mother's Day. The following Sunday, I am going to start the doctrine of balance on Sunday nights.”
Time: “Six o'clock… live streamed on YouTube.”
Origin and purpose:
“Doctrine that is going to originate with me.”
Sensed divine prompting: “God has been nudging me to do [it] for a while.”
Importance: “Such an important thing… this teaching is so important.”
Premise:
“Extremes in anything never complement the grace of God.”
Complementary: Will “go along with” the “glory of God's grace.”
Restated: “Extremes in anything are not complementing the grace of God in our life.”
Closing procedure and prayer
Q&A logistics: “I'll shut the recording off… I don't want to have any questions on here because they can't hear them anyway.”
Prayer:
Thanksgiving: “Thank you so much for this opportunity… went over some principles… last week… thankful… believe the Holy Spirit spoke tonight… wanted these principles brought out.”
Intercession:
Surround each person “with your love and your mercy and your grace.”
“Open up doors and opportunities… to glorify you.”
“Come against any distractions, any obstacles… hinder them from your plan.”
“Give them strength… to run this race with endurance.”
Enable application: “Take these words… apply it to our lives.”
Petition for Holy Spirit: “Give us the ability… through the Holy Spirit teaching us… to apply these things.”
Blessing and favor: “To be upon each and every person.”
Conclusion: “In Jesus' name, Amen.”
Scripture References (in the precise chronological order mentioned or quoted)
1. 2 Corinthians 10:3–5
10:3: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.”
10:4: “For the weapons of our warfare are not the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.”
10:5: “We are destroying speculations, and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God. And we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
2. Luke 23:34 (quoted conceptually)
“Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
3. Philippians 3:12–14 (referenced; quoted elements)
“I am not looking at myself as to someone who has achieved it yet.”
“This one thing I do: forgetting those things that are behind me, I press on towards the mark of the high calling of God.”
4. Proverbs 3 (quoted substance)
“Trust in the LORD with all of your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; acknowledge Him in all of your ways and He will direct your paths.”
5. 1 John 1:9 (quoted verbatim earlier; doctrinally applied again)
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
6. General soteriological texts (implied as “biblical teaching” during the self-righteous section; phrases cited)
“There is none righteous, no, not one.”
“There is not one person that seeks after God ever.”
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
7. Pharisee and tax collector account (Gospel narrative; paraphrased)
Pharisee: “Thank you, God, that I am not like this tax collector… I tithe… I fast… I pray three times a day…”
Tax collector: “God, have mercy on me.” Outcome: The tax collector went home justified.
8. Jesus’ instruction on reconciliation before offering (Gospel instruction; paraphrased)
Leave your gift, reconcile with your brother first; bitterness blocks worship and service.
9. “Will not inherit the kingdom of God” passages (inheritance language; referenced conceptually)
Implicit texts in view:
1 Corinthians 6:9–10
Galatians 5:19–21
Key phrase cited: “Will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Original Language Notes (Greek)
Hypsōma (ὕψωμα)
Speaker’s transliteration: “hypso,” H Y P S O M A; also “hypsuma / hypsummer” (phonetic approximations); plural referenced as “hypsomadas.”
Meaning: elevated, raised up, exalted; metaphorically an elevated barrier or pride-based obstruction.
Defined functionally: A pride-based system of thinking built over time that resists accepting, believing, and applying divine truth; a fortified mental stronghold opposing Bible doctrine.
Kathairesis (καθαίρεσις)
Translation: “destruction.”
Meaning: demolition, tearing down; violent overthrow, not gradual improvement; used of destroying fortresses (mental strongholds).
Key Doctrinal Points and Applications (as delivered, in order)
Salvation by grace is secure; misusing grace as license misses God’s plan and sanctification purpose.
Distinguish salvation from inheritance/ruling rewards; inheritance warnings are not salvation exclusions.
Identity in Christ (positional truth and regeneration) must not be denied by fixating on past failures.
The filling of the Spirit and confession (1 John 1:9) restore fellowship and enable metabolizing doctrine.
The true battlefield is the soul’s thinking; spiritual warfare is waged with divinely powerful weapons (2 Cor 10:3–5).
Unbelievers lack capacity for divine viewpoint without the Spirit; do not expect self-help or effort to remove strongholds.
Flesh cannot defeat flesh; transformation occurs only by truth applied under the filling of the Spirit.
At points of testing (antagonism), apply learned doctrine (do not repay evil for evil; operate in impersonal, unconditional love; follow Christ’s forgiving example).
Recovery protocol: rebound, refuse guilt, forget the past, press on (Phil 3:12–14).
James and Paul are complementary; controversies (e.g., “faith without works is dead”) will be addressed in harmony with grace.
Hypsōma defined: pride-based mental elevations resisting truth; must be destroyed, not managed.
Fortresses form over time via habit, culture, false teaching, and sin; their destruction is a process (Rom 12:2).
Practical examples of hypsōmata:
Intellectual pride (Proverbs 3 application).
Self-righteous/religious pride (equal need at the cross; Pharisee vs tax collector; God opposes the proud).
Emotional reasoning (feelings elevated over 1 John 1:9).
Bitterness and resentment (command to forgive; reconciliation before offering; people testing and endurance).
Independence from God (rejecting faith-rest; attempting to “help God”).
Cultural relativism (“my truth”) vs. objective biblical truth.
Problem-solving devices for people testing:
Grace orientation.
Impersonal, unconditional love.
Occupation with the person of Jesus Christ.
Extend grace to the unregenerate; recognize their capacity limitations.
Systematic destruction of false thinking is the Christian life; not mere behavior modification.
Necessity of consistent doctrinal intake under a prepared pastor-teacher:
Anchor for one to two years; daily intake goal; repetition yields understanding.
Avoid drive-by learning and online contentiousness; practice forced humility in learning.
Upcoming studies and logistics:
Glory of God’s grace: preliminary messages beginning next week; likely two preliminaries before main series.
Doctrine of Balance (Sunday nights, 6:00 PM; live-streamed): extremes do not complement grace.
James study: focus on controversial passages with proof of harmony with Paul.
Illustrations and Analogies (Chronological)
Rulership analogy: Inheritance/ruling rewards incongruent for believers who never grew.
Antagonistic person (“pushes your button”): default vs. doctrinal responses; professional patient-care analogy for impersonal love.
Paul’s past (persecutor) and pressing on: despite grievous sins, God’s profound use.
Grading-on-a-curve classroom analogy: refutes moral self-righteousness before God’s absolute standard.
Church-hurt scenario: “Throwing the baby out with the bathwater”; bitterness blocks worship.
People testing levels:
Elementary: antagonistic coworker; victory by non-retaliation.
Advanced: unexpected opposition requiring endurance and application of problem-solving devices.
Personal testimony: Leaving ministry, agnosticism, unworthiness vs. grace; warning against arrogance disguised as self-deprecation.
Learning consistency: two thousand hours; repeated series (election with Pastor Bob); eighteen-message series on confession and the insufficiency of single-message objections.
Attributions (Chronological)
Pastor Bob (Robert McLaughlin or R.B. Thieme Jr. style reference; named “Pastor Bob”)
Maxim: “Not one person—there’s not one person that’s worth you getting out of the predestined plan of God for your life… Not one person is worth you getting out of God’s will for your life.”
Series referenced: “Doctrine of election” listened to twice.