UPHC Small Steps Learning Center

A visit to the Spear Hunting Museum in nearby Summerdale, AL offered a fascinating spiritual metaphor. Gene "The Spear Chunker" Morris successfully made the sport more difficult once standard hunting "got too easy".

Believers are called to engage in a spiritual battle that requires highly focused, pinpoint accuracy.The connection between the physical spear and the spiritual battle described in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 is profound. The museum displays physical spears that can pierce a target from feet away. The passage states that our weapons of warfare are "not carnal" (fleshly or physical) but "mighty in God for pulling down of strongholds. Morris designed a specialized 4-sided blade capable of penetrating thick, tough targets like cape buffalo. In a parallel way, we are tasked with using divine weapons—God's Word and prayer—to tear down the "strongholds" of false arguments and human pride raised against the knowledge of God. Spear hunting requires supreme focus, calculation, and intentionality to take down a specific target. Just as a skilled hunter locks onto a single target in the wild, we are called to capture every rebellious or ungodly thought and make it obedient to Christ.

Our visit to the Garrett Park Splash Pad in Robertsdale, AL offers a vibrant, everyday visual of the profound spiritual truths found in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5. While a splash pad is a place of refreshing recreation, its mechanics perfectly mirror the dynamics of spiritual warfare, tearing down strongholds, and filtering thoughts.

The Splash Pad: The water features, cannons, and nozzles rely entirely on an underground municipal water system supplying invisible, pressurized power to propel water into the air.

The Believer: Spiritual warfare cannot be won by human strength or fleshly effort. Your ability to overcome relies entirely on an invisible, internal power source—the Holy Spirit—which provides the divine power necessary to destroy spiritual strongholds.

🪣 The Tipping Bucket: God's truth acts like that tipping bucket, completely overwhelming, washing away, and demolishing those high thoughts that try to exalt themselves against the knowledge of God.💧 The Splash Pad: Unlike standard swimming pools that recirculate water, this splash pad uses clean, treated city drinking water shooting straight from the source to keep the environment safe and pure.

The Believer: Paul instructs us to take "every thought captive to obey Christ." Just as the splash pad keeps out stagnant, contaminated water, you must guard your mind by filtering out toxic thoughts and filling it only with the pure, life-giving truth of Scripture.

🛡️ Boundaries for Safety: The park has clear, posted safety rules on the main facility to prevent injury and keep the water play orderly.

The Believer: Taking thoughts captive requires strict boundaries. When a thought violates God's word, you must use your spiritual authority to stop it immediately, keeping your mind safe and aligned with Christ's obedience.