Breaking Strongholds
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
2 Corinthians 10:4 (NIV)
God forgives all sin, and His mercy is greater than your sin. This is important for us to understand. We must also understand there is a spiritual realm, and if you keep sinning long enough, you can give the enemy a foothold, and a foothold can lead to a stronghold. What is a stronghold?
A stronghold is a false belief that becomes a pattern of thinking fueled by the enemy.
People with a stronghold believe they can never truly break free of something or don’t desire to let go of a particular sin because the enemy has sabotaged their thinking. If you’re still struggling with the same sin for 15 years, it's no longer a struggle. It’s a stronghold. This might seem harsh, and some don’t like this reality, but you can fight cancer if you know you have it, and you can fight a stronghold if you know you have it. The worst thing for a Christian is to be blind to what’s happening in the spiritual realm.
I grew up with no teaching on spiritual warfare and the demonic realm. As a result, I was aware of God’s grace but not of the spiritual attacks of Satan. This proved deadly in my faith for years. The only way to break down strongholds is the power of God, or as the verse above says, divine power, which again refers to the Spirit of God. The way to break a stronghold is to realize you are powerless to overcome it. Motivation is what you can do for a moment, but transformation is what the Spirit does in you for a lifetime. The way to tear down strongholds is to be transformed in the Spirit and let Him fight and renew your mind. Pray every day and lay the stronghold at the feet of Jesus. Fast and ask God to fill you with the Spirit's power, then watch what He does! He is faithful and more powerful than the forces of darkness attacking you. Remember, there are demonic forces that watch you. They know most people better than they know themselves. There is a reason you always seem to be tempted at the right time and place. You face an enemy who is watching and ready to destroy you spiritually, but take heart. God is stronger, and He has given you the ability not just to overcome, but as it says in the verse above, He has given us the ability to demolish strongholds. God can tear them down so they don’t repeatedly come back. He is faithful. Draw near to Him today!
Application: Today, let God’s truth tear down any lies that arise in your mind or heart.
Prayer: Ask God if there is any place you haven’t found victory. Ask God to show you where you believe lies that have become strongholds. Ask the Spirit to transform you and thank Him for His power today.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?