By Pablo Perez
If you could interview the apostle Paul, you may talk about: "what is the foremost supply of gone false ideas-strongholds-the lies we've got believed about God, life, the longer term, yesteryear, ourselves, others, etc.? He'd answer:
"For though we walk within the flesh, we don't war in line with the flesh. For that weapons of our warfare aren't carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments every high thing that exalts itself up against the understanding of God, bringing every thought into captivity [a tenacious commitment] to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:3-5)
In middle ages times, a stronghold was obviously a strongly fortified defensive building. Like a fortified city that often included a substantial stone wall surrounding it. Walls were all the way to fifty feet and ten feet thick. Their purpose ended up being keep an invading army from the city.
Paul used the analogy to instruct a spiritual truth... revealing how Satan attacks you together with tips on how to overcome Him. To put it differently, Paul used a confident "word picture"-a stronghold that protected a city-to illustrate the negative manner in which Satan (being a strong man) seeks to "protect" his house from being plundered to ensure that he may hold individuals bondage.
"But basically cast out demons through the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God comes upon you. Or how can you enter a robust man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house." (Mt. 12:28-30)
Basically, Satan seeks to establish spiritual strongholds in your mind to maintain God's presence from the life, to help keep you in bondage to him. He's got 6,000 years dealing with men, he's not stupid (as some would have you believe). The Devil works his tactic to establish "stone walls of accusation" in your mind against God, to keep God's liberating presence from invading your health and freeing our heart.
Personal strongholds: Strongholds inside our mind are "a number of ideas which can be in complete agreement with Satan". These lies accuse Jesus with his fantastic leadership; they accuse our standing before Him. These are arguments or lies about His character, power, and wisdom and our relationship to Him. Once we believe lies about God, we believe lies about who we are in Christ. That's why, renouncing wrong ideas or lies about God is foundational to dismantling personal strongholds.
Cultural strongholds: Strongholds in our culture consist of actions and laws in the specific region which are convinced with all the Devil and against God's righteousness. Repentance for these actions and laws (as well as intercession for God's mercy) will be the method to dismantle cultural strongholds.
Cosmic strongholds: Strongholds inside spiritual realm come from territorial spirits or demons that energize entire geographic areas to embrace wicked behavior and evil ideas. There is a demonic chain of command above each region of the earth (Eph. 6:12; Dan. 10:12, 20-21). Intercession with repentance in solemn assemblies is one way to dismantle cosmic strongholds (Joel 2:12-17).
How Are Spiritual Strongholds Established?
Strongholds are in place by opening doors to Satan through sinful actions and belief systems. Satan's sphere of activity will be the domain of darkness. Wherever there exists "darkness", he's legal access. If darkness is our hearts, the real key has legal entry to us. Jesus didn't have place of darkness or agreement with Satan in the life. Thus, Jesus gave Satan no legal access points into His life.
"For the ruler with this world is arriving, and that he has nothing within me." (Jn. 14:30)
Whenever you feel an irrational heightened lust, fear, oppression or anxiety. It is possible to resist these demonic influences by investing in obey Jesus and declaring reality of God's Word. Like this, we can quench all of the demonic missiles with their heightened energy against us.
"You will be able to quench all of the fiery darts in the wicked one... (Eph. 6:16)
Once we sin, we give Satan legal entry into our everyday life to work in the greater strategies us. Satan adds a higher demonic energy to the sin once we yield with it. He wants our weaknesses to escalate to wickedness. Lust does not stop with one act, but continues to grow until it really is full-grown (Jas. 1:15). Sin that isn't rejected will continue to rise in our life.
Augustine said, "Lust yielded to gets a habit, as well as a habit not resisted gets to be a necessity."
"Each the first is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires... When desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, if it is full-grown, brings forth death." (Jas 1:14-15)
About the Author:
If you are looking for that reviving Daily Devotional (http://spiritualfuel.org/) , you are likely to like Spiritual Fuel. Get a revealing Daily Word (http://enjoyableprayer.org/) every single morning, 10 Free Downloads and much more.
If you could interview the apostle Paul, you may talk about: "what is the foremost supply of gone false ideas-strongholds-the lies we've got believed about God, life, the longer term, yesteryear, ourselves, others, etc.? He'd answer:
"For though we walk within the flesh, we don't war in line with the flesh. For that weapons of our warfare aren't carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments every high thing that exalts itself up against the understanding of God, bringing every thought into captivity [a tenacious commitment] to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:3-5)
In middle ages times, a stronghold was obviously a strongly fortified defensive building. Like a fortified city that often included a substantial stone wall surrounding it. Walls were all the way to fifty feet and ten feet thick. Their purpose ended up being keep an invading army from the city.
Paul used the analogy to instruct a spiritual truth... revealing how Satan attacks you together with tips on how to overcome Him. To put it differently, Paul used a confident "word picture"-a stronghold that protected a city-to illustrate the negative manner in which Satan (being a strong man) seeks to "protect" his house from being plundered to ensure that he may hold individuals bondage.
"But basically cast out demons through the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God comes upon you. Or how can you enter a robust man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house." (Mt. 12:28-30)
Basically, Satan seeks to establish spiritual strongholds in your mind to maintain God's presence from the life, to help keep you in bondage to him. He's got 6,000 years dealing with men, he's not stupid (as some would have you believe). The Devil works his tactic to establish "stone walls of accusation" in your mind against God, to keep God's liberating presence from invading your health and freeing our heart.
Personal strongholds: Strongholds inside our mind are "a number of ideas which can be in complete agreement with Satan". These lies accuse Jesus with his fantastic leadership; they accuse our standing before Him. These are arguments or lies about His character, power, and wisdom and our relationship to Him. Once we believe lies about God, we believe lies about who we are in Christ. That's why, renouncing wrong ideas or lies about God is foundational to dismantling personal strongholds.
Cultural strongholds: Strongholds in our culture consist of actions and laws in the specific region which are convinced with all the Devil and against God's righteousness. Repentance for these actions and laws (as well as intercession for God's mercy) will be the method to dismantle cultural strongholds.
Cosmic strongholds: Strongholds inside spiritual realm come from territorial spirits or demons that energize entire geographic areas to embrace wicked behavior and evil ideas. There is a demonic chain of command above each region of the earth (Eph. 6:12; Dan. 10:12, 20-21). Intercession with repentance in solemn assemblies is one way to dismantle cosmic strongholds (Joel 2:12-17).
How Are Spiritual Strongholds Established?
Strongholds are in place by opening doors to Satan through sinful actions and belief systems. Satan's sphere of activity will be the domain of darkness. Wherever there exists "darkness", he's legal access. If darkness is our hearts, the real key has legal entry to us. Jesus didn't have place of darkness or agreement with Satan in the life. Thus, Jesus gave Satan no legal access points into His life.
"For the ruler with this world is arriving, and that he has nothing within me." (Jn. 14:30)
Whenever you feel an irrational heightened lust, fear, oppression or anxiety. It is possible to resist these demonic influences by investing in obey Jesus and declaring reality of God's Word. Like this, we can quench all of the demonic missiles with their heightened energy against us.
"You will be able to quench all of the fiery darts in the wicked one... (Eph. 6:16)
Once we sin, we give Satan legal entry into our everyday life to work in the greater strategies us. Satan adds a higher demonic energy to the sin once we yield with it. He wants our weaknesses to escalate to wickedness. Lust does not stop with one act, but continues to grow until it really is full-grown (Jas. 1:15). Sin that isn't rejected will continue to rise in our life.
Augustine said, "Lust yielded to gets a habit, as well as a habit not resisted gets to be a necessity."
"Each the first is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires... When desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, if it is full-grown, brings forth death." (Jas 1:14-15)
About the Author:
If you are looking for that reviving Daily Devotional (http://spiritualfuel.org/) , you are likely to like Spiritual Fuel. Get a revealing Daily Word (http://enjoyableprayer.org/) every single morning, 10 Free Downloads and much more.