CAPTIVE CHRISTIANS (3)
Captive Christians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT STRONGHOLDS
THIS WEEK I WANT TO CONTINUE IN THIS TOPIC
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT WHERE THE PULPIT IS SILENT
THE PEOPLE STRUGGLE
GENERATIONAL CURSES, YOKES, AND STRONGHOLDS
THESE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT
THESE ARE THINGS THAT EVERYONE OF US NEED TO KNOW
WE ARE ALL DEALING WITH THESE THINGS
AND IT’S TIME TO BREAK FREE
IT’S TIME TO FOR A MENTAL RESET
IT’S TIME TO BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF OUR MINDS
AND THE ONLY WAY THAT THIS HAPPENS IS BY.....
TALKING ABOUT IT
EXPOSING THE TACTICS OF THE ENEMY
BY GROWING IN THE WORD OF GOD
AND BECOMING FAT WITH THE ANOINTING
OH COME ON SOMEBODY…YOU KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT?
CHANGE CAN HAPPEN
AND I BELIEVE IT WILL HAPPEN AS WE BECOME MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THE WORD
AMEN?
.....OPEN IN PRAYER......
TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR
THIS IS GONNA HELP YOU
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
LETS READ 5 AND 6 AGAIN
A STRONGHOLD IS NOT IN THE SKY AND IT’S NOT IN A CITY
UNDERSTAND THIS....
PAUL IS SPEAKING TO THE CHURCH IN CORINTH
MANY TIMES PAUL WILL SPEAK TO THEM WITH IMAGERY…IN ORDER TO COMMUNICATE A TRUTH
SO WHENEVER YOU HEAR JESUS OR AN APOSTLE IN THE BIBLE....
AND THERE USING WORDS LIKE....
SHEEP, GOATS, AND FIGTREES, AND HILLS AND MOUNTAINS
LAST WEEK WE REAR THAT PAUL SAID...
WHO WILL DELIVER ME FROM THIS BODY OF DEATH
ALL OF THIS STUFF IS IMAGERY THAT THOSE PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD
CORINTH HAD A HIGH HILL
WASN’T QUITE A MOUNTAIN
BUT IT WAS A HIGH PLACE
IT WAS 1,847 FT HIGH
EVERYONE IN CORINTH THOUGHT IT WAS A HOLY PLACE...
AND THEY CALLED A HIGH PLACE
SO NOW, PAUL IS WRITING TO CORINTH ABOUT SPIRITUAL WARFARE
AND HE SAYS.....EVERY HIGH THING
SO YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND...
HE IS TALKING IN LANGUAGE THAT THEY KNOW
A STRONGHOLD IS....
WHEN YOU HAVE BELIEVED A LIE…. TO BE TRUE
IT IS FORTRESSES OF THOUGHT
FOLLOW ME???
DOORS GIVE DEMONS ENTRANCE
STRONGHOLDS GIVE THEM PROTECTION
YOU CAN OPEN ALL KINDS OF DOORS TO GOOD AND TO EVIL
IN FACT, YOUR OPENING DOORS TO GOOD RIGHT NOW BY BEING HERE
YOU CAN GO TO CERTAIN PLACES, YOU CAN WATCH CERTAIN THINGS, AND SAY CERTAIN THINGS
AND YOUR OPENING ALL KINDS OF DOORS TO EVIL
understand this…..
DOORS...
CAN BE SHUT IMMEDIATELY
THEY CAN BE REPENTED OF
YOU CAN ASK FORGIVENESS
AND THEY CAN BE SHUT BY A DECISION YOU MAKE
OH MY LORD....
STRONGHOLDS HOWEVER,
CAN NOT BE TORN DOWN IMMEDIATELY
THEY ARE STRUCTURES IN THE MIND
STRUCTURES OF THOUGHT
AND STRUCTURES OF BELIEF THAT HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED IN YOUR MIND
I BELIEVE THAT...
THE FIRST THINGS YOU ARE TAUGHT ARE SOMETIMES THE HARDEST TO UNLEARN
OH COME ON....
ANYONE AGREE WITH ME...
THERE ARE SOME IN HERE WHO WERE RAISED TO BELIEVE A CERTAIN WAY
THEY WERE TAUGHT CERTAIN THINGS…
AND AS YOU GREW THOSE THINGS GREW WITH YOU
AND MAYBE AS YOU GREW YOU REALIZED THAT THOSE THINGS YOU WERE TAUGHT…
MAY NOT BE AS CORRECT AS YOU THOUGHT
AND SO YOU TRY TO CHANGE THOSE THINGS
AND THOSE FIRST THINGS YOU WERE TAUGHT
ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO CHANGE
THOSE MINDSETS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION
HAVE TO BE BROKEN
AND THEY CAN BE SO EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO BREAK
OH COME ON SOMEBODY
THERE ARE FORTRESSES OF THINKING THAT HAVE BEEN ERECTED IN MY MIND
IT’S LIKE JERICHO.....
JERICHO WAS PROMISED TO THE ISREALITES BY GOD
IT SAYS....JOSHUA 6:1
1 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in.
NOTHING COULD GET IN
AND NOTHING COULD GET OUT
THE PROBLEM WITH STRONGHOLDS....
THEY DON’T LET NEW INFORMATION GET IN
THE OTHER PROBLEM IS....
STRONGHOLDS....HOLD YOU CAPTIVE AND DON’T LET YOU GET OUT
REMEMBER LAST WEEK PAUL SAID....
I GOT THIS LAW AT WORK
AND IT’S WARRING AGAINST MY MIND
BRINGING ME INTO CAPTIVITY
SO NOW THE BATTLE IS NOT MY SPIRIT
MY SPIRIT HAS BEEN SET FREE…SAVED
NOW THE BATTLE MOVES TO ....
MY HEAD
AND EVERYTHING THAT THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL HAS TAUGHT ME....
UP UNTIL I WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE WORD OF GOD
IS WARRING AGAINST ME
OH COME ON....
I’M ABOUT TO GO DEEPER
YA’LL READY???
ASK YOUR NEIGHBORS
ARE YA’LL READY
I WROTE SOME THINGS DOWN I READ THIS LAST WEEK......I WANT TO SHARE
WRITE THIS DOWN......
DOORS HAVE TO DO WITH BEHAVIOR
STRONGHOLDS HAVE TO DO WITH THOUGHTS
DOORS HAVE TO DO WITH GIVING PERMISSION
STRONGHOLDS HAVE TO DO WITH OFFERING PROTECTION
ONE GIVES PERMISSION
ONE GIVES PROTECTION
43 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.
THIS WORD REST IS SPEAKING OF A...
A PLACE OF REST TO RESIDE
A PLACE OF PROTECTION
OH MY LORD...
DEMONS DON’T JUST LEAVE EASILY
THEY GO OUT AND SEEK A PLACE TO SETTLE
44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
OH COME ON
THIS IS WHAT JESUS DOES...
HE CLEANS YOU OUT
HE SWEEPS UP ALL THE MESS
AND HE PUTS YOU BACK IN ORDER
YOU GOT SAVED
YOU’VE BEEN DELIVERED
AND THE DEMONS HAVE BEEN EVICTED
OH COME ON....STAY WITH ME
WE TALKED ABOUT DOORS BEING OPENED
AND STRONGHOLDS BEING A FORTRESS THOUGHTS
45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”
I’M GONNA COME BACK AND PREACH THIS PASSAGE BEFORE TOO LONG
THERE IS SO MUCH TO UNPACK
ANYWAYS, STRONGHOLDS
“THE LAST STATE OF THE MAN IS WORSE THAN THE FIRST”
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN SOMEONE COME OFF SOMETHING
THEN THEY RELAPSE AND ARE MUCH WORSE
OH MY LORD…HELP US
IT SAYS...
HE GOES OUT AND DOESN’T FIND REST
WHAT DOES A STRONGHOLD DO?
IT PROVIDES PROTECTION
IT ALLOWS FOR REST
IT ALLOWS FOR SAFETY
SO WHEN THEY COME BACK...
THEY TRY TO WORK THROUGH THOSE SAME THOUGHT PATTERNS
LISTEN…WE ESTABLISHED THIS LAST WEEK
THE ENEMY DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE YOU DO SOMETHING
HE ONLY HAS THE POWER TO LIE
JESUS NAMED HIM THE WHAT?
FATHER OF LIES
WHATS THE OPPOSITE OF THE ENEMY?
TRUTH
JESUS SAID....
I AM THE WAY
THE TRUTH
AND THE LIFE
IF HE’S THE WAY
YOU CAN’T GET LOST
IF HE’S THE TRUTH
YOU CAN’T BELIEVE A LIE
IF HE’S THE LIFE AND YOU ACCEPT HIM
YOU’LL NEVER DIE
SO HE’S THE FATHER OF LIES
BUT JESUS IS THE TRUTH
CAN I GET AN AMEN?
NOW....STAY WITH ME
THE ENEMY WILL USE A FACT
TO GET YOU TO BELIEVE A LIE
OH COME ON....HE’S BEEN DOING SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME
UNDERSTAND THIS…..
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FACTS AND TRUTH
THE WORD OF GOD....IS TRUTH
YOUR LIFE HAS A SET OF FACTS
LORD HELP ME....
I’VE NEVER BEEN IN THE MILITARY BUT I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT HAVE
YOU WILL NEVER SEE A PRIVATE
GIVE ORDERS TO A 5 STAR GENERAL
WHY?
BECAUSE LESSER AUTHORITY
ALWAYS YIELDS TO GREATER AUTHORITY
THIS IS WHY WE CAST OUT DEMONS.....IN JESUS NAME
OH COME ON SOMEBODY....
BECAUSE HIS NAME IS ABOVE EVERY NAME
AND AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW (PHIL 2)
OF THOSE IN HEAVEN
THOSE ON EARTH
AND THOSE UNDER THE EARTH
EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD
SO WHEN YOU SPEAK TO YOUR ENEMY “IN JESUS NAME”
YOU HAVE JUST INVOKED THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY IN THE UNIVERSE
AND LESSER AUTHORITY HAS TO YIELD
OH MY LORD
LET ME PROVE IT....
2 I will worship toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name
For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
SO THERE IS TWO THINGS THAT GOD CARES DEEPLY ABOUT
HIS WORD
AND HIS NAME
BUT THIS SAYS....
HE MAGNIFY HIS WORD ABOVE HIS NAME
BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T KEEP YOUR WORD
YOU DON’T HAVE A NAME
YOUR NAME MEANS NOTHING IF YOU DON’T KEEP YOUR WORD
SO IT’S IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE
AND HE EXALTS ABOVE ALL THINGS
HIS WORD
SO YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND THIS BURSON CHURCH
YOU MAY BE DEALING WITH FACTS BUT,
HIS WORD HAS THE POWER TO MAKE FACTS YIELD
BECAUSE HIS WORD IS THE GREATER AUTHORITY
BECAUSE HE HAS EXALTED ABOVE ALL THINGS
HIS WORD
I WANNA GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF ANALOGIES
SOMETHING REALLY UGLY
SOMETHING REALLY AWFUL HAPPENED TO YOU
WHEN YOU WERE A YOUNG GIRL
THAT’S A FACT
NOW,
YOUR 35 AND GOD BRINGS AN AMAZING MAN INTO YOUR LIFE
AND YOU SABOTAGE IT
WHY?
BECAUSE...
THAT FACT MADE YOU BELIEVE THE LIE
THAT YOUR NOT WORTHY OF A GREAT RELATIONSHIP
BUT THEN WHEN WE OPEN THE WORD OF GOD IT SAYS....
HE WHO THE SON HAS SET FREE…IS FREE INDEED
OH COME ON....
IT SAYS,
I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE
SO IF YOUR HERE TODAY...
YOU MAY HAVE THE PAIN OF “THE FACT”
THAT MADE YOU BELIEVE THE LIE
BUT I’M HEAR TO TELL YOU THAT GOD HAS AN OPEN DOOR
AND HES CALLING YOU TO MOVE INTO SOMETHING GREATER….THAN YOU YOU HAVE EVER HAD IN YOUR LIFE
AND THE LIE THAT YOUR BELIEVING
IS SABOTAGING GOD’S BLESSING ON YOUR LIFE
OH MY LORD…HELP ME
YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE THE WORD THAT...
I DON’T CARE WHAT HAPPEN TO ME
I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE
AND IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST JESUS
HE IS A NEW CREATION
ALL THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY
AND BEHOLD ALL THINGS HAVE BECOME NEW
THEN THAT LIE BEGINS TO CRUMBLE UNDER THE POWER OF THE TRUTH OF GOD
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
ARGUMENTS AND HIGH THINGS
THAT EXALTS ITSELF AGAINST GOD
STRONGHOLDS ARE...
FORTRESSES OR THOUGHT PATTERNS IN THE MIND
OK, SO....
I GO TO SALAVATION
FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD....(RECITE 3:16-17)
THEN YOU GOT SOMEONE WHO WALKS IN TO CHURCH
AND THEY COME HERE WITH AN ADDICTION
THEY SAY....
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I’VE DONE
YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY TIMES I’VE BEEN LOCKED UP
I MOVED TO VALLEY SPRINGS JUST TO GET AWAY FROM PEOPLE CHASING ME
OH COME ON.....
WHAT’S HAPPENING???
YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN YOUR MIND THAT IS ARGUING
WITH WHAT GOD JUST SAID
SO THE WORD WENT FORTH AND IMMEDIATELY
SOMETHING IS ARGUING WITH IT
YOU SEE…I GAVE YOU THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
BUT WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS AGAINST IT
LETS USE ANOTHER EXAMPLE....
OFFERING TIME
(OH COME ON AND JUST LIFT YOUR TITHE & OFFERING IN THE AIR AND BELIEVE THAT GOD IS GOING TO RELEASE A BLESSING ON YOUR LIFE)
(HANDS IN POCKET IN UNBELIEF)
HE MUST NOT KNOW MY FAMILY VERY WELL
OH COME ON SOMEBODY...
AN ARGUMENT IS BREAKING OUT
YOU LOOK LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN THE BUILDING
YOUR BLENDING WELL
IT’S NOT WHATS GOING ON AROUND YOU
IT’S WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR HEAD
YOU ARE CONVINCED...
THAT YOU KNOW SOMETHING BETTER THAN GOD
THEN COME HERE AFTER A YEAR OR TWO
AND YOU RESENT THAT PORTION OF THE SERVICE
BECAUSE YOU’VE NEVER EXPERIENCED IT
OH MY LORD......
BECAUSE AS A MAN THINKETH IN HIS HEART.....
SO IS HE
THE ENEMY KNOWS THAT....
HE JUST NEED TO GET YOU TO BELIEVE THE LIE
LISTEN TO ME...
IF HE GETS YOU TO BELIEVE A LIE
THE REST OF THE PROCESS TAKES CARE OF ITSELF.
YOU ARE A HOUSE MADE OF THOUGHTS
THOSE THOUGHTS DEFINE YOUR REALITY
I AM SO PUT OUT WITH THIS GENERATION THAT DOESN’T WANT TO BE OFFENDED
THE WORD OF GOD OFFENDS ME DAILY
WHERE MY LIFE IS OUT OF LINE
AND GOD IS TRYING TO GET THE BLESSING TO ME
HOW DO I CHANGE MY MARRIAGE?
YOU HAVE TO CHANGE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT MARRIAGE
I COULD CARRY YOU TO EPHESIANS 5 RIGHT NOW
WE KNOW WHAT THE CULTURE THINKS ABOUT FAMILY AND MARRIAGE
WE TEND TO BRING THOSE THOUGHTS INTO CHURCH WITH US
WHY?
BECAUSE IT’S WHAT WE FEED ON ALL THE TIME
I CAN BRING UP EPH 5. WHICH IS A POPULAR PASSAGE ON MARRIAGE
I CAN START TELLING YOU ABOUT HOW GOD BLESSES A MARRIAGE
AND EVERYONE IN HERE WOULD START TWITCHING
BECAUSE IT WOULD OFFEND EVERYTHING OUR CULTURE TEACHES
THE BIBLE TEACHES...
THE MARRIAGE THAT MAKES IT
IS ONE OF MUTUAL SUBMISSION
SUBMITTING TO ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE
MY BIBLE TEACHES ME TO HONOR THE WOMAN AS THE WEAKER VESSEL
(TWITCHING STARTS)
I WILL ALWAYS PROTECT MY WIFE FROM HARMS WAY.
IF I CAN GET THERE QUICK ENOUGH I WANT TO MAKE SURE I’M OPENING DOORS FOR HER TO ENTER BUILDINGS
THIS IS NOT WHAT POP CULTURE TEACHES...
IT’S STRONGHOLDS IN YOUR MIND THAT HAVE TO BE TORN DOWN
BECAUSE MAYBE THAT NOT HOW YOU SAW YOUR MOM AND DAD DO IT
PATTERNS OF THOUGHT
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
THOSE STRUCTURES IN YOUR MIND...
TAKE TIME TO TEAR DOWN
IT DOESN’T HAPPEN OVER NIGHT
IT TAKES TIME FOR GOD TO TEAR DOWN STRUCTURES ABOUT MONEY
IT’S A MINDSET
REMEMBER DEMONS ARE CAST OUT
STRONGHOLDS ARE PULLED DOWN
THE DOOR CAN BE SHUT IMMEDIATELY
BUT THE STRUCTURE IS PULLED DOWN OVER TIME
....WORSHIP TEAM COME......
LAST POINT....
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
I WILL NOT GIVE PERMISSION TO THOUGHTS THAT ARE NOT FROM GOD
IF I START HEARING THINGS LIKE...
I CAN’T
OR IT CAN’T BE DONE
MY BIBLE TELLS ME
I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST
MY BIBLE TELLS ME THAT...
ONCE I’VE THOUGHT THE GREATEST THING THAT I COULD EVER THINK
THAT MY GOD CAN DO EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY WHAT I CAN ASK OR THINK
ONCE I KNOW THE WORD
I CAN DETERMINE WHEN THOUGHTS ARE OR ARE NOT FROM GOD
OH COME ON SOMEBODY....
ONCE I HAVE A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WORD
I CAN EMBRACE THE TRUTH OF GOD
AND THEN I CAN PUNISH EVERY THOUGHT THAT DID NOT COME FROM HIM
PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO DESIRE FOR THE WORD OF GOD
DO NOT HAVE TH ABILITY TO DO THIS
THEY HAVE TO TAKE EVERY THOUGHT AND GUESS
LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO GUESS
CAN I GET AN AMEN?
....STAND TO YOUR FEET.....
HOW MANY OF YOU IN HERE
ARE READY TO PULL DOWN SOME STRONGHOLDS????
THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL
BUT THEY ARE MIGHT IN GOD FOR THE PULLING DOWN OF STRONGHOLDS
OH COME ON SOMEBODY...
YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED AS A BELIEVER TO PULL DOWN STRONGHOLDS IN YOUR LIFE
CASTING DOWN EVERY ARGUMENT/THOUGHT
HOW MANY OF YOU ARE READY TO CAST DOWN THE LIES IN JESUS NAME
CASTING DOWN EVERY ARGUMENT AND HIGH THING THAT EXALTS ITSELF AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
THESE ALTARS ARE OPEN THIS MORNING...
IF THAT’S YOU AND YOUR READY TO START PULLING DOWN STRONGHOLDS
LETS TAKE THOSE THOUGHTS CAPTIVE AND ALLOW GOD ....
TO BEGIN TRANSFORMATION IN YOUR MIND TODAY.
COME THIS MORNING.....SEEK HIS FACE
LET US PRAY FOR YOU.
