Spiritual Strongholds

Are We Realizing Them in Our Lives?

New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis (S)

Stronghold → אַרְמוֹן (citadel, #810); → בִּירָה (citadel, acropolis, #1072); → בָּצַר (be inaccessible, #1307; בָּצוּר, inaccessible, #1290; בִּצָּרוֹן, fortress?, #1315; מִבְצָר, fortified [place], #4448); → דָּיֵק (siege-mound, #1911); → חֵיל (rampart, #2658); → מִלּוֹא (terrace, #4864); → מִסְגֶּרֶת (stronghold, dungeon, rim, table, #4995; מַסְגֵּר, enclosure, prison, dungeon, #4993); → מְצָד (stronghold, #5171; מָצוֹד, mountain stronghold, #5179; מְצוּדָה, mountain stronghold, #5181); → מָצוֹר (fortification, fortified city, #5190; מְצוּרָה, fortification, #5193); → סֹחֵרָה (rampart, #6089); → סֹכֵךְ (mantelet, #6116); → צְרִיחַ (cellar, vault, pit, stronghold, #7663); → שָׂגַב (be high, fortified, protect, #8435; מִשְׂגָּב, high spot, refuge, #5369); see *Protection; → Fortification in the Topical Dictionary

Struggle → גָּלַע (break out in a dispute, #1679); → גָּרָה (stir up strife, #1741; תִּגְרָה, strife, #9327); → נָצָה (struggle, #5897; מַצָּה, struggle, #5175; מַצּוּת, those who strive, #5194); → פָּתַל (twist, be wily, shrewd, #7349; נַפְתּוּלִים, struggle, #5887; פְּתַלְתֹּל, crooked, #7350); → רִיב (strive, #8189; יָרִיב, adversary, #3742; מְרִיבָה, strife, #5312; רִיב, strife, #8190; רִיבָה, contest, #8191); → רְעוּת (longing, striving, #8296; רַעְיוֹן, longing, striving, #8301); → שָׂרָה (contend, struggle, #8575); see Competition; *Dispute; Hostility; *Shrewd

Stubbornness → כָּשָׂה (become stubborn, headstrong, #4170); → סָרַר (be stubborn, rebellious, #6253; סַר, sullen, discouraged, #6234; סָרָה, rebellion, crime, revolt, falsehood, #6240); → עָתָק (old, hard, stubborn, arrogant, #6981); → קְשִׁי (stubbornness, #8001); → שְׁרִרוּת (stubbornness, #9244); see *Hard; *Pride; *Rebellion

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ

2 Corinthians 10:4

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

Ephesians 6:13-18

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints

1 Corinthians 10:13

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Romans 12:2

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18

4:1 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. 9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 John 4:1

4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Ephesians 6:12

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Psalm 103:2-4

2   Bless the LORD, O my soul,     and forget not all his benefits, 3   who forgives all your iniquity,     who heals all your diseases, 4   who redeems your life from the pit,     who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

James 5:16 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working

Matthew 6:14-15 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses Hebrews 11:1 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 1 John 1:9 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Deuteronomy 33:27 27   The eternal God is your dwelling place,     and underneath are the everlasting arms.   And he thrust out the enemy before you     and said, ‘Destroy.’ Psalm 121:1-8 121:1   I lift up my eyes to the hills.     From where does my help come? 2   My help comes from the LORD,     who made heaven and earth. 3   He will not let your foot be moved;     he who keeps you will not slumber. 4   Behold, he who keeps Israel     will neither slumber nor sleep. 5   The LORD is your keeper;     the LORD is your shade on your right hand. 6   The sun shall not strike you by day,     nor the moon by night. 7   The LORD will keep you from all evil;     he will keep your life. 8   The LORD will keep     your going out and your coming in     from this time forth and forevermore 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body Isaiah 54:17 17     no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed,     and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.   This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD     and their vindication from me, declares the LORD. John 14:6 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 8:34 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. Revelation 1:5 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood Isaiah 53:5 5   But he was pierced for our transgressions;     he was crushed for our iniquities;   upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,     and with his wounds we are healed. Ephesians 6:13 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm Hebrews 4:12 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

1 Corinthians 6:18 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body James 4:7 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. According to the Bible, spiritual strongholds are fortresses or castles of the mind that are built by the enemy to resist the knowledge and will of God. They are often formed by lies, deceptions, or sinful thoughts that contradict the truth of God’s Word. Spiritual strongholds can keep people in bondage to sin, fear, doubt, anger, bitterness, or any other negative emotion or behavior.

The Bible teaches that we can overcome spiritual strongholds by the power of God and the weapons of our warfare, which are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:41). Some of these weapons are:

The Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit and the truth that sets us free (Ephesians 6:17 2 John 8:32 .The blood of Jesus, which cleanses us from all sin and gives us victory over the enemy (Revelation 12:11 1 John 1:75).The name of Jesus, which is above every name and has authority over every power and principality (Philippians 2:9-10; Mark 16:17).The armor of God, which protects us from the schemes and attacks of the devil (Ephesians 6:10-18. Prayer and fasting, which strengthen our faith and help us to resist the devil (Matthew 17:21; James 4:7).Praise and worship, which exalt God and confuse the enemy (Psalm 149:6-9; 2 Chronicles 20:21-22).

The Bible also tells us that we need to renew our minds by the Word of God, so that we can discern the will of God and not be conformed to the world (Romans 12:2). We need to cast down every argument and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:51). We need to confess our sins and repent of them, and receive God’s forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9). We need to submit to God and resist the devil, and he will flee from us (James 4:7). We need to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh, and bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25).

Spiritual strongholds can be broken by the grace and power of God, as we apply the weapons of our warfare and the principles of God’s Word to our lives. God has given us everything we need for life and godliness, and He wants us to be free from the bondage of the enemy and to live in the freedom of His Son (2 Peter 1:3; John 8:36

Strongholds can be Broken in our Life if we our willing to recognize the stronghold and let God destroy it in our life with his Word and Mercy and Grace and Faith.

Blessing To all .