Pulling Down Strongholds
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2 Corinthians 10:3-5 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Title: Pulling Down Strongholds
Illustration: A mother invited some people to dinner, then at the table asked her six-year-old daughter to say the blessing. “I wouldn’t know what to say,” she replied. “Just say what you hear Mommy say,” was the mother’s answer. The little girl bowed her head and after a long pause said, “Dear Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?”
Spiritual warfare cannot be fought by just repeating someone else’s actions or phrases; we must understand what we are doing and why we are doing it if we are going to be effective!
Satan has three main weapons against the church:
The most obvious weapon is an active one called SIN.
Satan is known as the tempter (Matthew 4:3) and he is an expert with this weapon.
Sin seeks you out like a laser guided missile!
The second weapon is a passive one called ACCUSATIONS.
It is set up like a secret trap for you to fall into.
Satan is described as the accuser of the brethren (Job 1:6-12, Zechariah 3:1, Rev. 12:10
If he has the courage to accuse you before God – who knows all – imagine what he is capable of saying to us, mere mortals.
Even though we are forgiven, he is there to constantly remind us of all we have done wrong.
Even though we know he will never leave us, Satan’s accusation condemn us!
Hebrews 13:5 … for He has said, “I will never[under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you[assuredly not]!”
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Satan’s intent is to trap you like an animal, paralyze you with fear, control you with despair.
Which is why Peter didn’t stop with verse 8…
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
May = permitted to!
Who is he permitted to devour? Those who don’t fight!
Resist! Don’t let him succeed!
Don’t find yourself doing his job!!
Accuse your brother or sister!
3. The third weapon is the most dangerous because it lies dormant until activated!
We know about sin…
We should know about accusation…
The third weapon the enemy uses is STRONGHOLDS.
Strongholds are IEDs placed by terrorists - Satan, circumstance, hurts, abuse.
They can lay there for years waiting for pressure to activate them.
Often we don’t even know about them until we are standing in the middle of the damage wondering what in the world had just happened!
Spiritual strongholds allow Satan to manipulate Christians, bringing great damage to themselves and others, and impeaching their Christian witness (like the Laodiceans).
This is in line with Satan’s character:
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Sets these IEDs deep in your mind
The path of our spirit.
All to disrupt your relationship with your God!
The only hope is to find them and disarm them!
Christian author Ed Silvoso: “A spiritual stronghold is a mindset impregnated with hopelessness that causes us to accept as unchangeable situations that we know are contrary to the will of God.”
Identifying Strongholds:
Unforgiveness (Mat 5.43-48)
Forgiveness is a biblical imperative so if you can’t forgive
SUSPECT A STRONGHOLD.
Any time the will of God is clearly spelled out
but your life tells a different story
anytime you are powerless to change the reality perceived by your mind
anytime you have accepted defeat because the situation looks hopeless
SUSPECT A STRONGHOLD.
The Bible tells us that he who finds a spouse “finds a good thing” (Proverbs 18:22) and that we are to become one flesh (Matthew 19:4-6).
If you are powerless to change your feelings toward your spouse and feel hopeless.
SUSPECT A STRONGHOLD.
The Bible tells us that we must live holy lives (1 Peter 1:15-16).
If you are unable to shake the creeping influence of worldly pleasures and priorities then you should suspect a spiritual stronghold.
SUSPECT A STRONGHOLD.
How we as humans acts when there is a strongholds present.
Strongholds generate excuses self-preservation.
Not me…
How dare he…
Your wrong pastors…
Strongholds expose a severe inconsistency between what we SAY and what we BELIEVE.
We cope with them by erecting a “partition” which separates our mind into two compartments.
On one side is the knowledge of God; on the other side is human speculation.
A speculation is a conclusion based on an assumption that cannot be proven!
This partision makes us become what James called a “doubleminded man”.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
This is why you can be one thing in church and another in the parking lot… you have a stronghold in your mind!
2 Corinthians 10:5 – “casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God”
Look at the confusion that strongholds cause:
Saints trying to believe God for a breakthrough in their church who cannot forgive a past hurt.
Saints trying to believe God for a miracle in their city who cannot even enjoy their marriage.
Saints trying to believe God for power to witness who do not even have the power to live holy.
When Christians know the will of God and do otherwise, Satan is able to blackmail them.
How do you pull down a stronghold?
ainted overStrongholds are to be destroyed, not just painted over or covered up with wallpaper!
4 Steps to tearing down a stronghold.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
1. SUBMIT TO GOD.
Determine the will of God by God’s Word, then choose to believe it and to obey it.
Tear down the partition that has allowed you to store two opposing truths in your mind.
Call truth “TRUTH” in spite of your feelings if necessary.
Re-enter the battlefield!
2. RESIST THE DEVIL.
The most effective way to resist him is to die to your old self, putting yourself out of his reach.
In Christ, everything is certain and proven. Quote the Scripture to him: “It is written!”
3. DRAW NEAR TO GOD = AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU.
We need to draw close to Him because our “speculations” have allowed us to drift away.
Cross the door on fear and rejection – Jesus promises that He will draw near to you!
4. CLEAN HANDS = PURE HEARTS.
Our hands refer to the “outward dimension” while our hearts refer to the “inward dimension.”
The visible symptom is easier to deal with than the inner root cause (ie. immoral relationship).
A stronghold has been destroyed only when a double-minded person becomes single-minded!
STOP defending yourself! When we sin, we usually plead guilty but reserve the right to say something on our behalf!
That perpetuates a double mind! Instead, we should turn our laughter into mourning!
Only as you see the ugliness of your sin will you be drawn to God’s holiness and fully repent.
For Christians, persistence is the opposite of instability! Hammer away at your wall of arguments!
Use God’s Word like a sledgehammer on your circumstances, and hit those situations repeatedly!
Day in and day out! Sooner or later the first crack will appear! And then it’s just a matter of time!
TEAR DOWN YOUR STRONGHOLDS!