Sermon Tone Analysis

Spirit and Truth: Strongholds

One of the most frustrating things in a Christian’s life is the real struggle with getting ‘it’ right.

“It” being this Christian life that we have surrendered to.

Saying yes to Jesus means saying no to other things.

Are we talking right?

Are dressing right?

Do I wear yoga pants or the baggy sweats?

Do I reveal my tattoos or keep them covered?

Do I send my kids to home school, private school, or home school.

And on and on and on we go trying to make decisions and choices that reflect our Christian value system.

It can and will send some people over the edge.

I would say that most Christians are really good at faking it till they make it.

Its easy to stop cussing when you spend time around people who do not talk like that, you still wear yoga pants because a brother is responsible for keeping his eyes focused somewhere else and you start acting like all the other church friends you have.

These things are not what define you as a follower of Jesus Christ.

We focus on these things because it is the one thing we can do to appear to have it all together.

Any outward struggle we may have is usually a symptom of something going on in our mind.

If you are struggling with living the perfect Christian life let me just say “stop trying”!

You cannot do it and here is why, you ain’t Jesus!

So instead of wasting our time today talking about doing the impossible, let us talk about something that is true in almost everyone of us in this room, let us talk about the one thing that keeps us from being the person God has called us to be, today I want to talk about strongholds.

In ancient times stronghold was a military term used to describe an area within a walled city or fortress that was suppose to impossible to overcome, impregnable (say that word 3 times fast).

Today it would be like a safe room in rich folks houses or preppers waiting for the end of the world to happen.

This stronghold was designed to keep the enemy out and protect you and your loved ones.

What would you say if I told you that there are spiritual strongholds in your mind?

And these strongholds are often not things that protect you but it is a place where the enemy has set up shop?

Pastor Lloyd you are crazy, maybe so, but I did not come up with this, the Apostle Paul did.

In Paul says

2 Corinthians

Paul was writing to the church at Corinth, this was his second letter to them.

The church at Corinth was a prominent church, it was affluent, but it was also riddled with issues.

Paul writes boldly to them concerning divisions in the church, sexual immorality, marriage, idolatry, the Lord’s supper, Spiritual gifts, love, and the list goes on and on.

The letter was bold and gave those who opposed the true gospel Paul preached an opportunity to speak against him.

Paul’s response was this, we are not waging war against people, against the flesh, but we are fighting a spiritual war against a very real enemy, Satan and our sinful nature.

The American church and Corinth have a lot in common, it’s very influential and prosperous, but due to strongholds, it tends to be riddled with problems.

Since the church is the people of God we need to look inwardly to see what the real issues are.

Let us start by defining strongholds

A spiritual stronghold is anything we are not allowing Jesus to be Lord over.

It’s more than sin, it’s a place when Satan knocks we can’t deny it…we answer the call almost every time.

That is a broad but appropriate definition.

We fail to see things that are not overtly sinful things as strongholds.

I asked friends to send me some examples of “good” and “bad” strongholds.

Here are some of those responses.

GOOD (not overtly sinful) BAD (blatant sin)

Idolizing our children Sexual strongholds (thoughts, wandering eyes)

Spouses before God Resentment

Time management Bitterness

Church Jealousy

$ management Fear

Guilt Worry

Let’s talk about the “good” list.

This column is made up of things that are not necessarily sinful, children are not bad, at least for to most people.

Money is what most people would call A moral, it’s neutral, it’s what you do with it and how you view it that makes it sinful or a blessing.

This is not a comprehensive list but I am reminded of another saying of Paul,

A spiritual stronghold is anything we are not allowing Jesus to be Lord over.

It’s more than sin, it’s a place when Satan knocks we can’t deny it…we answer the call almost every time.

That is a broad but appropriate definition.

We fail to see things that are not overtly sinful things as strongholds.

I asked friends to send me some examples of “good” and “bad” strongholds.

Here are some of those responses.

The “good”

Children spouse work church money

time management

The “bad”

sexual immorality resentment bitterness

jealousy fear worry

Let’s talk about the “good” list.

This column is made up of things that are not necessarily sinful, children are not bad, at least for to most people.

Money is what most people would call A moral, it’s neutral, it’s what you do with it and how you view it that makes it sinful or a blessing.

This is not a comprehensive list but I am reminded of another saying of Paul,

1 Corinthians

Good

spouses

“BAD” (blatant sin)

Of course Paul was speaking to some laws that told Jewish people how to live.

A lot of this is related to dietary restrictions.

People no longer had to live under the yoke of the law because Jesus had fulfilled the law.

Eating certain things made you ceremonially unclean, now the blood of Jesus has cleansed you.

The Holy Spirit lives in you and helps the believer know how to live.

So how does this apply to the “good” strongholds that are really not good.

Wait, that was confusing.

Let’s go back to our definition of strongholds.

A spiritual stronghold is anything we are not allowing Jesus to be Lord over.

It’s more than sin, it’s a place when Satan knocks we can’t deny it…we answer the call almost every time.

Is it possible to be so obsessive with our children that we allow them to control when, what and how we do things?

Now I am not talking about common sense things but look at our culture.

Some parents neglect their biblical role as a parent in order to satisfy some unmet desire in their child’s life.

Raising kids is hard and the Word has a lot to say about raising them if we would just trust God with our kids.

Spouses, when we put each other first before our relationship with God there is a problem.

Sometimes we don’t worship the way we should because of a spouse.

We look to them to fill some need that only God can fill.

You cannot get your identity from your spouse.

Time and money management are big ones.

We have to be good stewards of both.

If Satan knocks and says “you really need a new toy, use that discover card and get it now.”

Credit card debt is the worst kind of debt you can get yourselves in.

We should honor God with both time and money.

Did you know that church can even be a bad thing.

Let me give you an example.

I had a spiritual dad that I respected very much.

He really helped me a great deal when I first started preaching.

Unfortunately he is no longer with us.