The Helmet of Salvation pt. 4

Tearing Down Strongholds and Imaginations

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 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,”

Strongholds

Arguments/Imaginations

High things

3794 oxýrōma (from the root oxyroō, "fortify") – a fortified, military stronghold; a strong-walled fortress (A-S), used only in 2 Cor 10:4. Here 3794/oxýrōma ("a heavily-fortified containment") is used figuratively of a false argument in which a person seeks "shelter" ("a safe place") to escape reality.

[3794 (oxýrōma) is also used for a prison

anything on which one relies:

Our strongholds are sometimes masked as something good, so we may not even know what the enemy is using against us. It can be something you don’t trust God with or something you’re striving to fulfill within yourself.

Mark 12:30 “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.”

These are the areas we are to love God in our lives. It stands to reason then, that these are the areas that the enemy will attack the most.

Matthew 18:18 ““Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

We often talk about binding demons up, but we should also focus on loosing the truth into that situation.

Matthew 12:29 “Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.”

Examples Of Strongholds

Bitterness or unforgiveness.

You think of revenge or feel hatred towards another.

You’re often angry and feel resentful. 

Defensive- You don’t like being corrected.

Obsessive worry, fear. Worrying about your kids or future or finances to the point it steals your joy. 

Jealousy

Addiction. All types of addiction, such as substances or even being addicted to attention or praise. 

Lust, adultery, meaningless intimate encounters.

Perfectionism which drives you to control. 

Selfishness

Insecurity- Worrying about what others are thinking about you. 

Despair or a complaining attitude or such low confidence it prevents you from living for God.

Discontentment.

LyingPeople pleasing

Gossip

Judgemental thoughts/Thinking you are better than others.

A spiritual stronghold does not start out completely built. It begins as does any structure. It begins with a foundation. Once the foundation is poured, the rest of the stronghold can be built. It is important that we allow Holy Spirit to show us what the foundation of each stronghold is.

Sin- Generational strongholds

Habitual and repeated willful disobedience

Secret sins (We often don’t want others to see or know our strongholds) Proverbs 28:13-14 “He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. Happy is the man who is always reverent, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.”

Lies- About God

About how God sees you

About how you see yourself

About others

About how others see you

Occult- Pop up stronghold. Much faster than others in many cases.

Unforgiveness- Willful refusal to forgive others, self, God. Holding onto the pain and injustice of what has been done to you or someone you care about.

A spiritual stronghold is more than sin; it’s bondage. A stronghold in this context is a natural desire in us that Satan twists so that sin has control over us.

We often keep our spiritual strongholds secret. As a result, the enemy uses our stronghold and secrecy around it to invoke shame and fear from us.

Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.”

Psalm 9:9 Psalm 18:2 “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Arguments/Imaginations- Logic, reason, fantasy, dreams- Focuses on your will. Your understanding. Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

High places were mountains or hills that stood about the surrounding country. Here the Israelites set up Asherah poles and other altars of idolatry. A high place is anything that takes the place of God in priority.

1 Kings 15:9–12 NKJV

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king over Judah. And he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His grandmother’s name was Maachah the granddaughter of Abishalom. Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did his father David. And he banished the perverted persons from the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

1 Kings 15:14 “But the high places were not removed. Nevertheless Asa’s heart was loyal to the Lord all his days.”

1 Kings 22:43 “And he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.”

This phrase is mentioned many times in the Old Testament. “the high places were not removed.”

Where do we draw security?

Where do we run to in order to feel safe?

What is our mind thinking about during troubled times?

Who are what are we trusting in?

We must remove the high places! Pride/Legalism/Addiction/Entertainment/Dependency/Isolation/Food/

Taking down the stronghold!

Repent/Confess- Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,” 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Receive- John 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”” 2 Thessalonians 2:10 “and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

Renew- Romans 12:2 “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.”

Retake- 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 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,”

Deliverance- Spiritual warfare. They aren’t going to leave just by you asking them nicely to go.

Resist- James 4:7 “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”