Pulling down strongholds...

''Weapons...for pulling down strongholds.' 2 Corinthians 10:4

To pull down strongholds, you must cast down imagination.

We live in a world where the enemy is out on rampage, keeping many lives in captivity and turning many into shadows by keeping them in strongholds. It is vital, therefore, to know how to deal with enemy strongholds to perpetually stay in victory in this wicked world.

Now, it is vital to understand the meaning of strongholds. Strongholds are enemy forces that maintain strong holds on the lives of people. They hold their victims strongly. These are forces that appear like they won’t leave a person alone. It might be the force of addiction. It might be ancestral curses.

Stronghold can also be defined as agelong frustrations, limitations, or oppositions. They have been there for ages. Strongholds can be established oppositions to lives and destinies.

Tearing down strongholds begins with true repentance and becoming right with God. True repentance isn’t just feeling remorseful because you are caught doing something wrong. Rather, your heart is broken because the Holy One has revealed your sinful behaviour—and you turn away from it. When you bring that which is in the darkness into the light, the power that the evil one has over it is broken.

In many Old Testament battles, God led Israel in a glorious victory without any help from the Israelites. Usually, however, He fought alongside them, but the victory was just as miraculous. Either way, they were always assured that they didn’t need to be afraid:

Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

Once again, we see the important impact that these two simple words, can have in the life of a believer. The knowledge that the Almighty King is always with us, leading, guiding, and providing divine power for the battle. It has changed the way I view spiritual warfare.

Just as Jericho was a stronghold in Canaan, we have strongholds in our lives. Paul wrote: 'The weapons we fight with...have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God' (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NIV). A stronghold is an 'argument' or a 'high thing' that 'exalts itself against the knowledge of God'. It is a conviction, outlook or belief that attempts to interfere with the truth and deny God's promises. It 'sets itself up against the knowledge of God' (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV). It attempts to magnify the problem and minimise God's ability to solve it.

Does a stronghold have a strong hold on you? Do you speak the language of impossibility? God could never forgive me (the stronghold of guilt). I could never forgive that person (the stronghold of resentment). Bad things always happen to me (the stronghold of self-pity). I have to be in charge (the stronghold of pride). I don't deserve to be loved (the stronghold of rejection). I'll never recover (the stronghold of defeat). I must be good, or God will reject me (the stronghold of performance). I'm only as good as I look (the stronghold of appearance). My value equals my possessions (the stronghold of materialism).

Many Christians don't recognise the strongholds in their lives. But you don't have to be among them. God has given you the weapons of prayer, Scripture, the name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, fellowship, etc. And collectively, they have 'divine power to demolish strongholds' (2 Corinthians 10:4).

God’s Word tells us in no uncertain terms that the warfare takes place in our minds and is won by us “pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Cor. 10:4–5).

The place where the enemy launches his attacks against you is in your thoughts and imagination. I believe that once you are aware that there is a war for your mind, and that it is between wrong beliefs and right beliefs, you have already won half the battle!

Keep hearing, keep believing, and keep renewing your mind with the truth of God’s grace and love for you. And whatever stronghold you may be trapped in today, the truth from His Word will set you free!