Understanding Spiritual Strongholds

Perhaps the best definition of a stronghold is simply: Believing that a lie is true. The battle for our thoughts is such a reality that while teaching the Corinthian church a lesson on spiritual warfare, the Apostle Paul explained that if we’re ever going to win the war against deadly thinking, we must learn how to tear down the strongholds that have been established in our minds:

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

A Stronghold will:

• Take the joy out of your marriage and family.
• Convince you to sabotage your own success.
• Cause you to believe that you’re absolutely right when you’re positively wrong.

And it would be a dangerous mistake to assume that the presence of a stronghold is always obvious. Unbeknownst to them, some of the most faithful, kind, gentle, and God loving believers, elders, deacons, ministers, pastors, and staff members in the church today are walking around in captivity to spiritual strongholds and don’t realize it because at some point along the way they started believing that a lie is true.

[shareable cite=”@PastorTHall”]When you start believing that a lie is true, a stronghold is being established in your mind.[/shareable]

Lies like…

• I’m not good enough, smart enough, or popular enough to pursue my purpose.
• I could never be a good leader.
• I’m too old to go back to school or too young to start my own business.
• I don’t have what it takes for God to use me.
• I’m always going to deal with this weakness in my life.
• I’ll always be single.
• Nobody loves me.

A stronghold will creep quietly into your thought life and poison your perception in such a way that you often don’t even sense that somethings off until the damage has already been done and your left picking up the pieces of your life after years of making destructive decisions. All because at some point Satan established a stronghold that caused you to believe that a lie is true.

So, how do we start “pulling down” the strongholds in our lives?

The answer: Start taking “…every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ!”

That means that you have to start measuring your thought life against the Word of God. Any thought that doesn’t line up with what God says about you, your past, or your future, must be taken captive and cast down! Reject that toxic thought and replace it with a declaration of truth:

• When the enemy tells you you’re weak – declare “I am strong!”(Joel 3:10)
• When he tells you you’re defeated – declare “I am more than a conquerer!” (Romans 8:37)
• When he tries to tell you what you can’t do, declare “I CAN DO all things through Christ!” (Philippians 4:13)
• When he tries to tell you that you’re to weak to resist temptation – declare “God will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I am able to bare!” ( 1 Corinthians 10:13)

Toxic thoughts have no choice but to submit to the absolute truth of God’s holy Word. Jesus has given you His Word and the authority to use it. It’s time to start exercising your authority and take every toxic thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

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