For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4 ESV)

Glory & Grace Daily devotional for yesterday began a miniseries on spiritual strongholds. 

Spiritual strongholds are not always demonic activity. When Paul spoke of strongholds in 2 Cor. 10:4, demonic activity was not in the context of the conversation. Pulling down spiritual strongholds does not always mean fighting with demons. However, as I shared yesterday, Satan can and certainly does influence human thinking and so has a vested interest in strongholds in our lives.

The word stronghold used above is from the Greek word “ochyroma” which means a strongly fortified defensive or military structure. The reason thought patterns that are against God’s will in your life are called figuratively called strongholds is because they are strongly fortified, defended, and protected. We are often ready to defend our opinions to our last strengths. It is hard to break through or overcome them. Those who have such strongholds guard and protect them with all their might. What a miserable place to find ourselves in, strongly protecting a thought pattern that ruins our lives and we do not know it! 

Furthermore, strongholds are not only strongly protected but they are often concealed. The enemy in the stronghold hides behind the strong and fortified walls. As I mentioned before, a complicating factor of strongholds is that those who have them often might not even know it. If you knew that a doctrine or something you believed was strong, you will sincerely no longer believe it. The reason you believe it is because you are convinced it is correct. This is why strongholds that is thoughts or beliefs that are contrary to God’s Truth are heavily protected because we are SURE we are correct.

Finally, this is why you should fight with all your might to pull down strongholds. They are responsible for unwanted results, often with suffering, failures, and sorrows. Do you know that some of us  reading this are feeling spiritually empty, frustrated, and dry maybe because of the way we  THINK of the Holy Spirit. What if what you hold so dear in your heart about the Holy Spirit and His power is a stronghold responsible for you not having that rich relationship with God you so long for?  Or what if the way you think about money is the stronghold responsible for poverty never leaving your life? Or what if your stronghold is the way you think of relationships, which is the reason you are still not married, lost that good man or woman God brought into your life or continue to have so many marital problems? 

The examples are endless, but they teach us why it is so important we pay attention to spiritual strongholds in our lives.

MEDITATE

What are you planning to do with the strongholds in your life?

APPLY THE WORD

The battle against strongholds is NOT primarily against demons or Satan. You are going to wage war with yourself! How odd? It is your responsibility to correct your thinking, align it with the TRUTH of the Written Word and free yourself from yourself. The only way to do this is to surrender to the Word and allow the Spirit to take over your life.

PRAY

What would you ask the Father in prayer after reading this? You can share that prayer in the comments below to encourage and inspire others.

I will be teaching on Spiritual strongholds during this week’s Glory & Grace Live Bible Study Thursday at 7pm Central time USA on Facebook. You can watch live or watch the recording on our website, Youtube channel(Deshen TV)  or Facebook page. 

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