“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. FOR the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power TO DESTROY STRONGHOLDS. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” – {2 Corinthians 10:3-5}
“STRONGHOLDS” speaks of “FORTRESSES” built up in the mind. The picture comes from fortresses that had thick walls surrounding the city and the inside of the buildings also were made of thick stone so they would be difficult to penetrate. It would take some stronger force to dismantle the stronghold / fortress. The word “fortress” can also mean “PRISONS.”
FALSE REFUGES. Behind the walls of ideologies and religion lies the “foundation” and “stronghold” of self as the ultimate authority where people hide, feeling “secure” in self-deception, sinful thinking, rebellious living, self-righteousness, self-focus on a “better you” or poor “self-esteem.” This man centered religion espouses that it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you “do the best you can” and says, “besides we’re not all perfect”, and/or, “who cares if God’s standard is perfect.” This stronghold says that everyone knows He or “SHE” (as some call their “god”) GRADES on your good deeds… out-weighing your bad- right? No, this is not what the Bible teaches.
God is perfect. God’s Word is perfect. God is Holy, right always right and people are wrong always wrong before Him apart from repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ is the only way, the only truth, the only life and there is NO OTHER way to the Father excepts through Him. {John 14:6}. Jesus compares people into one of two categories, to two people who each put up a building, and when storms come, one collapses the other stands. One was built on “sand” which has no firmness, is unstable and to build your life on anything other than God’s Word He compares to a foolish man who built his life on sand. Great is their destruction! Building your life on anything other than the Word of God is “foolish.” And ends in destruction! While He compares a wise man to anyone who builds their life on the Rock- the immutability, Unchanging Word of God! {Matt 7:24-27}
Firstly we have to acknowledge people have strongholds? Where are they? They are in their, yours and my mind! What dismantles them? God’s Word – the Power of the Word. “POWERFUL WEAPONS” – 2 Cor 10:4 are not some small stones to throw at the powerful wall, the wall cannot come down, the fortress cannot be penetrated through the entertainment business, psychology, education. These are always incompetent, the fortresses of the mind can only be demolished, through God’s means- the WORD of GOD! People can only be liberated and walk in the freedom for which Christ died for them when they submit to Him, His Word.”…If you continue in MY WORD then you will know the truth…and the truth will set you free… and whom the Son sets free is free indeed.” -{Read John 8:31-32, 36}. And as a person continues to renew their minds they experience more of the reality of that which is true for them “in Christ,” as revealed by His Word- the Word of truth, indeed the very Word of Life!
When Jesus was tempted He replied, “It is written” to each temptation that was designed by the evil one to seduce Him to disobey His Father and act independently of Him.
When will we BELIEVE GOD’S WEAPONS are not fleshly- “fun, food, fellowship” as wonderful as they are and the psychiatrists best efforts cannot help with the lies, anxieties, paranoia and the strongholds that people have built or have been told are “truth” to hide behind in and indeed imprison themselves, trying to keep themselves safe while nailing their own coffin closed, sealing their tomb…”strongholds!” “BUT GOD, being rich in mercy because of His Great love saved us.”
- The Cross of Christ and the resurrection of Jesus Christ makes it possible for people to be right with God so that these “strongholds come down!
- And only the Spirit of God using the Truth of God is SUFFICIENT. “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. “- {2 Thess 2:13;}
- The Holy Spirit takes Truth and Shatters, demolishes, shatters lies and sets the prisoners free, using the Word of God!
THE POWER OF THE WORD. Ephesians 6 says we do not fight against flesh and blood but the enemy behind the enemy. The lies of the evil one, the system of the “world” where God is who you “make him to be ” rather than who the Scripture reveals Him to be – Almighty, Holy, Righteous, perfect, God – who does not grade us on a curve but with perfect righteousness and we all fall short when measured against Him! We need to be rescued delivered from such wicked strongholds. Acts 3;26 says, “…God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from YOUR WICKED WAYS.” And Romans 12:2 says we need to “renew our minds” to see things from God’s perfection so we may adjust our thinking, motivation and doing in alignment with Him and therein is love, liberty and the ability to THINK Right, love God and others!
STRONGHOLDS. Bitterness, resentment, anger, self-righteousness and a host of other acts of the sinful flesh we can seek to excuse, when in reality we need to confess and forsake them as sin along with the excuses we hide behind to justify sinful behavior. At times it may be anxiety and/or fears. We hide behind “strongholds” which may offer temporary relief but are built on lies. What does the Holy Spirit do to dismantle theses lies… these tomb stones? He uses the TRUTH OF THE WORD OF GOD. When we take prisoner THOUGHTS THAT DEGRADE, DISHONOR, OR THAT ARE OPPOSED to what God’s Word teaches, and obey the truth (God’s Provision / God’s Truth) liberates and Christ is exalted. People are continually experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit through the mighty weapon of the Word of God! We take thoughts captive to the Word of God and in obedience to Jesus Christ, and what He reveals in His Word, we become recipients of the strongholds being dismantled! Like the walls of Jericho, THE STRONGHOLDS / THE FORTRESSES FALL DOWN! Faith in Jesus Christ and His Word produces not normal, but SUPERNATURAL POWER!
“Strongholds” are Lies that are believed, EMBRACED, maintained, cuddled and presented as “truth.” At the core, “strongholds” exalt themselves against the God of Scripture and His revealed Word! Religion (man’s way to seek to replace God as who He is revealed in the Scripture) and Legalism (man-made rules to attempt to appease God and relegate others to feelings of insecurity) are both DEVOID OF LOVE AND THE GRACE OF GOD. It exalts man and relegates God!
“Lies embraced believed, acted upon, are the blocks that build “the fortress!” For they exalt themselves against the knowledge of God- His Person, ways, will, Word!”
- KNOW– THE WARFARE IS REAL, INTENSE AND BONDAGE
- KNOW THE POWER IS IN A PERSON- THE HOLY SPIRIT
- KNOW THE DISMANTLING POWER –IS THE WORD OF GOD
- KNOW WHEN YOU SHARE YOU ARE ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO TAKES HIS WORD AND USES TO DISMANTLE STRONGHOLDS in our MIND…
Paul’s dying letter to Timothy contains these words to the young preacher,”PREACH THE WORD…IN SEASON AND OUT,” why? One reason is the God of the Word is exalted and the Word of God breaks / shatters spiritual prisons / strongholds that are built up in the minds of children, youth, adults and the elderly. God has no alternative to His Son or His Word. People are in spiritual bondage and Jesus Christ descended to rescue and set the captives free. Oh how He loves the souls of men.
PAUL’S “FORTRESS” DISMANTLED!; The Cross is God’s demonstration of the Love of God. Paul said he would not have known sin apart from the Law! God’s Word convicted him and all he trusted in for salvation he later said he considered “dung” (the medical term is “excretion”) compared to the incomparable knowledge and righteousness of Jesus Christ. The Word of God, by the Holy Spirit, convinced him he was sinful and his need of righteousness, that God accepted, was outside of himself and found exclusively in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Christ he once denied he ended up proclaiming to such an extent that God’s people glorified God on behalf of a changed life. The “Strongholds, fortress’s” lies of “self-righteousness” were exposed and dismantled by the truth of God!
GOD HAS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR HIS WORD! Keep believing, embracing Gods Word, replacing lies with the truth for yourself and with others and remember when you share you are never alone, THE HOLY SPIRIT is able to take His Word and open up minds, free hearts, dismantle strongholds and liberate people…
Consider God’s Word! – NOTE WHAT IS UNDERLINED!
- “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. FOR the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds..”– {2 Cor 10:3-4}
- “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God – {Eph 6:13-18}
God uses His Word to penetrate, dismantle “strongholds” that keep a person in bondage, lies, in “spiritual prison” and expose our sin and saves us but also God’s Word is used to sanctify us, and build us up in who we are “in Christ” what we have, “precious and magnificent promises”- 2 Peter 1:4. The weapon we have for the lies that would seek to drag us back into bondage is His Word which is the Power to dismantle any stronghold, for it is God’s Word. He is behind it and He is Omnipotent, Almighty and who can stay His hand. So we must expose ourselves to the reading of it, hearing it, applying it, yielding and trusting the Lord to open our minds to understand the Scriptures as He did on the road to Emmaus to such an extent their hearts” burned” and they could not but tell others about the LORD JESUS!
OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE WORD OF GOD;
A.- BE RICH IN THE WORD
” Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”-{Col 3:16}
B. – BE THINKING on TRUTH- RENEWING OUR MINDS;
” Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”-{Phil 4:8}
C. – BE PRACTICING THE TRUTH;
“What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” -{Phil 4:8-9}.
Thank God He is The Answer to our need. His Word is Sufficient for any and all strongholds, fortress, that imprison or seek to!!!the wrecking ball to the fortress’ and strongholds of the lies that would imprison us . The Power of the Word of God is Sufficient for the greatest “stronghold” indeed it dismantles any and all, for all are nothing to Him!
Personal Application; PRAISE GOD for the Word of God which is Sufficient
- Write out the verses 2 Cor 10:3-5 on a 3 by 5 card and carry with you and when appropriate look at read, mediate on word by word.
- Know His Word is a love letter and His love desires you live in the truth of the Gospel and His Word dismantles lies, strongholds
- Share today this passage, devotional with someone to encourage them
- Confidently share God’s Word assured the Holy Spirit is sufficient to DISMANTLE every lie that imprisons, no fortress to strong for His Almighty power