TITLE: PULLING DOWN OF STRONG HOLDS
SCRIPTURE: II CORINTHIANS 10:3-5
I want to bring us another message this morning along the lines of last week’s sermon entitled “Saints with Sinners Problems” which I believe blessed many of us. This is the second message in a series that I will conduct on how to help strengthen our Christian Walk. Want to title this 3-Part Series “I’m Ok, You’re Ok.” All too often we believe because we have some issues in our lives that perhaps we really are not saved. I pray this series of messages will help us understand that we are yet “A Work in Progress – which will be the next message of this series. I want to challenge us not to attempt to gage our spirituality by viewing and watching the people sitting around us. Our only gage should be the Word of God. We are OK with God and God is OK with us.
I am sure you will agree with me that Christians can be very hard on other Christians who make bad and sometimes foolish choices. One of the ways we are hard on them is to immediately jump to the conclusion that they really don’t belong to Christ after all. We reason that people who experience some Strongholds are not really Christians at all. Those who haven’t experienced certain issues often condemn those who are caught up in the wiles of the adversary.
I don’t need to remind any of us that we walk (live) in the human flesh, and, like every other person, we have to deal with things on our Jobs – businesses – Families . I know I have been dealing with issues, seems like every time I turn around this year, that another family member is upset with me about something I said, Responded, or have, or have not done and they shut down -- stop speaking with me. On top of that, we have to deal with people we meet every day. In all of this, we have to know one thing -- we do not war according to the flesh or with natural weapons.
• Trying to wage war in the flesh will not produce good results
• You might win a battle by smacking someone in the mouth
• But you will lose the war by giving in to the negative spirits of anger, violence, and “getting even"
• Areas we should not embrace, that’s why God said look, you need to calm down -- “Vengeance is mine, I shall repay saith the Lord”
When Paul penned these fascinating words found in our text, his audience was a group of professing believers. He was writing to a congregation, and a fellowship of church people. His exhortation deals with those of us who are saved. He is speaking to the body of Christ. Therefore, when he spoke in regards to the matter of ‘STRONGHOLDS,’ he was speaking of an area that encompasses every one of us as God’s people.
• The word ’stronghold’ means "to harden, or to make hard"
• It describes an entrenchment, or fortress
• Thus, in the spiritual life, Paul is speaking of a hard place
• He is speaking of an unbending place
• He is speaking of an entrenchment, or a fortress fought over
• He is speaking of an area contended for
• He is speaking of an entrenchment behind the lines
Therefore, a stronghold is any place in our life that seems to be an area of contention.
• It is anything that poses a threat to our spiritual progress, or spiritual maturity
• It is any Person, Place, Predicament, or Problem that Hinders – Harbors - Holds us in its clutches, and impedes us from our full potential in Christ
When we don’t give attention to these strongholds, we give room to be used by the wicked one who is the source of violence and negative behavior. Just as our power for good comes from a source outside of ourselves, likewise, the source of evil is outside and comes from the realm of darkness.
• The outside source of all that is good is God
• Our power to make good decisions comes from God as He pours out His spirit into us
• Remember what we read: The “WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL...”
• If they are not Carnal – must be Spiritual
Even when the Truth illuminates our Strongholds -- what’s inside of us, it's sometimes hard to accept. It’s a painful process to face our deceptions and deal with them. It's so easy to allow our past and how we were raised to negatively affect us for the rest of our lives.
• Our past may explain why we're suffering, but we must not use it as an excuse to stay in bondage
• You may have some major strongholds in your life that need to be torn down
• Let me encourage you by saying, “God is on your side.”
• There is a war going on, and your mind is the battlefield
• But the good news is that God is fighting on your side!
• Isn’t it good to know, our weapons are not carnal!
Think about what weapons do. Weapons are designed to destroy and to serve as a form of defense or attack. When we give in to our flesh or natural nature, we fight with words or physical blows. Some people think this is going to solve problems; it really only creates more problems. Our warfare is not fought with GUNS - BULLETS - FISTS - HURTFUL WORDS. Let me pause to say that Hurtful Words are just as powerful as Guns, Bullets, and Fists. That old saying “STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK MY BONES BUT WORDS WILL NEVER HURT ME” is an inaccurate statement. Words hurt just as much as bullets and fists!
The Apostle Paul reminds every believer that the weapons of our warfare are “...MIGHTY THROUGH GOD TO THE PULLING DOWN OF STRONG HOLDS…” We must rely on the weapons of the All Mighty God who sends us heavenly power to be victorious in our daily battles. ACTS 2:8 “BUT YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER, AFTER THAT THE HOLY GHOST.” We know through God’s Word and Promise that we have Power. Just as an electrical power generating plant sends electrical power into homes to produce light and heating, we have received all of the power from God that we need to live our lives in victory. Electrical power is in the wiring in a home, but neither lights, nor heat or the stove to cook food will turn on by itself. Someone must turn the switch on and “tap into” the energy source. The same is true of our lives in Christ. The Holy Spirit lives inside of us, but if we ignore Him and act on our own, the power for true victory lies dormant in us. The untapped Source of power is not active, and we fall prey to the flesh, the using of our flesh by the adversary, and carnality. The word of God teaches us how to turn on the power in us. You must hear and obey the word of God, because the Word is our weapon. The word of God is our “…sword of the Spirit…”
When we think of a stronghold, we think of a fort – fortress – hideout – a defense. Strongholds usually attack our mind. They can be ideas and opinions that only the word of God and the spirit of God can root out.
• Being set in ones ways is a kind of mental strong hold
• Being locked into some kind of religious doctrine is a kind of stronghold
• Being closed minded and all about you is a Stronghold
• The word of God and the spirit of God are powerful weapons for pulling down strong holds of the mind
Satan cannot invade the soul and will of mankind - unless there of course is an open door, but he can, and does attack us through our minds. He likes to sow seeds of the leaven of unbelief and doubt, if he can be successful in the cultivating and growth of these seeds, their final state will bring forth strongholds and bring a harvest of everything contrary to God’s word and will.
The Word says that our weapons are powerful for pulling down of strongholds. Praise God for His word and His Spirit! You must know and be familiar with your weapon. Remember 1979 enlisted in military. One of first things introduced in Basic Training was the M16A1 Semi-Automatic Assault Weapon. I still recall how we had to recite the functions of the M16A1: THE M16A1 IS A 5.56 MM, MAGAZINE FED, GAS-OPERATED, AIR-COOLED, AUTOMATIC OR SEMI-AUTOMATIC, HAND-HELD, SHOULDER-FIRED WEAPON. 30-something years later I still remember how we had to learn everything about it. Take it apart and put back together, Clear jams. Understand what it was capable of doing. Familiar with it so we would have confidence if we ever found ourselves in battle.
If you don't know that you have a mighty weapon, then you can't use it properly. You have to know what you have and where it is. Paul says, the weapons that you have been given are for warfare. You have the weapons, but you must use them. God is not going to give you the power and then turn the switch on for you, too. The power producer is not going to come down and turn on your light switches for you. They only supply the power. God supplies you with the power, and the word of God teaches you how to turn the power on. You have the power. I'm not trying to give you any power. You have it already. When you were born again, the Holy Spirit came; Christ came into you. You are fully equipped. Problem is we don’t understand the Power God has given us. During Wednesday Night and early Sunday Morning at 9:30 a.m. it is participating in life of Church where we learn how to tap into this Power.
I was looking at those huge curtains that cover the screen at the Movie Theater. I could pull as hard as I could on the curtains, I could pull with both hands, but I could not pull them down, even though my grip is strong. Well, somebody has to be stronger than I am to pull them down. In your life the word of God and the Holy Spirit are the power for pulling down things that are too strong for you.
• Even after you are saved, the enemy can come along like a flood
• He can gain a strong hold on your mind, and when he does, he hangs on and won’t let go
• Many different things can create strong holds in your mind and keep you in bondage
• Some strong powers that captivate the mind include - UNFORGIVENESS - ENVY - JEALOUSY - SPITE - RESENTMENT
You must rely on the Word of God and the Spirit of God for casting down those things that are of the darkness so that the light of Christ can shine brightly through you. All of this takes place in the Mind. The mind is the battlefield. We either lose or win in the mind. Look again at Vs. 5 “CASTING DOWN IMAGINATIONS, AND EVERY HIGH THING THAT EXALTETH ITSELF AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, AND BRINGING INTO CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST.” Paul is reminding us and challenging us to Protect and Guard our Minds.
The weapons of our warfare are powerful for casting down imaginations or wrong thinking that is negative and full of pride. The enemy uses fleshly thinking. You have to cast this kind of thinking aside. You have to draw near to God and resist the devil so that he will flee. You have to speak what the word of God says. No one can do this for you. You have the power. The power has been given to you. You must make the decision to live victoriously or defeated. You have to decide to live in the prison of your negative thinking or in the bright sunshine of the freedom that we have in Christ. You must take the knowledge of God that you have been taught from the word of God and let it rule your life rather than letting your wrong thinking and twisted imaginings rule your life.
You must not allow yourself to sit in the congregation every time the doors of the church are open and to hear and learn nothing. Hearing the Word of god and not obeying it creates a playground for the enemy to play. You have to be educated in the Ways of God -- Things of God -- Knowledge of God. That's why you come to church. You must take in, digest, and use every part of your education in heavenly things. You are supposed to learn. You are a disciple; a true disciple takes the techniques and the teaching and makes it work in his or her life. You have the power in you. You don't have to think or dwell on something that you know exalts itself above God, above what you’ve been taught, and above the Truth. Instead of thinking on what is negative, fill your mind with the Word.
Speak Word of God on every challenge. Say what God says in His word when thoughts that oppose the word of God are whispered in the mind. When the thought comes, “I am all alone; I don’t have anybody to care for me”, speak the Word that Jesus said, “I will never leave you or forsake you”. Personalize the Word. Say, “Jesus will never leave me or forsake me!” Practice using the Word when things that oppose the truth of God arise. Practice produces Confidence. Watch these young men during the past few weeks for Football practice. They were having TWO-A-DAYS and sometimes THREE-A-DAYS. The point of so many practices each day, has much more to do than their Conditioning. Practice Produces Confidence.
• Practice speaking the Word and let the Word build your confidence and trust in God
• You have to embrace the knowledge of God
• Satan has to know you have the knowledge
• You can't come to Satan with your own words
• You must have the knowledge to speak the word of God
That is what Jesus did when Satan challenged Him. You are not greater than Jesus! Jesus is your teacher; you are to learn from Jesus. Learn the lesson well and put the lesson into practice. Jesus had to say, “IT IS WRITTEN…” Surely you know and understand that you must do the same. If Satan knows you don't know the Word, then he can play games with you and mess you up. Get in control of your life. Don't let your imaginations, your little feelings, and emotions mess up your life.
The solution to these strongholds is they have to be broken -- pulled - torn down. They cannot be converted or remodeled. That is one of the most serious and frequent mistakes we make. We feel we can somehow convert or change these strongholds for the good. Thus we see people ministering from a platform of pride, or channeling their anger into their preaching or finding an outlet for their lust for power and money in the church. There are countless ways in which the strongholds of the flesh are given a make-over and presented as something useful to the Kingdom. That was precisely Paul’s struggle with the antagonists in the Corinthian church.
God gives us armor for protection and weapons to fight the good fight. The weapons of our warfare are not weapons we can see, hear, touch, taste or smell—they are not man’s weapons—they are spiritual weapons. Our armor is truth, integrity, righteousness, the reality of the Gospel, faith, and salvation and our weapons are the Word of God and prayer. God’s word is a blueprint for a life of freedom and joy—now and in eternity. We can each choose this freedom by choosing obedience to God, His word and His way.
Warfare through intimacy with God - Praise and Worship, and direct confrontation of the enemy is what is needed. The enemy is not going to give up his stronghold without a fight--he must be resisted. His influence must be renounced. JAMES 4:8 says "DRAW NEAR TO GOD, AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU". And JAMES 4:7 says "SUBMIT YOURSELVES THEREFORE TO GOD, RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU". When submitted to God, we have authority over the devil
--Word of God – Pulls Down our Strongholds
--It is Written - Pulls Down our Strongholds
--Living for the Lord - Pulls Down our Strongholds
--Soft Answer Turneth Away Wrath - Pulls Down our Strongholds
--Love Your Enemies - Pulls Down our Strongholds
--Letting go and Letting God -- Pulls Down our Strongholds
--Participating in Life of the Church -- Pulls Down our Strongholds
