The Garrison of the Philistines
Text 1Sa 10:5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where [is] the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:
A garrison of the Philistines on the hill of God!
The hill of God most Jewish commentators believe was the place the ark of the covenant was located. Some Christian commentators believe that is was a location of a school of the prophets.
For our message today we will look at it as if the Jewish commentators are correct. Either way of understanding the passage will not affect the truths in this message. C.T. Studd, the great missionary, said:
"Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell;
I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell."
That statement has inspired and enflamed the heart of many a Christian as its echo resonated in their spirit. Think of it, a mission one yard from hell’s door! As exciting and thought provoking as that idea is, it is not the subject of our message today, the opposite is: a stronghold of the enemy erected and maintained in the heart of a believer.
There was a time when the ark of the Covenant struck fear into the heart of the Philistines. There was a time when the Philistines did everything within their power to stay away from the Ark of the Covenant. There was a time when the ark of the Covenant caused the Philistines to be smitten with hemorrhoids. (tumors) That will make you want to stay away from it! What in the world is a garrison of the Philistines now doing parked alongside the Ark of the Covenant, on the hill of God?!!!
What happened? What happened to their fear, trepidation and fleeing from the ark of the Covenant?
LET ME SIMPLY SAY THAT STRONGHOLDS CANNOT BE BUILT WITHOUT YOUR COOPERATION. (Elaborate and expand.)
You are the gatekeeper of your heart. Even God Almighty has to stand at the door and knock!
Strongholds may begin by simply allowing a negative thought safe passage, or by doing something you shouldn’t be doing. Either way satan gets a brick and starts building a stronghold from which he can mount a base of operations.
Strongholds then, develop when you the gatekeeper give access to the devil on the temple mount, and if you do, what eventually will happen is that he will control the mount even as the Muslims do in Jerusalem, to the point where even the Israeli Government has passed restrictions denying Jews access to that Holy Place!
Talk about a picture is worth a thousand words, on the screen is picture of modern day Jerusalem, and you will notice the most predominate feature is the Muslim temple, while the Jewish temple has just one significant wall remaining. If we could look inside the hearts of some believers, sad to say, what the enemy has erected is more prominent than what the Lord has done, and yet they are still believers. To quote the scriptures: Jas 3:10 "Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be." My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
So then the text is saying that there was a stronghold of the enemy in the place where God’s presence was.
The modern equivalent of the location of the ark of the covenant is the heart and soul of redeemed men and women.
To say that there is a garrison of the Philistines there is to say that there is some part of a Christians heart that is controlled and dominated by the enemy.
Webster defines a stronghold as: a fortified place, a place dominated by a particular group or marked by a particular characteristic.
This is the definition I like:
A STRONGHOLD: (A fortification and buildup of thoughts that leads to:) A mindset impregnated with hopelessness, that causes us to accept as unchangeable situations we know are contrary to the will of God. (From Ed Silvolso’s book, "That None Should Perish".)
Tonight I want to break this definition down, give an illustration from my own life, share 3 keys to tearing down strongholds, close with a time of prayer to tear down strongholds.
1. A stronghold is a fortification and buildup of thoughts that leads to a mindset:
A fortification and buildup of thoughts
Two hearts beat within this chest.
One is evil; the other blessed.
The one I love; The other I hate.
The one I feed will dominate.
A fortification is a continual failure of your gatekeeper to properly catalog and interpret life’s events. This leads to a mindset.
Illus: girl who had three relationships fail, gets stronghold God doesn’t want her to be happy.
A mindset is an approach to life.
Mindsets affect attitudes and actions: As we go through life we develop templates. Illus: car repair person.
2. Strongholds are almost always: mindsets impregnated with hopelessness.
Hopelessness is an emotional trigger that disarms remedial actions.
Mindsets are thoughts, hopelessness is a feeling, and between the two of them they become for too many a 1,2 knockout punch which stops progress dead in its tracks. If the thoughts don’t get you the feelings will, if the feelings don’t get you the thoughts will.
Before we get too much further, let me say God has an answer to the devil’s 1, 2 punch.
I didn’t come tonight to reinforce your stronghold, but to see them torn down!
2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; 2 Corinthians 10:5 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;
Note the stronghold is in the mind, not in a bodily addiction.
A stronghold is comparable to a trap, because it hinders mobility, restricts freedom, confines behavior to preset limitations, and is painful.
3 Keys to Tearing Down Strongholds
Revelation, Determination, Visitation.
Revelation
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
All strongholds in believers are lies against the bible. At the root of all strongholds is a lie that says something the bible teaches is not true. More specifically a stronghold is a lie against the ability to overcome. A stronghold says it is more powerful than the power of God in your life. This simple lie prevents many believers from fighting the good fight, why try when the battle is already lost?
Revelation is one of the most powerful tools used by God to dislodge lies. Because when you believe a lie, you are under it’s power and control, but when you believe the truth you come under it’s power and freedom. Faith comes by hearing..
Here are two powerful scriptures one from the Old Testament, and one from the New that have incredible power to dislodge garrison’s of the Philistines:
1 John 3:8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
The Greek word translated destroy is loo’o and it means:
to loose any person (or thing) tied or fastened
to loosen, undo, dissolve, anything bound, tied, or compacted together
to overthrow, to do away with
So the text is saying that Jesus came to loose, remove, overthrow and do away with all strongholds. That was why He came! For this purpose...
Most people have no doubt that Jesus has the power to free them, they struggle with is He willing to free them. They are like the leper with the frail faith who said, "if you are willing you can make me clean," (Lk 5:12) 1 John 3:8 should settle that discussion, but in case it hasn’t here is another verse:
Psalm 91:3 "Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, ..."
Surely, He shall deliver thee..., could it be any clearer. If you will take these two verses to heart they will be powerful allies to you.
Not only do we need revelation to remove a garrison of the Philistines we also need determination.
Revelation must be accompanied by determination. You must take steps in harmony with what God has revealed.
You must act on what you believe. You must put down the bottle, turn off the computer, stop taking the pill, fight fear with your faith. Stop speaking negatively over your finances etc. When you step out of the boat you will find God will turn the water to concrete under your feet, but you still have to get out of the boat and start walking first.
Visitation
By visitation I simply mean getting a touch from God.
2 Chronicles 20:12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes [are] upon thee.
Luke 13:11 She could not straighten herself.
Often we need to ask God to strengthen us with might in the inner man (this was Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian church.) God said He would send the Holy Spirit to help us, it’s ok and often necessary to ask for that help.
So then the 3 punch knockout for the garrison of the Philistines is the Word, acting on it, and the help of the Holy Spirit. Since we know Jesus came to destroy the works of the evil one, we can count on Him giving us all we need to walk in freedom.
As we close this service, who ever has been struggling with a stronghold of any kind, I want to encourage you to make a decision to stand on God’s promises for freedom in the word, and also to come forward so we can pray together and believe God for special strength from the Holy Spirit.
