There are many areas in which the enemy can use as a stronghold against a Christian to harass, oppress or depress. It could be physical, emotional, or spiritual assaults that have or are being made. Finding complete healing for your body, mind, and spirit may require that these strongholds be exposed so that you can be delivered from the damage that has been caused.
A. Fear
The enemy is a master at using our fears. Fear is one of his primary weapons
1. Satan uses two common fears to causes many people to never start or try anything to make us ineffective in our witness
a. The fear of failure can cause you to put things off. You will do everything you can to avoid facing the possibility of messing up.
b. Fear of rejection will make you afraid to do anything that could draw criticism or give someone a chance to laugh at you.
Ex: What will they think of me?
What if I turn them off?
What if I mess up?
They probably won’t listen to me anyway!
You’ve failed many times, although you may not remember. You fell the first time you tried to walk. You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim, didn’t you? Did you hit the ball the first time you swung a bat? Heavy hitters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also strike out a lot.
B. Sins of the Family
Strongholds could be found in generations past if there was a family history of some form of idolatry such as found in such religions as Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, etc. Rebellion, the breaking of vows, greed, immorality, impurity, or gluttony can create strongholds as well. Mind-altering drug use, the practice of participation in such things as séances, fortune-telling, astrology, Quiji Boards, Voodoo, or Astral Projection can all create strongholds that can be difficult to detect.
Paul wrote to the Galatians, "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump" (Galatians 5:9). The enemy crouches in wait as a wild animal ready to kill its prey when the opportunity presents itself. “But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." (Gen 4:7 NIV) You need to clear your conscience from family sins of the past and personal sins committed, whether years ago or just moments ago, even if they seem small or trivial. Generational sins of the past are often a source of current demonic oppression. Even those personal little “trivial” sins are often overlooked as a foothold from which attacks can be made.
C. Pride
Pride emphasizes what you have done and fails to acknowledge all those who made it possible, makes us vulnerable. To humbly acknowledge God and others in every success will help protect you against spiritual attack. The Scripture solemnly warns that "pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Prov 16:18 NIV)
Jesus sent out 72 of His disciples to go into all the towns ahead of Him to fulfill the Great Commission. They came back with great joy because they had healed the sick and cast out many demons. But Jesus warned them of the danger of becoming proud because of the authority He had given them “to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy.” He admonished them not to focus on what they have done but on worshipping God; “do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:17-20 NIV)
D.Gossip and Malicious Talk
Gossip and malicious talking are warned against in 1 Tim 3:11; 2 Tim 3:3, and Titus 2:3. If you want to keep the demonic attack from your life, you must avoid malicious and derogatory remarks about anyone.
1. If you want to keep a demonic attack from your life, you must avoid malicious and derogatory remarks about anyone. Solomon declared,
"A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit" (Prov 15:4).
2. What you say can bring either a blessing or a curse. It is very important to watch what you say and how you say it.
Jesus said, "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words, thou shalt be condemned" (Matt 12:36-37).
If you have been hurt by gossip or malicious talk, and the memory is still vivid and painful, forgiveness is the only remedy that will bring healing and deliverance.
3. Words can cause wounds that “go down into the innermost parts of the belly" (Prov 18:8) and be hidden from conscious memory.
4. Very often, these hidden hurts can wreak havoc in your life without you even understanding the source.
5. You must pray for the Holy Spirit to search your heart to find “anxious thoughts.” He will show you if “there is any offensive way” that could be the root of this stronghold. (Ps 139:23-24 NIV)
E. Disobedience
The Bible makes it pretty clear that those who do not obey God’s commands or share His love are “children of the devil”(1 John 3:10) and subject to the curses of the enemy’s control. God declared that His people were to do all that He commanded and follow all that was in His statutes. If they did not obey all, then they would become subject to many curses as described in Deuteronomy 28:15-68.
Disobedience will open you to the attacks of the enemy and even shipwreck your faith. By being obedient, you will always have “a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men" (Acts 24:16) and be able to “Cling tightly to your faith in Christ” to “keep your conscience clear.” (1 Tim 1:19 NLT)
F. Anger
1. Holding on to hurts and not fully forgiving the offender can open the door for bitterness to take root in your life.
"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil" (Eph 4:26-27).
2. Uncontrolled anger and unresolved anger have caused immense human misery.
3. Anger can diminish parts of God’s protection around your life.
4. You must never “let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." (Eph 4:26)
a. Whenever you are angry longer than one day, you can open yourself to the enemy to make a stronghold.
"Looking diligently lest any man fails of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled" (Heb 12:15).
b. It can create a foothold for the enemy to attack you in other areas of your life, totally unrelated to the events that caused your anger.
5. You can avoid and even stop the attacks by offering forgiveness.
6. In every aspect of life, both past and present, no feelings of anger should be kept overnight because it can degenerate into bitterness and resentment, and even hatred.
G. Discontentment
Solomon wrote, "Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied" (Proverbs 27:20). When you “obey and serve.”
1. Jesus promised that you would spend the rest of your life in“ prosperity” and “contentment.”
2. If you are unhappy with what God has given you or commanded you to do, you open yourself up to severe attack.
3. Those who are never satisfied “will perish by the sword and die without knowledge.” (Job 36:11-12 NIV)
Paul instructs Timothy how to live his life in such a way as to “have a good reputation with outsiders.”
4. Having a reputation of being content with what you have and living a clean life will keep you from falling into “disgrace and into the devil's trap.” (1 Tim 3:7 NIV)
H. Ignorance
1. Lack of understanding, or ignorance, caused by not diligently studying the Bible can open you up to false doctrine.
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Colossians 2:8).
2. Lack of study can allow the enemy to take away what truth you may have already heard. It is vital that your understanding increase.
Jesus told a story that illustrates this danger. “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.” (Matt 13:3-4 NIV)
The enemy is like a bird that takes away the Word of God (seed) from people who do not understand it. Their lack of understanding of truth is used to rob them of what they have already heard.
3. You are to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God” so that you can clearly understand “ the word of truth.”
Daily reading of the Bible is of utmost importance for your spiritual, emotional, and physical well being.
When you study the Bible in-depth, you will be able to “shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” (2 Tim 2:15-16 KJV)
I. Sickness
1. There is a very strong relationship between physical sickness and spiritual sickness.
Jesus healed a woman who had both problems. Luke tells us of a woman crippled for eighteen years as a result of the work of Satan in her life. It is plain that Satan was involved because Jesus said ". .this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years . . . ." (Luke 13:16)
2. Jesus did two things to bring about her deliverance and healing.
a. He “called her forward” and delivered her from the infirmity by speaking over, saying, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.
b. Then he laid hands on her, “and immediately she straightened up and praised God. (Luke 13:11-16)
This same process is seen in Mark. "They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them." (Mark 6:13 NIV)
3. Jesus told the disciples to DRIVE out the demonic spirits first, then lay hands on the sick.
a. You should never lay hands on a demonized person.
b. You speak to them.
c. Conversely, a sick person is to be anointed with oil, and hands are to be laid on them.
This shows us that possession and sickness are not always synonymous. To be sick is not necessarily to be possessed.
J. The Wounded Heart
Definition: It occurs when someone or something brings hurt to your emotions. "
“The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly" (Prov 26:22)
“But you, O Sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.” (Ps 109:21-22 NIV)
“The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear it if the spirit is crushed” (Prov 18:14 NLT)
“For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.” Ps 109:22 KJV
1. SOURCES OF HURTS:
They result:
- from offense brought to us from others. (People say and do things to hurt us Prov 18:8)
- our own sinful behavior. Ps 25:18, Prov 17:19, 2 Sam 24:10.
- a calamity where one is overcome by the experience. Job 3:25-26.
- sins of forefathers. Ex 34:6-7.
- from drug and alcohol use. Prov 23:29-35.
- from occult involvement. Lev 20:6.
a. Hurts Never Just Go Away!
Time will not bring complete healing to them. Whenever you remember the experience, you feel the hurt. Some people will even block out their memory so that they won't have to face feeling the hurts, but they are still there.
2. Some Symptoms:
Physical (Prov 17:22) Mental (Prov 18:14) Spiritual (Matt 18:34)
Nerve disorders Depression Nightmares
Allergies Fits of anger and rage Hearing voices
Stomach problems Confusion Seeing unusual things
Heart aches Various fears Lack of self control
Insomnia Shyness
Dominance
3. The Ways People Respond
a. Some people respond by backing away from the situation to allow time for healing.
b. They often turn inward and brood over their hurts.
The hurts become like a big sore rising just waiting for someone to prick it with a sharp word, then outcomes all the corruption of anger, bitterness, hate, revenge, and fear. The rejection they then receive brings more hurts.
Other people respond by immediately striking back, trying to balance their hurt with anger and revenge, or by trying to protect themselves from further hurt to allow time for healing. However, scar tissue (hardness of heart) soon appears. As they enter into relationships, they are rejected for their hardness and receive more hurts.
4. God's Provision
God cares about your broken heart (Ps 34:18, 51:17).
God healed David's heart, and He will also heal yours (Ps 147:3, Heb 13:8).
Jesus was sent to heal the broken-hearted (Luke 4:18).
Jesus, Himself, suffered all the hurts that one could suffer (Is 53:1-12, John 1:11, Luke 22:57,
23:35-37, Matt 27:46).
Through the suffering of Jesus, God has provided the healing for your hurts (Is 53:5).
God desires to heal your hurts (1 Peter 5:7).
God must have control of your whole heart before He can heal it (Jer 29:13, Rev 3:20).
5. Steps Of Preparation
a. You must give your heart to Jesus, letting Him become your Lord. (Lord = ruler) (Rom 10:9, Phil 2:9-10)
b. If you have offended someone else, then you must confess your offense and ask them to forgive you (Matt 5:23-24; 1 Peter 3:16). You must forgive (release) the person who has hurt you (Matt 6:12, 14-15).
c. You must put their judgment into God's hands and then ask God to forgive them for their offense toward you (Luke 23:24, Acts 7:60).
d. You must yield your rights to God (possessions, respect, family, expectations) (Matt 19:21, 1 Peter 5:5-6, Luke 18:20, Mark 8:34-37, Ps 119:165).
WARNING: A wounded heart that doesn't receive healing is an open door for harassment by evil spirits.
(Eph 4:26-27; 1 Peter 5:8; Gen 4:4-7; Matt 18:21-35).
6. How To Receive Healing
a. Make a list of your hurts.
b. Begin with the greatest first.
c. Ask God to cleanse your heart of all wrong attitudes (anger, bitterness, lust, unforgiveness, hate, revenge). (Is 1:18, 51:10, 1 John 1:9)
d. Thank Jesus for suffering the same hurt for you and overcoming it by His own death and resurrection (1 Peter 2:24).
e. Thank Jesus for offering healing to you (Luke 4:18-19).
f. In faith, ASK God to heal your heart in the name of Jesus. (Ez 36:26, John 16:23.)
NOTE: You should ask the Holy Spirit to reveal other hurts in your life that they may also be healed. (Ps 139:23-24) "way of pain."
7 . Your Ministry of Healing
As God heals your hurts, He will also give you a tender heart that will be sensitive to the hurts of
others (Ez 36:26; 2 Cor 5:18; Mark 5:19).
Remember: God can change that which was meant for evil into good.
(Gen 50:20; Deut 23:5; Rom 8:28; 1 Peter 5:8-10; 2 Cor 1:6).
a. Ask God to give, and fill you daily, with the power of the Holy Spirit, His love, and His grace that you may share the healing that you have received with others that they may be healed. (Luke 11:1-13; Eph 3:17-20; Heb 4:16; John 7:37-38)
b. Accept Luke 4:18-19 as your mission.
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19 NIV)
c. Share what you have learned with a hurting friend (Matt 10:8)
(Note: The material in this section was modified from “Bringing Every Thought Captive” Vol.1, copyrighted, 1996, by Basil Frasure)
