Having considered in the previous week the fact that a disciple is one who has allowed Christ to touch his heart; we began last week to think together about how a disciple is also one who is allowing Christ to transform his heart. The key to this process of allowing Christ to transform our hearts, we said, is renewing our mind. This involves...
1. Correcting our "stinking thinking" - v. 5b
Every Christian is like a prisoner of war who has just been released from years of captivity, and now needs to go through "debriefing." We need to reorient ourselves so that we might live the new life we have received through Christ. Before, we might have learned how to get along in the world, but we do not know anything about living like a Child of God. Therefore, we need to daily choose to renew our minds-living each day with a spirit of repentance (metanoia)-a willingness to let God change my mind about anything and everything!
Now that we have a new life within, we need to learn how to live it without (Philippians 2: 12 -NI V). When Jesus walked the earth, He was "the Word made flesh" (John 1:14 - NIV). Through the process of renewing our mind, His Word, His truth can be "fleshed out in us," as we are empowered and enabled to live just like Jesus.
But as we seek to allow Christ to transform our hearts by renewing our minds, we find that some ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving are more difficult to see changed. That is why we must understand that the process of renewing our minds not only involves correcting our "stinking thinking," but...
2. Conquering our personal "strongholds" - vs. 4-5a
A. The Definition of Strongholds.
The word picture of our text is that of the conquest of the land of Canaan. The promised land was the inheritance that God had given to His people. Just as living a life of daily victory and Christ-likeness is the inheritance He has given to us. In claiming their inheritance, the people found that some territory was relatively "easy" to occupy, but there were others territories that were difficult, because they were protected by "strongholds," like Jericho.
While occupying their inheritance was all due to the power of God; when it came to overcoming strongholds in the land, God’s power was needed in very specific and direct ways.
Understanding this imagery helps us know what Paul is describing here in this passage. He tells us that in our lives as Christians, we will find that some areas of change in our thinking, feeling and behavior will change fairly readily, with little struggle, while others will not give up with out a fight. He describes this struggle in Romans 7:14-25:
"I can anticipate the response that is coming: ‘I know that all God’s commands are spiritual, but I’m not. Isn’t this also your experience?’ Yes. I’m full of myself-after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. What I don ‘t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary. But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can ‘t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, obviously need help! I realize that I don ‘t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can ‘t do it. I decide to do good, but I don ‘t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different."
- Romans 7:14-25 (The Message)
Preacher and writer Jack Taylor defines a stronghold as "a hold that is strong." Perhaps a more thorough definition might be that a stronghold is "a compulsive habit, rooted in a lie, that is contrary to the new life I am called to live in Christ"
Examples of strongholds would be: bitterness, addictive behaviors, sexual perversions, paralyzing grief, constant worry, uncontrolled anger, etc. I don’t really have to list examples for you. Many of you have something that has come to your mind already. Something that you constantly struggle with, that you know is not right; and try to gain victory over it, but you just cannot seem to win the victory.
This is key: you don’t have to "win the victory," Christ has won it already! You are already complete in Him.
"and you are complete through your union with Christ. He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe." - Colossians 2:10 (NLT)
Victory is already mine, I just need to learn how to see it released in my daily experience by the power of the person who dwells within me!
B. The Development of Strongholds.
As we move forward in the process of renewing our minds we will inevitably come across behaviors that are rooted in lies that Satan has implanted deep in our minds through some experience we have had in life.
It may be a specific experience or a prolonged experience, but he has used that opportunity to plant a lie into our mind that colors how we view life and influences how we respond to things.
While Satan has planted various lies in our minds during the time before we trusted Christ, if we are not careful, he can be given permission to do so even after we have trusted Christ.
"Do not give the devil a foothold" - Ephesians 4:27 (NIV)
Paul tells us that these lies fall into two categories:
1) Pretensions - This is the "root lie" that is the reason for the compulsive wrong behavior. A "pretension" is a lie that pretends to be the truth.
We live in a fallen world, filled with hurting people, and because this is true, things happen to cause us pain. It is then that Satan works through our emotions to influence our thoughts, by suggesting lies that pretend to offer reasons for our pain. They are lies that Satan supplies to answer the question, "Why did this happen to me?" They are lies that always promote a distorted view of myself and a distorted view of God!
2) Arguments - These are the "guardian lies" which are designed to keep you from being willing to let the Lord deal with the lie that is at the root of your problem.
These would be thoughts like: "I’m past that," "I’ve forgiven them," "That was a long time ago," "That’s just the way I am," "That’s the way I was raised," "You were born this way," "Everybody does it," etc.
If we would be free from "the lies that bind," then we must be willing to reject any excuse (guardian lie) that would keep us from being open to God exposing the lie that is at the root of our behavior and replacing it with His truth.
C. The Destruction of Strongholds.
Since the lie that is at the root of the stronghold was planted there by means of experience, it can only be uprooted and replaced with God’s truth by means of experience. In other words, understanding God’s Word cognitively and logically will not get the job done. We must come to know God’s truth experientially and personally.
This is the only way that real life change can occur. In the Greek of the New Testament, there is a word that is used to speak of our coming to know God’s truth experientially and personally. That word is "epignosis." It means "knowledge on top of knowledge" or "knowledge beyond knowledge."
It is this kind knowledge that is required if we are to be saved.
"(God) desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."
- 1 Timothy 2:4 (NKJV)
"You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life, it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life." - John 5:38-40 (NASB)
"For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge." - Romans 10:2 (NIV)
You see, it is possible to know about Christ and yet, not know Christ!
Likewise, it is possible for a Christian to know about victory, but not know victory!
"Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."
- 2 Timothy 3:7 (KJV)
This is why Paul prayed for the believers in his day as he did.
"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God." - Colossians 1:9-10 (NIV)
Concerning strongholds in the lives of believers, Paul gave Timothy advise in 2 Timothy 2:25-26:
"They should gently teach those who oppose the truth (oppose themselves-KJV). Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will believe the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the Devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants." - 2 Timothy 2:25-26 (NLT)
Confessing our sins is vital to being in a position for the Spirit to work in my life, but if confession is not accompanied with repentance (changing of one’s mind), then we will fall back into the same sin again and again! I must not only confess my sins of compulsion, but I must allow the Spirit deal with the stronghold that is producing this habit in my life. We need to allow God’s power to work on our behalf in a very specific and direct way. We need to let the light of God’s truth expose the darkness that is in our hearts.
"He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light"
- Job 12:22 (NIV)
"[God] ... brings hidden things to light" - Job 28:11 (NIV)
"He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him." - Daniel 2:22 (NIV)
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts (be at home in your hearts) through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV)
"God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children." - Romans 8:16 (The Message)
MY HEART - CHRIST’S HOME
One evening I invited Jesus Christ into my heart. What an entrance He made! Something happened at the very center of my life. He came into the darkness of my heart and turned on the light. He filled the emptiness with His own wonderful fellowship. In the joy of this new relationship I said to Him, "Lord, I want this heart of mine to be Yours. I want to have You settle down here and be perfectly at home. Let me show you around."
THE STUDY
The first room was the study. This room of the mind is a very small room with very thick walls. But it is a very important room. It is the control room of the house. He entered with me and looked around at the books in the bookcase, the magazines upon the table, and the pictures upon the walls. As I followed his gaze I became uncomfortable. I had not felt self-conscious about this before, but now I was embarrassed. There were books that His eyes were to pure to behold. On the table were magazines that a Christian had no business reading. The pictures on the walls - imaginations and thoughts of the mind - were shameful. I turned to him and said, "I know that this room needs to be cleaned up and made over. Will you help me?" "Glad to help you," He said, "First, take everything you’re reading and looking at which are not helpful, pure, good and true, and throw them out! Now put on your shelves the books of the Bible. Fill them with Scripture and meditate on it day and night. As for the pictures, you will have difficulty controlling these images, but I have something that will help." He gave me a full size portrait of himself. "Hang this centrally", he said, "on the wall of the mind." I did, and I have discovered that when my thoughts are centered upon Christ, impure thoughts back away. He has helped bring my thoughts under His control.
THE DINING ROOM
We went next into the dining room, the room of appetites and desires. I said, "This is a favorite room. I know You will be pleased with what we serve." He sat at the table and asked, "What’s on the menu?" "My favorite dishes," I said, "money, academic degrees and stocks, with newspaper articles of fame and fortune." That’s what I liked-secular fare. When placed before him, he did not eat. I said to him, "What’s the trouble?" He answered, "I have food to eat you do not know of. If you want food that satisfies, do the Father’s will. Stop seeking your own pleasures. Please Him. That food will satisfy." He gave me a taste of the joy of doing God’s will. What flavor! There is no food like it in the world.
THE LIVING ROOM
From the dining room we walked into the living room. This room was intimate and comfortable. I liked it. It had a fireplace, over stuffed chairs, a sofa, and a quiet atmosphere. He said, "This is indeed a delightful room. Let us come here often. It is secluded and quiet, and we can fellowship together." Well, as a young Christian I was thrilled. I couldn’t think of anything I would rather do than have a few minutes with Christ in close companionship. He promised, "I will be here early every morning. Meet here, and we will start the day together." So morning after morning, I would come down stairs to the living room. He would take a book of the bible from the case. We would open it and read together. He would unfold to me the wonder of God’s saving truths. My heart sang as He shared the love and the grace He had toward me. These were wonderful times. However, little by little, under the pressure of my responsibilities, this time began to be shortened. Why, I’m not sure. I thought I was too busy to spend regular time with Christ. This was not intentional, you understand. It just happened that way. Finally, not only was the time shortened, but I began to miss days now and then. Urgent matters would crowd out the quiet times of conversation with Jesus. I remember one morning rushing downstairs, eager to be on my way. I passed the living room and noticed the door was open. Looking in, I saw a fire in the fireplace and Jesus was sitting there. Suddenly in dismay I thought to myself, "He is my guest. I invited him into my my heart! He has come as my Savior and friend, and yet I am neglecting Him." I stopped, turned and hesitantly went in. With downcast glance, I said, "Master, forgive me. Have You been here all these mornings?" "Yes", He said, "I told you I would be here to meet with you. Remember. I love you. I have redeemed you at great cost. I value your fellowship. Even if you cannot keep the quiet time for your own sake, do it for mine." The truth that Christ desires my companionship, that He wants me to be with Him and waits for me, has done more to transform my quiet time with God than any other single fact. Don’t let Christ wait alone in the living room of your heart, but every day find time when, with your Bible and in prayer, you may be together with Him.
THE WORK ROOM
Before long, He asked, "Do you have a workroom?" Out in the garage of the home of my heart I had a workbench and some equipment, but I was not doing much with it. Once in a while I would play around with a few little gadgets, but I wasn’t producing anything substantial. I led Him out there and He looked over the workbench and said "Well,this is quite well furnished. What are you producing with your life for the Kingdom of God?" He looked at one or two little toys that I had thrown together on the bench and held one up to me. "Is this the sort of thing you are doing for others in your Christian life?" "Well," I said, "Lord, I know it isn’t much,but after all, I don’t seem to have strength or skill to do more." "Would you like to do better He asked. "Certainly," I replied. "All right. Let me have your hands. Now relax in me and let my spirit work through you, I know that you are unskilled, clumsy and awkward, but the Holy Spirit is the Master Workman, and if He controls your hands and your heart, He will work through you." Stepping around behind me and putting His great, strong hands under mine, He held the tools in His skilled fingers and began to work through me. The more I relaxed and trusted Him, the more He was able to do with my life.
THE REC ROOM
He asked me if I had a rec room where I went for fun and fellowship. I was hoping He would not ask about that. There were certain associations and activities that I wanted to keep for myself. One evening when I was on my way out with some of my buddies, He stopped me with a glance and asked, "Are you going out?" I replied, "Yes." "Good," He said, "I would like to go with you." "Oh," I answered rather awkwardly, "I don’t think, Lord Jesus, that you would really enjoy where we are going. Let’s go out together tomorrow night. Tomorrow night we will go to a Bible class at church, but tonight I have another appointment." "I’m sorry," He said. "I thought that when I came into your home, we were going to do everything together, to be close companions. I just want you to know that I am willing to go with you." "Well," I mumbled, slipping out the door, "we will go someplace together tomorrow night." That evening I spent some miserable hours. I felt rotten. What kind of friend was I to Jesus, deliberately leaving Him out of my life, doing things and going places that I knew very well He would not enjoy. When I returned that evening, there was a light in His room and I went up to talk it over with Him. I said, "Lord, I have learned my lesson. I know now that I can’t have a good time without You. From now on, we will do everything together." Then we went down into the rec room of the house. He transformed it. He brought new friends, new joys, new excitement. Laughter and music have been ringing through the house ever since.
THE HALL CLOSET
One day I found Him waiting for me at the door. An arresting look was in His eye. As I entered, He said to me, "There is a peculiar odor in the house. Something must be dead around here. It’s upstairs. I think it’s in the hall closet." As soon as He said this, I knew what He was talking about. There was a small closet up there on the hall landing, just a few feet square. In that closet, behind lock and key, I had one or two little personal things that I did not want anyone to know about. Certainly, I did not want Christ to see them. I knew they were dead and rotting things left over from the old life. I wanted them so for myself that I was afraid to admit they were there. Reluctantly, I went up with Him, and as we mounted the stairs the odor became stronger and stronger. He pointed to the door. I was angry. That’s the only way I can put it. I had given Him access to the library, the dining room, the living room, the rec room, the workroom, and now He was asking me about a little two-by-four closet. I said to myself, "This is too much. I am not going to give Him the key." "Well," He said, reading my thoughts, "If you think I am going to stay up here on the second floor with this smell, you are mistaken. I will go out on the porch." Then I saw Him start down the stairs. When one comes to know and love Christ, the worst thing that can happen is to sense Him withdrawing His fellowship. I had to give in. "I’ll give you the key," I said sadly, "but You will have to open the closet and clean it out. I haven’t the strength to do it." "Just give me the key," He said. "Authorize me to take care of that closet and I will." With trembling fingers I passed the key to Him. He took it, walked over to the door, opened it, entered, took out all the putrefying stuff that was rotting there, and threw it away. Then He cleaned the closet and painted it. It was done in a moment’s time. Oh, what victory and release to have that dead thing out of my life!
TRANSFERRING THE TITLE
A thought came to me. "Lord, is there any chance that You would take over the management of the whole house and operate it for me as You did the closet? Would You take the responsibility to keep my life what it ought to be?" His face lit up as He replied, "I’d love to! That is what I want to do. You cannot be a victorious Christian in your own strength. Let me do it through you and for you. That is the way. But," He added slowly, "I am just a guest. I have no authority to proceed, since the property is not mine." Dropping to my knees, I said, "Lord, You have been a guest and I have been a host. From now on I am going to be the servant. You are going to be the owner and Master." Running as fast as I could to the strongbox, I took out the title deed to the house describing it’s assets and liabilities, location and situation. I eagerly signed the house over to Him alone for time and eternity. "Here," I said. "Here it is, all that I am and have, forever. Now You run the house. I’ll just remain with You as a servant and friend." Things are different since Jesus Christ has settled down and made His home in my heart.
The weapons of our warfare are the Spirit of God and the Word of God. We must allow the Spirit to do "spiritual surgery" on our hearts, to identify the root lie and replace it with the truth of God! We need to let Jesus clean out our hall closets! But how?
Lay aside all excuses.
Invite the Lord to search your heart.
"Search me, 0 God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts;
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
- Psalm 139:23-24 (KJV)
Go with the leadership of the Spirit.
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." - Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)
Hear the voice of the Lord as He identifies the lie.
"My sheep hear my voice . . ." - John 10:27 (NIV)
Thank the Lord for the truth He reveals and the healing He brings.
