Tearing Down Strongholds

II Corinthians 10:1-6

Introduction:

• The word "stronghold" in 2 Corinthians 10:4 means a strong-walled military fort or prison.

• When people form strongholds in their lives, they imprison their thoughts with error, confusion, bitterness, pride, and false philosophies.

I. What is a Stronghold?

A. What a Stronghold is not.

1. Not a demon

2. Not insurmountable

B. What a Stronghold is.

1. Wrong Mindsets

2. An idol (Anything that takes the place of God in our lives)

3. A place where the enemy's works can grow (lies, offense, false doctrines…)

II. How are Strongholds Developed?

A. Listening to the wrong people

1. Evaluate the people who speak into your life.

a. We know them by their fruits (What is their life producing?)

2. Choosing to believe the wrong things.

3. Hanging with the wrong crowd.

a. Don’t hang out with people if they are not building you or you are not building them.

B. Failing Devotion

1. Putting down God’s Word…

a. Used to read doesn’t work.

b. Faith cometh…

2. Failure to pray

3. Isolation

C. Bad Communication (Words are seeds)

1. Words are seeds

2. Husbands, your words are seeds that grow in your wife (Expound)

III. How to Address the Strongholds in Your Life.

A. Admit that they are there

1. Admit it and quit it.

2. You have to start somewhere. It may as well be right here right now!

B. Take away their life source.

1. Work on your relationship with God.

a. Rebuild Devotion

b. Come out of isolation.

2. Develop and maintain a positive mindset.

a. God did not create you to be a pessimist!

b. You can have your “dark winter…”

C. Take your place in the Kingdom.

1. Spiritual, Tactical Weaponry:

a. Love (1 Peter 4:8; James 5:20)

b. Suit Up (Ephesians 6:10-18) Truth, Righteousness, Gospel of Peace, Faith, Salvation, The Word

c. Prayer

2. BELIEVE!

a. You are who God says you are!

b. You can have what God’s Word says you can have!

c. You can do what God’s Word says you can do!

Conclusion: