The Stonghold In Your Life

As we continue to look at spiritual warfare, 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 give us the focus of the war.

• pulling down strongholds
• casting down arguments
• bringing every thought into captivity
• punishing all disobedience

Of that list, how many are defensive strategies? None! As believers we are to be on the offense and attacking these areas. So why do I live in a reaction mode so many times just trying to stay afloat during the battle? I think it is because I do not really understand my role and I lose focus during the battle. So let's learn more about on what we are to focus.

Pulling Down Strongholds
The Greek word for strongholds means to fortify, through the idea of safety; anything on which one relies; of the arguments and reasonings by which a disputer endeavors to fortify his opinion and defend it against his opponent. The dictionary defines strongholds as a strongly fortified defensive structure.

I believe strongholds are an area of a persons life where they find security and comfort. For the believer we know that this is to be God, but in actuality we struggle with this. We have strongholds that we must attack and bring down so that we can be totally vulnerable, open, and even exposed before God.

Some will define strongholds with actions such as alcoholism, drug addiction, looking at pornography, and even eating. But I would disagree with this because these are all actions of the flesh. Remember what we have learned already? We do not war against flesh and blood, but our war is in the spiritual realm. Hang with me here... While all of the above are awful actions, I believe the stronghold goes deeper. It is something within the person causing the actions to emerge in their lives. If we just attack the action, it will return. If we attack the inner stronghold, victory can be gained.

I know this is a long post, but follow me here. I met a man that was an alcoholic. He desired desperately to quit but never was victorious because he was trying to break a habit. When he got serious about stopping he sought help to identify why he was drinking. He identified that he had a serious self esteem problem. In fact, he hated himself and every time he drank it reinforced this problem while he was trying to get away from it. There were other issues, but I think you get the point. As he attacked and began bringing down the stronghold of a lack of self-worth in his life, his desire to drink began to subside. He has now been sober for six months for the first time in his adult life. He struggles every day with this because if he is not watching, the stronghold will creep back into his life. He is in a constant offensive battle to tear it down!

People are living defeated lives, giving up on themselves, others, their marriages, their churches, their friends, and the list goes on. Are their things in your life that you need to bring down? Quit making resolutions and begin searching the thought, feeling, or emotion that is triggering the action. It is hard work and easier to live with the stronghold, but there will never be freedom in you life. As a believer we are in a war and that war includes bringing down strongholds! Are you accomplishing this in you life today? If not, why not?