What are Strongholds?

           

Strongholds are arguments, high opinions, and thoughts that are raised against the knowledge of God. Its’s a spiritual enemy that wages war against God through your thought process. Strongholds try to enforce its will over the will of God. The bible says in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

A spiritual stronghold is anything that has power over you. It’s supposed to be Christ Jesus after we have giving our lives to Christ. But throughout our lives, we will all come up against strongholds that are desires of our flesh. A spiritual stronghold is more than sin; it’s bondage. A stronghold in this context is a natural desire in us that Satan uses so that sin has control over us. We often keep our spiritual strongholds a secret. As a result, the enemy uses our stronghold and secrecy around it to invoke shame and fear within us.

Our strongholds are sometimes perceived as something good, so we may not even know what the enemy is using against us. It can be something you don’t trust God with or something you’re striving to fulfill within yourself instead of letting God fulfill it.  Examples of strongholds:

•          Excessive worrying and fear- worrying about your finances, relationship, family and loved ones, worrying about your future and career. So much so it consumes your life steal your joy and create a stronghold. Fear is one the biggest strongholds. The Fear of failure can ultimately lead to failure.

•          Jealousy- jealousy can cause unpleasant emotion that involves feeling threatened by someone or something else's value or success. It can make you feel less than, shame and undervalued which creates a stronghold and make it hard to get deliverance and succeed in life. 

•          Lust/Porn- lust can be a very strong sensation that overpowers the mind which creates a stronghold. Lust has the ability to dictate your thoughts and decisions which leads to adultery, meaningless sex, increased sex drive, and porn. A lot of people are unaware of porn strongholds that lead to addictions. It is wreaking havoc in marriages and relationships.

•          Addictions- Many addicts turn to their substance of choice as a way to escape reality. They abuse a mood-altering substance to find relief from problems in their daily life, whether related to work, relationships, self-image, or financial problems. Most addicts use to cope or deal with stronghold. Jesus is supposed to be your way of escape. The bible tells us Jesus is the only way.

•        Controlling/manipulation-   when a person attempts to conform another person to their own needs or desires through some form of manipulation is a controlling spirit. A controlling person like to impose there will onto others. The root of witchcraft is a controlling spirit.

•       Childhood trauma- The effects of childhood trauma can last well into adulthood. Trauma can impact future relationships and lead to other issues like depression and low self-esteem, trouble regulating emotion, Difficulty in relationship, Poor memory, and Addiction. Bullying can have a significant impact on your physical and emotional health, leading to sleep loss, headaches, muscle pain, anxiety and depression. It brings on shame, regret, bitterness, and torturing thoughts. It will leave you feeling like you are never enough. It will dictate what kind of job you have, relationships, something simple as going into a grocery store, because shame and fear becomes crippling.

•          Generational curse, trauma, bitterness, are all different types of strongholds….

How do we overcome a stronghold?

 

By making Jesus your stronghold and putting on the full amour of God the bible says in Ephesians 6:11-12 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (read Ephesians 6:11-18 to see the full amor)

 

A stronghold isn’t something that can be overcome by “trying harder” or “being good.” It’s a fight that is taking place in the mind. The enemy attacks our mind by inserting his thoughts and opinions. He wages war in our mind with who God has called us to be. We need to invite the Holy Spirit’s power to work in us to help us overcome spiritual strongholds. Since strongholds are spiritual, they must be fought in the spiritual state.

Go to Jesus and renounce the sin that has invited a stronghold. Pray in the name of Jesus that you be released from any and every stronghold. Ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit while in prayer.  Psalms 18:2 says The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  This means He became our Shield, Deliverer, Protector, Fortress, Anchor and Refuge!