I know that terms like, “Spiritual Warfare” and “Spiritual Strongholds” weird us out. It’s natural to think that these terms refer to only those cases where a person is wild-eyed, spewing obscenities, speaking in an other-worldly voice, and terrorizing people like in horror movies we’ve seen.
This passage reveals the following facts about our warfare: 1) Our battle is not planned according to the way this world fights; earthly stratagems are not our concern. 2) Our weapons are not physical, for our warfare is spiritual in nature.
The purpose of a spiritual weapon according to 2 Cor. 10:4 is to demolish strongholds, to expose ground where the enemy is trying to hide. Then in 2 Cor. 10:5 Paul defines a spiritual stronghold as an argument or lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God. A stronghold is fashioned when you are deceived about who God really is .
Your spiritual enemy, the devil, desires to keep his existence a secret. So, by this definition you could have a stronghold in your spiritual life and not even know it. Unfortunately, if you stay in denial, Satan can continue to harm you from this place of concealment.
Anyone who has fought an addiction, struggled with pride, or had to “flee youthful lusts” knows that sin, a lack of faith, and a worldly outlook on life are indeed “strongholds.”. The Lord is building His Church, and the “gates of hell shall not prevail against it” ( Matthew 16:18 ).
Answer. The word strongholds is found once in the New Testament, used metaphorically by Paul in a description of the Christian’s spiritual battle: “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses [strongholds]” ...
This passage reveals the following facts about our warfare: 1) Our battle is not planned according to the way this world fights; earthly stratagems are not our concern. 2) Our weapons are not physical, for our warfare is spiritual in nature.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” ( Ephesians 6:14-17 ). 3) Our power comes from God alone. 4) God’s plan is to demolish spiritual strongholds.
The spiritual enemy of your soul thrives on secrecy and will establish a stronghold in unexposed sin in your life. WHAT TO DO: Confess any and all known active sin in your life and REPENT of it. Be specific with God in your prayers and lay out in raw detail all that you thought and said that led to your sinful action.
Ridding yourself of these strongholds not only requires great intentionality, but also an understanding of its root cause and how it got constructed in the first place, and how God’s word empowers you to break free from it. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.
2 Corinthians 4:4 says, “The god of this age [a reference to Satan and his demons] has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”. If that’s his strategy in the lives of those who haven’t trusted in Christ, then his strategy in the life ...
WHAT TO DO: REJECT those lies the devil tries to whisper in your heart about your self-worth or the Father’s love for you. The Holy Spirit of God may bring conviction or heaviness over a sin in your life, but the purpose is to lead you back into a right relationship with God.
The troublesome aspect of a stronghold is that it may not even be a bad thing that you’re caught up in . Your stronghold can be good things, like food, religion, a fierce-protectiveness (but because it is rooted in demon-inspired-lie that stemmed from a wound), it is toxic in your life.