Did you know that the energies that we expend in keeping our sins secret are the actual “materials” of which a stronghold is made? Consider that the demon that you may be fighting will try to use your thoughts to protect his access to your life.
Let’s examine one of the ways the Word of God tells us that we can overcome to have the mind of Christ:
“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-6 NASB).
BREAKING DOWN SECOND CORINTHIANS:VERSES 3-5: God says that He has given us “divinely powerful weapons for the destruction of fortresses”(2 Corinthians 10:4):
[1] The word “powerful” is the Greek word “dunamos,” from which we get the English word dynamite. Dunamos means power in action, able, and possible. It is also translated as miracles.
[2] The word “fortresses” is another word for strongholds or prison. Remember the parable in Matthew 5:25-26 about our adversary going before the Judge to accuse us? Based on our own righteousness, the devil has the right to cast us into prison. God has given us access to spiritual weapons powerful enough to pull down strongholds.
[3] The word “destruction” is more accurately translated as “demolish”. We have demolition words here dynamite… demolish. Think of a condemned building where demolition experts are called in to implode the structure. Through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can set charges in the Spirit to “[destroy] speculations” (2 Cor 10:5), wherein the condemned structure (mindset) can be brought down from within. Therefore, the divinely powerful weapons that God has given us can bring down the stronghold in our mind with violence. In the Old Testament, this word figuratively means to remove from office. To remove a different lord other than the Lord of Lords from our minds.
THREE THINGS THAT MAKE UP A STRONGHOLD: The transition between verses 4 and 5 “pulling down of strongholds; Casting down imaginations…” shows that verse 5 is really a continuation of verse 4 in that 2 Corinthians 10:5 is an explanation of what these strongholds, prisons or fortresses are, which we are called to demolish through spiritual weapons empowered by God’s power:
[1] A STRONGHOLD IS MADE UP OF IMAGINATIONS/SPECULATIONS: The Greek word for “imaginations” is “logismos.” You can actually hear the word logic here. This isn’t talking about random thoughts, but calculated reasonings that comes to a person over time. This is not a single thought, but a thought process. This is a person’s belief system – ‘isms (materialism, intellectualism, Buddhism, etc), which are philosophies of life. These can be walls that we have built through rejection. Our human minds filter information. We first hear in our sub-conscious mind, then it goes to our conscience mind before we even form a decision. A speculation is a conclusion based on an assumption that cannot be proven. A demonic stronghold is any type of thinking (imaginations, speculations, logic, calculated reasonings, which is the thought process, belief system, philosophy of life) that exalts itself above the knowledge of God, thereby, giving the devil a secure place of influence in an individual’s thought-life. Ask for revelation from the Lord if there are strongholds in your mind.
[2] A STRONGHOLD IS MADE UP OF EVERY HIGH PLACE THAT EXALTS ITSELF ABOVE THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD: The Greek word for high thing is “hupsoma” (hoop’-so-ma). This is the same root word for Most High God. It means anything elevated or an exalted thing. You can see the recurring theme of pride. BTW – Don’t be surprised if things get worse before they get better. It’s a battle after all! Overcomers have to overcome things!
[3] A STRONGHOLD IS EVERY THOUGHT NOT BROUGHT IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST: We are told to bring into captivity every thought to obedience of Christ. The word “thought” here is the Greek word “noema” (no’-ay-mah), which means a thought, perception, intellect, scheme, device, plan or religion. The same word is in 2 Corinthians 2:11 “…we are not ignorant of (Satan’s) schemes.”
YOU CAN CONSISTENTLY PRAY OVER THESE 3 AREAS ABOVE UNTIL THE VEIL OVER YOUR MIND”S EYE IS LIFTED AND THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL CAN COME IN. BTW – YOU CAN ALSO BE DO THIS FOR ANOTHER PERSON.
Christians can be oppressed by demons, which can occupy unregenerate thought-systems, especially those thoughts defended by self-deception or false doctrines. THE DIFFICULTY WITH DECEPTION IS THAT WHEN WE ARE DECEIVED, WE ARE THE LAST TO KNOW IT; therefore, humility of mind must be attained before deliverance can happen. NOTE: A demon cannot have you in an eternal, possessive sense, but you can have a demon if you refuse to repent of your sympathetic thoughts towards evil.
Identify the hidden strongholds of your life, by surveying the attitudes in your heart by the search light of the Spirit of Truth – the Holy Spirit. It can help if you have an accountability partner; because sometimes we can sense something’s wrong, but can’t figure out what or sometimes we know what’s wrong, but can’t figure out how to get free. If you (and possibly a partner) asks and listens to what God says, you can usually be freed up quicker than just trying to figure it out yourself. For where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty! That is one of the Holy Spirit’s jobs – To set mankind free and make them more like Jesus. FREEDOM!
Examine what comes out of your mouth. Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaketh.
WHAT ARE SOME UNREGENERTAED THOUGHT-SYSTEMS, UNCRUCIFIED THOUGHTS OR STRONGHOLDS IN YOUR MIND? For example: “No one listens to me. No one cares. No one will ever love me. I get rejected that’s just the way it is. People will always take advantage of me. Men can’t be trusted or all women are controlling. INNER VOWS: If no one will be there for me, I will have to be there for myself – vows of self-sufficiency.
BTW – THERE ARE NO STRONGHOLDS FOR THE ENEMY, NO WRONG ATTITUDES, NO FAULTY LOGIC OR THINKING IN CHRIST’S MIND. Just before Jesus went to His death He remarked, “the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me” (John 14:30). Jesus wants us to be exact replicas of Him on earth.
The pulling down of strongholds begins with repentance. When Jesus sent out His disciples, “they went out and preached that men should repent. And they were casting out many demons and … healing them” (Mark 6:12-13).
In regards to deliverance of spirits that plague the mind, repentance precedes deliverance, and deliverance leads to healing in other areas. Without some measure of repentance, deliverance is almost impossible, for although a spirit may be commanded to leave, if the structure of the individual’s thoughts has not changed, his wrong attitude toward sin will welcome that spirit back. In fact, deliverance without sincere repentance can leave a person worse off than before, so timing and being led of the Spirit is essential. (Matt. 12:43-45)
Know that there will be pressure from your flesh and the demonic world itself to make you minimize or ignore what God is requiring of you. Let’s remember that the energies that we expend in keeping our sins secret are the actual “materials” of which a stronghold is made.
~ Robin Main
www.sapphirethroneministries.com
www.santa-tizing.com
www.mysticmentoring.com
Written October 4, 2013 – Sapphire Throne Ministries – Robin Main. Copyrighted – If you are going to copy this, please copy it right by giving attributions to this source. Blessings!
Originally published => https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=557335021005663&set=pb.436004819805351.-2207520000.1382846289.&type=3&theater
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RESOURCES AVAILABLE:
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• Ascension Manual book => https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578188511
• Understanding the Order of Melchizedek: Complete Series book => https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Order-Melchizedek-Robin-Main/dp/0998598240/
• MEL GEL Study Guide book => https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578188538/
• MEL GEL Study Guide: Volume 2 book => https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998598232/
• Set of Hebrew Living Letter Flash Cards => https://www.sapphirethroneministries.com/flashcards
• Blazing New Wine of Hanukkah: Bridal Restoration of DNA book => https://www.amazon.com/Blazing-New-Wine-Hanukkah-Understanding-ebook/dp/B010MHNZMK/
• SANTA-TIZING: What’s wrong with Christmas and how to clean it up book => https://www.amazon.com/SANTA-TIZING-Whats-wrong-Christmas-clean/dp/1607911159/ w
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