3 Characteristics and Strategies for Overcoming Strongholds
When the Apostle Paul said that we “wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers,” what did he mean? The verse found in Ephesians 6:12 makes something very clear. Paul did not believe his warfare was a battle with people, political institutions, or even personal circumstance. Our warfare, like his, is an intense, personal, and close wrestling match with disembodied spirits.
- How do you know you are under attack? One of the things I’ve noticed is that when I am in warfare I don’t feel like myself. I feel disconnected, awkward, and inauthentic. I’m not myself and I don’t even like who is showing up. Do you ever feel like this? It’s like you’re someone else. Something is trying to take over your thought process. Remember: the battle zone is in your thought life. The secret is to catch the enemy when he attempts to slip into your thought life like the serpent in the garden. Don’t let the thought take hold. For this reason Paul says one of our primary weapons is the power to inspect and take thoughts captive as they enter your mind. Paul describes an interrogation process, in which we take a thought captive “at the point of a spear.” Notice the language he uses to address strongholds: “Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
- What is a stronghold? Think of it as a house made of thoughts. It’s a pattern of thinking that has a “strong hold” or grip on your mind. And let's be honest: if it's a pattern of thinking it is also a pattern of feeling and behaving. A stronghold is something that exerts an influence or leverage over the thought patterns that play in your mind. They produce a harvest of consequences. The devil is trying to rob you and your children of God's inheritance. He does this by working to get you to compromise and bow your knee to unbelief, apathy, fear, lust, addiction, depression. Don’t let him succeed. Put up a FIGHT!
- What is God’s goal for you? The Spirit of God wants us to be thinking beings who operate out of freedom!—NOT robots. The Holy Spirit is busy right now setting us free from CONTROLLING SPIRITS. This includes all addictions and compulsions. As a believer, you are not under the dominion of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). God created man in His image and in His likeness and gave him a territory called a garden. In that sphere of influence man was in charge. He had authority over the snake. God has put you in the garden of your life. He wants you to be free to flourish, create, and expand dominion. God made you in His image and wants your mind free to see, sense, discern, and judge.
How can you dismantle these strongholds?
Strongholds are like fortresses that must be torn down one brick at a time. Every thought that hits you needs to be countered by another thought! Lies need to be answered with TRUTH. You need a proclamation in your mouth—there is an “IT IS WRITTEN!” for every battle. These truths need to be meditated upon and literally “engrafted” into your soul. In this way God uses our warfare to do something that totally frustrates the enemy. It makes us stronger! This connects us to the lineage of overcomers described by the writer of Hebrews who said: “Out of weakness they became strong!” (Hebrews 11:34)
Question: What lies do you need to refute in your mind? What truths do you need to stand on for daily victory in the spiritual realm?
Comment below and tell me about it!
As One!
Lance
After going through the process of dreaming about the various areas of my life and reconnecting with God’s vision, the Lord had me write out a list of the core negative beliefs that I struggle with. To my surprise there were FORTY! The Lord said, “Forty condemning lies are like the forty lashes that the ancient Romans knew to be fatal.” Then He had me journal out the truth about these areas, and come up with a positive statement of faith that summarizes my thought process. Some of these are scripture, some are just positive statements of truth. I have been working with these in various ways to get them ingrained in my mind and spirit. My favorite is the PowerPoint I call my moving vision board that I described here previously. (Positive statements of faith interposed on positive images representing the concept and set to empowering music). It’s animated and each slide transitions after four seconds, just long enough to read the statement and imprint the image on my thinking. An example of a positive statement I use would be “I am enjoying living in perfect convergence.” I have lately taken to getting up and dancing while I do it, which gives me a little cardio workout at the same time. It is definitely getting me into a much more positive and faith-filled frame of mind. I notice that the images flash across my thinking at odd times during the day as needed. I am very thankful for this tool that I believe the Holy Spirit gave me and encourage others to try this method. It’s very cheering and encouraging.
Lance, Have you ever noticed that when someone makes an obviously bad, unrighteous, decision they tend to try extra hard to prove that the bad decision and it’s consequences are actually good? I’m wondering if the opposite can be true as well. Could someone blessed with righteousness try extra hard to prove the goodness is actually bad? More specifically, could I be sabotaging my own life inadvertently to prove I am not blessed because I still haven’t fully accepted the righteousness that belongs to me? Kind of like a child prodigy that acts out to prove they’re no different than other children.
I’m bringing this up because so many Christians seem to throw away the blessings (marriage) God has given them. More specifically because I have thrown away blessings (marriage) and miss-treated the goodness God has given me. This may be some kind-of deceptive stronghold. I haven’t fully actualized who I am. Until now.
Oddly compelled to comment on my comment 😀 because this broadcast has me really contemplating the strongholds I’ve long nurtured. I’ve decided it’s pride that keeps those who are wrong trying to look right, and pride again that keeps those who have Christ’s redemption from actuating it. Pride and a reluctance to relinquish control. I admit I am not Adonae.
Lance, great word! You are moving deeper into your “Samuel Anointing” to help the “Davids” in the marketplace.
This is a season where those who understand their Kingdom assisgnments will be able to identify with specific clarity the 2-3 key demonic strongholds militating against them and use the armour of God, the blood of Jesus and the word of God to overcome.
God bless you and your family and every believer who is dedicated to advance the kingdom of Jesus Christ our Lord and saviour.
“Place your hope in God, not in people”….spot on word tonight Dr Lance. In our ongoing season of hardship with my husband’s declining illness, I recognized my hope for someone to rescue us from the strain of stress, sadness, isolation, etc, etc.- anyone but God! If this points to a stronghold, who knows. My discernment seems to have flown out the window.
When I hear “I can’t take this anymore”, I whisper back- I can do ALL THINGS…..and I get through the moment. I will see Him in this, I most certainly will. And others will too. Here lies my hope.
I took care of my mom for three years in my home until her death. I have scoliosis and it was difficult to manage her care from my own physical perspective. Every time I had to lift her I prayed Phil 4:13. The Lord saw me through it all. However, I did take ” alone time” ( in my house ). I always rationalized, as one does with a newborn, if they’re fed, dry and not crying in pain, they are alright. A caretaker needs time to themselves to gain perspective. I did attend a small group from my church once a week. Again, mom was safe in bed watching TV or sleeping. And remember, you are not your husbands Savior. Someone already has that job and does it perfectly. He loves your husband more than you do! God Bless You!!
Oh YES — even though I’ve been privileged and blessed to be taught by many,anointed teachers, over many years,(which includes you, my dear Brother in Christ) I still find myself occasionally besieged by that ENEMY of my SOUL (my mind-will-emotions) in those quiet, dark hours of the night when one is not alert (actually asleep) but abruptly awakened and unprepared to have ‘shields up’ and ready for battle. I RESIST that enemy immediately, pray in the spirit, and eventually go peacefully back to sleep — but it does serve to remind me that we must always be ready and on the ALERT for these attacks. Even at age 87,, widowed, still a soul-winner,, so that enemy wants to “take me out!”. He KNOWS his time is very short,,(nearing the END of his 2,000-year lease on this planet) and he knows that GOD’s KINGDOM will soon be established here. He’s after EACH one of us! We’re the ONLY threat he has for maintaining whatever power he still has here on this earth. It’s obvious he has accelerated his evil plans and strategies the past several years!
Jesus defeated him on the Cross and those subsequent 3 days and nights in hell — but satan is a sore loser! He’s still going to try everything he can to defeat us, because he knows Jesus LIVES INSIDE US. So now, it’s up to us, God’s children, to defeat him! Finish your race — you’re already a WINNER — with ALL the Promises and Power of your Lord and Savior INSIDE YOU! Satan was defeated once and for all by Jesus, and now it’s up to each of us! MAY GOD BLESS and STRENGTHEN YOU AS YOU PERSEVERE WITH PATIENCE and HIS GRACE AND MERCY, TO FINISH THE COURSE! We fight on AS ONE!! WITH and “IN HIM”, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. OUR REDEEMER AND SOON COMING KING! HALLELUJAH!
Dear Melba.
THANK YOU thank you. You are an example and encouragement. I will seek to follow you example and be as ‘on it ‘ as you are all my days i am about 27 years behind you. .. But yes while i am here each day God gives i need to press up press on and press out … thank you for being there and being a witness to Him and to the truth ….
Hi Dr. Lance:
Thank you so much for this lesson! I am literatally and figuratively in strategic warfare. I feel like Neo from the Matrix!!! Lol!
The truth I must stand on is, “by Jesus’ stripes, I am healed.” Isa 54:7.
Lance please keep these coming. In the busy times we live in such input is like a drive through starbucks. I dont have to turn off my engine to get a vital pick me up…
This is spiritual reinforcement direct to the front line very Good. ..i was able to immediately send it to my three 20 somethings who all love the Lord but are geographically spread across the UK and who I know have spoken of their realisation of this is where the battle is. So double Thanks as i was strengthened and i was also able to pass it on.
Have you heard of an English guy called Russ Parker . He gets around. An english vicar (from Liverpool) has a book rediscovering the minsitry of Blessing amazing testimonies. It feels as though this is the otherside of the same coin as we tear down strongholds we seek the blessing which is the declaration of truth to release flourishing..
I am going to send him your piece on strongholds
He is on twitter. And visits the States …
Have Great Day keep sending supplies to the troops ….
Love and thanks to you annabel and your family ps 121 big truth. Ps 84.11. …Come ON Church!
Thanks for your blog post. I was praying and recognised a stronghold of unbelief that I had been wrestling with. As I wondered how I could gain the victory I remembered a blog by a man who teaches on these things that I follow and felt he might have a useful post. When I went to look I came to yours and it was just so spot on for me. Thank you for being led by the spirit to help me at this time by the post that was at just the right time. God bless you.
Funny how things converge: starting to read ‘switch your brain on’ by Caroline Leaf, hearing some good teaching on the power of our thinking as a way of ‘clothing ourselves with Christ’ by Kris Valleton, and now your blog… Things are falling in place, thanks for sharing.
One of the lies that I have noticed is that to be a real person you should follow the lead of your emotional life. God says follow Jesus and his good, pleasing and perfect will by the metamorphosis of my thinking.
Now I don’t believe that good thinking instantly changes depressive or anxious feelings. But knowing God’s thoughts and living them is changing us from caterpillars into butterflies.
Holy Hallelujah…
Mr. Wallnau 🙂
When it comes to Spiritual Warfare…
Why does the Church keep fighting the same battle from Generation after Generation?
Why has the Fervent Prays of the Saints fail to overcome Abortion???
Answer: Genesis 3:11-13!!
The Church has blamed our Government, Medical ethics of Physicians, even fervent condemnation of individuals!!!!
Yet Abortion thrives beyond any limit of the imagination!!!
To have Dominion over this Land…
The Church must take “”FULL RESPONSIBILTY”” of innocent BLOOD!
This is a manner of Warfare upon which the Government is Blessed, Physicians are Honored, and Individuals are LOVED, as the Body cries out unto the Lord God…. Father! it is my fault and mine alone for the murder of your unborn Children in this Land!!
Mr. Wallnau…
Listen well…
Holy, Holy, Holy Hallelujah
Holy Hallelujah…
Mr. Wallnau…
Your first reaction to this manner of warfare… or finding fault!!
Is perfectly normal and expected!!!
For I AM THE ONE who severed the head of Goliath with his own “SWORD IN ACTS 5″”
Which is why ISIS is a “JOKE”… a headless Earth Worm ((Digging tunnels beneath our FEET)) chasing and devouring its own TAIL. (((Deceiving Nations through the Spirit of Fear)))
Long Story….
Holy, Holy, Holy Hallelujah!!