Strongholds

I was reading 2 Kings 25:1-2 and I was thinking and studying the siege ramps that Babylon built against the walls of Jerusalem. I realized that strongholds in our life happen the same way. To build a siege ramp it was built from pieces of stone, wood and dirt and it could take days or weeks to build. Then the enemy would push a battering ram up the ramp to destroy the wall or they would breach the wall and attack. In this particular part of the bible it was a 2 year event.

Just like that a stronghold starts out as a thought, a belief that does not line up with God’s word. The first time you act on that thought it is the start of the stronghold. Then every event or thing that happens as you move forward in life builds upon that first stone. A stronghold is not sudden it is something that starts in a moment and it builds strength over time.

For instance something may happen when you are a child that causes fear and the door is opened. Then other things through life can build on that fear that started out small and now it has gradually escalated into severe anxiety, being afraid to even make a move forward thinking that something bad will happen. This is why the bible tells us to capture our thoughts. When the thoughts that produce fear, pride, bitterness enter it is important to capture them and give them to Jesus.

God has given us the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the strongholds in our lives. When fear, pride or anything else comes knocking we have the power to say no, to shut down those thoughts with God’s word. I may not have verses of the bible word for word but I know the gist of what they say and I use that to shutdown the thoughts that don’t align with God’s word.

We are told in Ephesians to put on the whole armor of God to stand against the wiles of the devil. One of those things is the helmet of salvation. Think about what a helmet does, it protects the head and the mind. Stand up and take the authority back that Jesus gave us with the power of the Holy Spirit. We are told to gird our waist with truth and that only comes from God not from this world or thoughts that don’t align with God’s word. The truth you are girded with is the structure of what holds on the breastplate of righteousness. For there is nothing we can do to become righteous in God’s eyes, however, because of what Christ did on the cross those who believe are covered by the blood of Christ and are made righteous through Christ. Then we put shoes of peace upon our feet. Then grab up the shield of faith, for our faith is believing that our God, The Almighty is still on the throne and is undefeated because He is greater than everything. The sword of the spirit is our way to attack the thoughts and the enemy.

Remember that a stronghold starts out as a stone here and there and eventually you have a mighty stronghold that is just like a siege ramp. It is strong and ready for the battering ram to come against us. Our battle is not with others, and most times the greatest battle is in our minds. But no matter how tall that siege wall is or stronghold, God is mightier and with God all things can be defeated. Allow the Holy Spirit to give you strength when you don’t think you have it. That strength might help you to crawl before you walk, but we don’t battle strongholds from defeat, we battle from victory. For Jesus has already won the battle and we have the power that has been handed over to us by our mighty King Jesus.

Strongholds can be torn down even if it is brick by brick that is removed. It may take time but remember it didn’t happen over night and the taking it down may not happen instantly but you don’t give up you push forward under the strength of Christ.