Hope of Glory Ministries

Mental Strongholds

Bondage And The Battle Field!

My definition:

Stronghold n. a mindset or perception which is contrary to the truth, by which the enemy gains (advantage) ground (place) over a situation in a persons life , usually in the mind of the person...A wrong pattern of thinking which continually brings one into bondage. A misguided perception. Basically: a lie, behind which the enemy hides usually but not always undetected.

Webster's definition :

Stronghold n. a place having strong defenses; a fort; a fortified place; a place of security.

It has been my experience that one of Satan's greatest tactics, one of his greatest weapons against mankind is his anonymity! Many people are even afraid to speak of Satan. Fear keeps them from it. This too is one of Satan's tactics. I've known of people who are afraid that God would be angered by them learning anything of the works of the enemy. But look what the Lord has to say about this:

Matthew 10:15-17 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves

God does not want us to be ignorant of such things but to be wise!

To be in a war and not keep a careful eye on the enemy’s camp would be foolish to say the least. With that in mind let’s continue on bearing in mind that this discussion is certainly not by any means meant to glorify the enemy or to make him look to be more than what he is. Speaking of what he is lets look at what God's word says to be true about our enemy.

1 Peter 5 :8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

I highlighted the word may here to express to you that Satan is not capable of devouring every believer but only the ones he may. What makes the difference here is knowing how to fight your enemy. We as believers have entered into a war with the enemy, whether we like it or not, were in it. If we don't know how to fight and how to over come and loose our selves from the snares of the devil, we may be devoured.

Look at the following passage, Jesus is speaking here to some of the Jews of the time who didn't believe him, but note what he says about the devil. He says he's a murderer, a liar, and the father of lies.

John 8: 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Look at what else is written about him.

John 10: 10

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

So now we see the devil , the father of lies has an agenda and; a purpose. His purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. How does he steal, kill and destroy?

The answer to this question: the same way he always has; with his lies. He's the father of lies, the deceiver.

Revelation 12:8-10 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Even today he does the same things, he lies. He even tells us the same lies as he told Eve in the garden of Eden

Genesis 3 :1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?( look how he places doubt in her mind first by questioning Gods word to be true or not) 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall surely not die.

Now he tells her the first lie ever told.

Often times when tempted by "forbidden fruit" we unknowingly hear the same lies, and continue on to justify what it is we're tempted to do sometimes we do know and we do it any way. Look at the next passage of scripture and bear in mind this one comes from the new testament.

James 1 :12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

Yet Satan still walks about saying thou shalt surely not die. He is a liar. Sin when it is finished brings death (that doesn't mean that if we sin we will just drop dead immediately). Let me show you how it happens ok. Bear with me.

Romans 6:15-17 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Sin brings us into bondage as servants to the one to whom we yield to.

Yield: to give right of way, to give passage, to give place. To allow by agreement. To submit to another, To surrender; to lose precedence, leadership etc.

When we choose to yield to the devil in what ever he has tempted us with we've opened ourselves up to be held in bondage to him. We have by our actions come into AGREEMENT with him and his will and surrendered our own. He accuses us before the throne of God day and night seeking access into our lives. Just as he accused Job.

Ephesians 4: 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil.

Ok so we see we're not to give place to the devil but look now at what he does once we do.

Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

He is the accuser of the brethren always looking to accuse us and find away to enter in and take up residence. Demons are disembodied spirits searching for a body to live in, in which to do their evil works, which is to kill, steal and destroy.

There are several ways that demons enter in to a person. They come in by sin and by way of curses. Before we are saved we are defenseless against the wiles of the devil, and we are without hope. But praise be unto God who bringeth forth the victory!

Let’s look now to the cross and see what has been accomplished there for us.

Collossians2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

There are a number of things that were done for us on the cross. Provision was made for all of our needs and what Jesus did for us in his suffering death and resurrection is so complete that in the last of it all he said " It is finished"

Let’s look at a few things here.

In verse thirteen we see he has provided for us a way to be forgiven for our sins.

In verse fourteen we see he has removed from us the( handwriting of ordinances ; the law ) which had brought forth the curses of the law of sin and death,

In verse fifteen we see he spoiled principalities and powers. He literally defeated hell on the cross for us.

Deuteronomy 11:26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;

27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: 28And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

Exodus 20:4-6 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

Serving "other gods” and "bowing down to them” would bring a curse upon us before the Lord Jesus made provision to be saved from the curse of sin and death.

Before our salvation, that being the day we confessed with our mouth and accepted Jesus into our hearts and lives, each one of us was subject to the law and the curses.

So we see now that God has made provision for us by way of the shed blood of Jesus on the cross at Calvary. And he defeated hell on the cross, made a public triumph over the enemy. Here is a few more scriptures to look at:

Romans 5:16-18 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Luke 9:1-2 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

Luke 10:18-20 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

So in the scriptures we see we have power and authority over the enemy, and we have the gift of righteousness.

You may wonder now seeing we have these things why is it we are still in battle with the enemy? I'll show you the answer soon.

Ok now up until this point we have been laying the foundation for what we are going to learn. It is imperative to know your enemy to see how he works and to be able to avoid his tactics. Up until this point all of this has been fairly basic.

Let's dig a little deeper!

While considering a way to explain this, a picture came to my mind of an old cartoon scene where a devil sits on one shoulder and an angel on the other shoulder. This picture although comical is actually more real than most people realize.

It is hard to comprehend how it is that Satan tempts us, seeing as how we aren't naturally equipped to see into the spirit realm, and see demons and angels going about their works.

The Battle Field:

The battle we fight takes place in different places.

1) Firstly, It begins in the spirit realm, that which is discerned only by the spirit, which the natural man cannot see, except by the power and the will of God.

2) Secondly, In our minds, our thought life: Every sin begins with a thought, before it can be manifested in the flesh it is first born in the mind, which is also the soulish part of man.

3) Thirdly in the flesh, in what we call the natural realm. In things seen.

The area we are going to deal with today is the battle field of the mind. This is the area in which Satan's demons build strongholds and where they take control. Demons work in gangs.

Let's look at strongholds now. The best way I can think of to show you what a stronghold is, is to tell you of the ones I have had to face in my own mind and life. To do this let me tell you how it came about that I was made to see these things,

It came about during a time in my life when I first realized the call of God upon my life to ministry. I had sins in my life that would have interfered with ministry and so I saw no way that God could use me. So I questioned God about the sins in my life and he began go deal with me to change these things, and to remove from my life those things he saw as undesirable. God was dealing with me to be obedient to him.

I was not born obedient; I was born with a naturally rebellious nature as is all of mankind.

God had made a promise to me and to obtain it he required I be obedient to him. I was new in the Lord and still had a lot of sin in my life and I had no idea how to change or get free from the things in my life that were wrong. I had seen many preachers casting out demons and had heard of others but I never thought I needed deliverance.

Well I found out how wrong I was. God dealt with me to let go of several things in my life and one of them was cigarettes. I was a smoker and had been for over twenty three years. In those twenty three years I had accepted several things (thoughts, thought patterns) and had agreed that these things were true. They became strongholds in my mind. Let me list a few of the thought patterns that had been developed over the years. developed:

These are all lies and all strongholds

Cigarettes help to relieve stress, it’s a good way to relax and to relieve stress, It helps you to think, especially when things go wrong.

I can’t go without cigarettes, the craving I would get if I tried would be overpowering.

I have to have them at certain times of the day,

When I wake up

After I eat

Every time I get in the car

when I'm stressed

when I need to think

while I'm reading

while I'm cooking

I must take them every where I go incase I need one.

I need them to calm my nerves

They taste good

I like the smell the taste etc,

Do you see the bondage here? Look how I was convinced I had to have them. I carried them around like a ball and chain, I had become enslaved to them< actually to the driving force behind all of this. That driving force was the devil, a spirit of addiction had taken up residence and I had not realized it.

Now when God began to deal with me about smoking, I had been praying about it. One day at church the opportunity came to be set free from the spirit of addiction. When the preacher called out for those who wanted to be released from this bondage to come forward for prayer I went forward. The demon spirit of addiction was cast out. And as far as anybody knew I was free. I was not so certain I would be able to stay free from cigarettes.

As the service continued thoughts of smoking flooded my mind and fear overcame me. I couldn't wait for the service to end. I was sure I needed to get out of there and get a cigarette. At the same time guilt plagued my mind .I had just been delivered, "How could I be thinking such a thing?" I wasn't sure but I was growing more and more nervous by the minute. Thoughts flooded my mind of how I couldn't do this, I’d never make it, and maybe the devil hadn't left. Fear doubt and unbelief overcame me, as I had already been deceived into believing I NEEDED these things. The minute the service was over I bolted for the door, went straight to my vehicle and grabbed up my cigarettes. I thought for a moment, Maybe I should wait and try to see if I can do it. Home was a thirty miles away so I had plenty of time to drive and observe what happened to see if there was any difference. I decided to wait just for the purpose of proving to my self I had a legitimate reason to light that cigarette.

As though, my weakness would justify my failure. So I in this way set my self up to fail.

I couldn't bring my self to truly try. I couldn't get past the fear and thoughts in my mind, because I just was not able to see the truth. As I drove home I became more nervous and was convinced I needed that cigarette and would not be able to deal with this, I grabbed the things lit one of them and then every thing (appeared to settle down). I drove home feeling like a failure and pondering on the things that had taken place.

Why didn't it work? Did the devil really leave? Where had I gone wrong? Was God's word really true? Was I delivered and if so then why did I fail? These were the questions I had asked my self and God.

Mental Strongholds, Knowing the Truth

God in his infinite wisdom had challenged me to obey him! Little did I know I would have to fight to do it. His challenge ignited in me a fight to do what he had called me to do. All of my life people had told me of all of my faults, I believed my self to be a failure. And I never thought any lasting change in me was possible. I had tried in times past to do right and failed so many times. I had given up on me. But............God had not. Now all of sudden I'm faced with this challenge to obey him. I do Love God and had always seen him as being one to be reverenced. I had thought in times past what I would do, how I would react if God ever spoke to me to do anything. I was certain, that out of respect and admiration for God I would do anything he asked. Now I had failed him, and my heart was grieved, I truly desired to follow and obey him but at this point I wasn't able, or was I? God seemed to think I was able. I knew he could not be wrong, because he is without fault.

My success and every victory in my life depended upon the knowledge I had of God and in knowing that he is above all things Holy ,perfect, just ,righteous and true. Therefore he could never be wrong or at fault. Knowing this I could not blame God for my failure. It became painfully obvious to me that the fault must lie elsewhere. So I began to search for the truths that would eventually lead to my freedom from bondage.

Why would God ask me to do something that was so hard? It seemed impossible. I finally realized God wouldn't have asked me to do it, if it weren't within his ability to make me able to do what he had asked me to do. I didn't know much about God's word but what I did know I believed to be true. The word of God says that we have power and authority over all the powers of the enemy. So why was I still being affected by this bondage. I began to study God's word in search of the answers, in search of truth. I knew God didn't create me with a need to have cigarettes, they weren't necessary for everyday human function. So I knew anything contrary to that had to be a lie.

But why then did I still have these thoughts in my mind, thoughts I knew weren't really true. Why was I thinking thoughts that conflicted with what I really believed? I heard these thoughts in my own mind, sounding like my own voice sounds to me in my mind when I think, but I didn't believe them to be true anymore. At one time I did believe these things to be true but what I was (thinking) experiencing now was contrary and in opposition to Gods word.

It was at this point that God brought me to the realization that these (thoughts) were not my thoughts but were indeed the voice of my enemy speaking to me in my mind in a voice that sounded like my own voice. Demons! There were lying demons that had built up strongholds in my mind. This ignited a whole new challenge, how to overcome the enemy of my mind.

Strongholds: The Weapons of Our Warfare

Look at the following scriptures.

2 Corinthians 10:3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)5Casting down imaginations,( those thoughts that aren't ours) and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God( thoughts and beliefs that are contrary or oppose God's word which is truth., and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

James 4:6-8 Submit (surrender your will to Gods will) yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, (refuse to bow down, refuse to serve, refuse to believe and don’t give in to the lies.) and he will flee from you.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Look at the bricks on a wall. Strongholds in the natural are made up of stones or bricks some strong material bound together and held in place.

In the mind strongholds are made the same way, with strong material : lies and something to bind them together and hold them in place like mortar holds bricks ( your belief , what you agree to in your mind as being true.

In the natural if you remove the mortar from a brick wall (stronghold) and all you have is bricks, that wall can easily be pushed down and moved away one or two or several bricks at a time. But with the mortar there to hold the bricks in place the wall is virtually unmovable. In the mind removing the mortar (what you agree to as being truth) the strong hold can then be removed and the builder thereof.

Let's look now at how Jesus resisted the devil when he was tempted in the wilderness.

Matthew 4:1Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.2And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.3And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.5Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,6And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.7Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.8Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;9And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.10Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.11Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Each time Satan tempted Jesus, Jesus used the word of God, which is the sword of the spirit , to battle him and to rebuke him, saying it is written., essence what he did was he fought lies with truth. He resisted him.

To believe the lies of the devil is to come into agreement with him, and thereby give place to him. When you agree to him you are in essence surrendering to him. This is how he gains access and keeps his place. So to get free from this requires that we come out of agreement with the enemy.

Revelation 12:10-12 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

The Blood :

The shed blood and subsequent death burial and resurrection of Jesus defeated hell, Because he had purchased them with his blood and had redeemed them from the hand of the enemy, Jesus then gave that same authority over the powers of darkness to man.

Our Testimony:

The Lord Jesus gave us the power and the authority over the powers of darkness, but it is up to us to step out in faith, believing God's word to be true and believing on what Jesus has done for us, and to speak up and enforce( speak up < testify ; testimony) what is true using the authority God gave us.

It is our responsibility to search out the scriptures and to learn the truth , and to live by it

( the truth which proceeds from the mouth of God)thee answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

When we are tempted we must deal with the devil, the liar the same way Jesus did, Fight with the word of God and cast the devil out, keeping him away by believing God's truth and telling the devil he's a liar.

CAST IT OUT:

Speak to it, saying something to this effect,. Devil you are a liar and I don’t believe your lies. I know God's word says ( whatever is applicable ) , Because I believe Gods word I am no longer in a agreement with you and therefore I give you no place. I am washed in the blood of Jesus and I and resist you steadfast in the faith, standing in the righteousness of Christ Jesus, I take authority over you now and I cast you out in Jesus name.

Any time you hear or realize thoughts in your mind that are contrary to God's word then you should consider whether or not they are your own , Not every thought that you have in your mind is your own. Ask your self do you really believe it. Is it true according to Gods word? Then proceed to deal with it as I've shown you here.

You will find you are able to overcome the enemy with what I have shown you. Whether it is lust or fear or loneliness, or addiction or emotional depression even suicide can be dealt with in this way. It is imperative that you study God's word to renew your mind and to learn truth to remove the lies. God's word, his truth, is your weapon and you must learn to use it. With it you can cut the devil to pieces in spiritual battle. We must let God's word become our own.

Jeremiah 23:28-30 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Hebrews 4:11-13 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Ephesians 5:25-27 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

Romans 12:1-3 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

2 Corinthians 4:15-17 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

Ephesians 4:22-24 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Colossians 3:9-11 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Titus 3:4-6 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost

1 Peter 4:11-13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

Psalm 143:9-11 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

John 1:11-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

1 Timothy 6:11-13 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

It is my fervent hope that the things I have shown you here will help you to overcome and to find freedom from oppression in your own life. Learn to take control over your thought life and you will find peace as you look to God's word.

Philippians 4:7-9 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Proverbs 25:27-29 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

Build up your spiritual walls just as Nehemiah did while under attack he and others built the walls of Jerusalem with a tool in one hand and a sword in the other. Don't let your mind be broken down without walls. Get in to the Word of God and let the foundations be laid and the walls built.

May God bless you in your endeavors to serve him. May he cause your faith to grow strong and give you wisdom knowledge and understanding. May he teach you to fight and cause you to stand. Amen