We are told by Jesus in John 8:32, that knowing the truth makes us free. Most people know this verse, but what truth are we to know, and what are we being released from? My friends, there are many strongholds that keep people in bondage today, and Jesus wants us to be free from all of them. Yet there are many people who do not even realize that they are being held. Those that do, have no idea how to become free.
Today we will be studying how to break these strongholds and live the free life that Jesus intends for us to live. If you have been looking for breakthrough in an area of your life today, then you will find your answer here today.
There are a great many believers today who are in bondage in one particular arena, and that arena is the soul. Those who have been coming here for a while now have probably heard me mention that your soul is your mind and your emotions. These two things comprise your soul. The enemy launches attacks in this area, and does so in a very crafty manner, not by announcing his presence, but by masquerading as something else, quite often by imitating us. The enemy will feed us thoughts such as “I am sick.”, “I am worthless”, “I need this”, “I deserve that”… and many times we do not even recognize that it is the enemy at all. Let’s read 2nd Corinthians 10:3-6:
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”
We can plainly see here that though outward appearances may alarm us, the real enemy is not the outside world, but in the realm of the spiritual and the battleground of our own soul. Notice also that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.
These weapons are not physical, they are not worldly, but they are mighty through God, not through ourselves or our own willpower or psychology. We can not wield these weapons on our own, but only through God, by which we can pull down strongholds of the enemy.
Verses 5 and 6 go on to list what these strongholds are: imaginations, high things, thoughts and ultimately disobedience.
Now we notice some very interesting things in these verses. Firstly that disobedience is last! Always when you see a list in the Bible, be aware that the order of items is always a divine order. Disobedience is last not because it is less important, but because the other three must be dealt with first. In other words: you can not eliminate disobedience until you first eliminate wrong imaginations, high things, and evil thoughts.
Verse 5 also tells us the criteria of these evil things… anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.
There are many things in the world today that try to exalt themselves against (or above) the knowledge of God. Every time someone chooses to make a decision contrary to Biblical Godly counsel then that person is exalting their own intelligence/desires/self against the knowledge of God. Furthermore, every time someone chooses to believe a lie based on outward evidence instead of what the Bible says is true, is also choosing to exalt the lie above or against the knowledge of God.
Now imaginations, are wrong beliefs about God. Whether they are things you have heard others say, or ideas that you have picked up over the years. Any belief that you have about God that is not in the Bible or is contrary to what the Bible says, that is an imagination, and it should be thrown away and forgotten. I have seen far too many people brought into bondage and robbed of God’s blessings because of a wrong belief that either God was stingy, or that He doesn’t want to heal them, or some other such non-sense. When the Bible says that God is a generous provider and that He heals all who come to Him, let’s choose to believe that instead of evil imaginations.
High things are worldly wisdom and self; the intelligence and experience of men. The world says that miracles do not happen, that God is a myth, and that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Man says that “you have to perform to receive love.” God says “receive My love, then you can perform.” The wisdom of this world is backwards to the things of God, and all who trust in man’s wisdom and effort the Bible says are cursed for it; but those who trust in God find rest for their souls.
Finally, thoughts. These are directed, personal attacks from the enemy. As mentioned earlier, the enemy will come and try to place thoughts in our minds that directly contradict God’s Word. If we are not absolutely sure of what the Bible says, we will be overcome because we have no foundation upon which to stand. So many believers are led astray because they are ignorant regarding the truth of God’s Word, so they have no defense upon which to resist the enemy and his lies.
Verse 6 also tells us what we should do to break these strong holds: bring them into the captivity of Christ. This means that whenever any of these things come our way, we should weigh it against what we know to be true in Christ Jesus, and if it does not line up with the Word of God, throw it away!
This is the divine right of every saved person in Christ! When we have a thought come into our minds for example “the flu bug is going around and I bet I’ll be next!”, throw that thought away because in Christ we have divine health.
When a wrong belief/imagination comes in that suggests that God does not love you, cast it down back to hell because God sent Jesus to die for you – even you personally! He bore all of your sins and submitted even to death so that you could live the abundant life. He repaired your relationship with God so that none can separate you from the love of God.
When a high thing suggests that you have to earn God’s love, and that it would be better if you trusted in yourself or some other person, throw it away! Because cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes his own strength his reliance! Without Jesus we can do nothing, but with Him all things are possible.
Is this just the power of positive thinking? No.
This is standing on the solid foundation of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Knowing that all of our sins were already punished in the body of Jesus, therefore there is no reason for us to suffer what He has already paid for.
If this is the case then why are so many Christians still suffering?
Honestly because many Christians wear the jersey but are not actually on the team. They try to claim the blessings of Christ without actually submitting to His Lordship. They do not trust Him or even know Him. This is the danger of the Sinner’s Prayer; a practice that is actually not in the Bible.
It has lead people to recite some words and go down an isle, but never actually come to know Christ. All it has done is make people more vulnerable to attack and cause them to mistrust and accuse God wrongly. But Jesus makes it clear what true salvation is in Luke 6:46-49:
“And why call you me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Whoever comes to me, and hears my sayings, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like:
He is like a man which built an house, and dig deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently on that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded on a rock.
But he that hears, and does not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house on the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”
Those who truly believe that Jesus is Lord, will be eager to follow His sayings and advice. Not out of obligation, but because they actually trust Him. If you truly believe that God is God, then you would consider yourself to be highly privileged, favored and fortunate to have God guiding your life.
Evil is on the earth already. The leading of God is to keep His children safe from it. This principle of God’s guidance is all throughout scripture, Old and New Testaments. Those who truly trust Jesus will gladly follow God’s leading, and every blessing will be theirs.
Jesus says it this way in Matthew 11:29-30:
“Take my yoke on you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest to your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
This yoke is not a cross of affliction as some may have heard, but it is an Oxen-Yoke. The people in Bible times who trained oxen regularly understood what Jesus was saying here. Oxen are yoked in pairs; one older, stronger and more experienced Ox, along with one younger, weaker and less experienced ox. The younger ox would follow the older one and learn how to properly pull the load, while the older stronger Ox would bear the majority of the weight and guide the younger.
Jesus here is saying that for us, to take His yoke upon ourselves is to follow His leadership, watch how He does things and follow His advice. If we are unwilling to follow Him then He is not really our Lord, but if we trust Him even when our will and self is telling is something else, then we will find His rest.
This my friends, is the freedom of Christ Jesus for us. Where no stronghold can survive.
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[…] in March of 2014, we did a detailed study of the strongholds listed in verses 5 and 6. Today however, we are going to focus more on exactly how we are given […]