For 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.
I was having a conversation with a friend the other day, and we spoke about spiritual strongholds. I discussed that strongholds are forces that hold us against our will. At first, we might have had control over them, but as we entangle with these forces, they begin to hold us. As we are held by these spiritual chains, we are prevented from being God’s best. When we come to this reality, we must learn to break these chains in order to be set free.
The reality of our world is that it is filled with broken people, held by strongholds. Most times these people long to be free, yet they are held by wickedness. If we consider the streets of the modern world, we’ll see that people are intoxicated by all forms of evil things. Whether it is alcohol, drugs, pornograohy or devil teachings, the world is a very toxic place. Like alcohol and drugs, these forces distort our understanding, and cause us to act out of place.
People’s desire to be free is met by the mortal corruptible man who walks after the flesh. This man seeks to gratify the deeds of the flesh, and it can be very hard to be set free from these strongholds. Yet in the midst of all of this we have hope in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ died so that we may have victory over the stronghold of the enemy and become more like God.
It doesn’t have to be this way. You Have The Power Over Strongholds
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
Even though it can be very difficult, it doesn’t have to be this way. We really, and truly have the power to overcome any stronghold. The Bible teaches us that it is “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” We can hold to the fact that Jesus Christ our Lord is Higher than the highest, and He is on our side.
Think of an enemy as anything or any one that opposes the will and the presence of God in your life. This thing, or person might seem good by earthly standards, yet if it does not lead us more into God’s presence, then it is not good for us. We have the power, through the grace of Jesus Christ, to overcome every enemy. The scripture in 2 Corinthians 10:4 teaches us that we have weapons that are mighty to pull down strongholds. We must both recognize and use these weapons of our warfare.
Endurance is the key, to never give up.
A major key to overcoming is to endure our cross. Jesus had to despise the shame of the cross in order to defeat the enemy of sin. You too must do the same. While you walk with God it is inevitable for you to learn the art of endurance. You must press towards the mark, against the odds, to receive your crown.
You might pass through many defeats, but you must never be defeated. And you might lose a battle, but you can never lose the war. The bad news is that by ourselves we cannot win this war. The good news is that with Jesus Christ we have already won. As a result, our duty is to trust in the process of God, believing that He has made a way, because He is the Way.
We must continue to endure no matter what. The enemy cannot win us if he doesn’t win our minds. Therefore, we must guard our minds, and our hearts, and continue to walk by faith. There is no worst case scenario as we walk with God. Either we live and continue to do His work, or we die and be with our Lord. God’s will is perfect. We must consider this as we endure our cross.
The Beauty of the Cross
If you are not on God’s side, get on it. You must partner with God to build an amazing life. God is very creative at making beautiful lives. Consider the beauty of the Cross, and Jesus’ life. Even though He is the crowned King of Kings, His earthy life was full of pain. Christ had to endure the hanging on a cross, and the slashing of wicked men. They spat in His face, and ridiculed Him, yet He was obedient to the last mile of the way. He didn’t complain, or sidetrack, but He marched to the cross as a wounded lamb. The lamb of God was slain so that you might receive beauty for your ashes.
The Bible says that death is swallowed up in the victory of Jesus Christ. Jesus defeated death, sin and flesh when He died on the cross. It is through this beautiful Cross, that you and I can rise from any dead place. I could try to convince you with philosophies of men, but the truth is that the Cross is what gives us victory.
There are many people who face very difficult situations. Sometimes my heart become really heavy when I consider the needs of broken people. Yet it doesn’t have to be this way. It is sin that has caused us to become so broken. What if we turn from sin and follow God? If we all should turn to God and turn from sin, then God promised that He would heal our land. The reality is that we have not done that up to this point. Can’t we do it?
What we must ensure more than ever, is that we live personal lives that exemplify God. We are in the world but we must no the of it. We must not allow the world to cause us to live a life that doesn’t glorify God.
There Is Power Through Grace That Is Sufficient
His grace is sufficient. Many times we think we have run out of grace, but grace is an abundant flow that is available to all. It doesn’t matter where you are from, what you have done, how difficult your situation is, and what you perceive it to be, His grace is sufficient and available to you, and you, and you. As you put out your saucer it will be filled. Don’t be discouraged or afraid. Reach out and fetch on the grace of God. His grace is the fuel of our endurance. It is also the main ingredient in our victory.
Consider that without the grace of God no one would be able to overcome our common enemy. You are not good enough to make it without grace, no matter how highly you think of yourself. We have all sinned and the wages of sin is death. This means that without grace we would all receive death as our reward.
Yet by grace we can defeat the enemy and realize victory in God. As you Go you should open up to the grace at your disposal. The term grace describes the undeserved favour of God towards us that we do not deserve because of our sin. Yet the Cross has qualified us to dine in the grace room of our God.
The Armor is Our Protection
One of the most important part of winning any battle is fighting right. Fighting right means that we approach the battle in the correct way, that will ensure our victory. Having knowledge of our common enemy, satan, we must also know that we have protection against this enemy. In Ephesians 6 the Bible explains this protection as the weapon of our warfare. It says that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but they are mighty to the pulling down of strong holds. As followers of Jesus Christ we must use our armor to defeat the enemy.
Now what is this armor and how do we use it? The Bible explains this armor in Ephesians 6. It says that we have the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit. These armors can shield us from the fiery darts of the enemy, cut through the bonds of satan and release us from the bondage of sin. As we use them, we will claim victory through Jesus Christ our Mighty Warrior. Be keen to put on the whole armor of God so that in the evil day you might stand.
Concluding Thoughts
As we wrestle with the rival of our souls, we are often held by strongholds. These strongholds prevent us from exercising our spiritual authority and be God’s best. Even though we might experience these chains of captivity, we have the power and the authority to break strongholds. This power is a result of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. We must recognise this finished work and benefit from it.
Amidst these strongholds, we also have weapons that are mighty unto God. We can use these weapons to guard us from the enemy and set free from his stronghold. We must learn about these weapons and use them to our advantage. Whether it is the sword of the spirit, the shield of faith, or the helmet of salvation, we can use our weapons to set and stay free. May God strengthen us as we go, and may we grow to be more like Him. Be Blessed.
