Strongholds in our lives

Strongholds are incorrect thinking patterns that people develop over time, and are often set up and nurtured by demons through lies and deception. Demons thrive on strongholds, and use them to hang around a person and torment them. Failing to tear down strongholds can hold up a deliverance and prevent us from walking in complete spiritual freedom. Strongholds played a vital role, no army could successfully defeat an opponent and let their stronghold stand within conquered territory. One of the main objectives of armies were to remove strongholds within conquered territory. We as the Lord’s army need to take notice, of the objective to remove strongholds. Like conquerors of old, we need to target the spiritual strongholds of our enemy, Satan. Strongholds were points, which were hard to defeat, because of their design, walls, located on a hilltop, along with the offensive capabilities of an army within. The army could launch attacks, and then retreat to the safety of its walled city. Thus, their point of operation became a “strong hold”. This picture of the physical stronghold is used to also represent the spiritual stronghold. Spiritual strongholds are represented in scripture, in the same way as physical ones. They are points of operation, where attacks are waged on outlying areas. The become points of offensive operations, which are hard to remove, unless concerted effort is made to remove them. Spiritually speaking, Paul defines strongholds as an “argument or high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God”. A stronghold is a point of operation from where Satan can keep the unbeliever captive or the believer incapacitated. See 2nd Corinthians below. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5