Today’s 333 Devotional: “Overcoming Strongholds”
In ancient days strongholds were walled cities preventing the enemy from advancing and taking captive the inhabitance. But with the modernization of warfare, these became obsolete.
Strongholds today are points of operations where offensives take shape and launched. They are hard to defeat, and only the most concerted effort can remove them.
Paul points out these spiritual strongholds in our lives.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 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)
Satan’s strongholds are located in the believer’s mind. Satan launches his attacks in our thought life, and only the most concerted effort on the part of believers can demolish them.
What are some the stronghold we face?
It’s important that we know these strongholds so we can launch effective attacks through prayer and God’s word to defeat them.
The Apostle Paul gives us the weapons we use.
Most are defensive in nature to keep us safe. There’s the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of peace, the helmet of salvation, and the shield of faith.
Paul also gives us two dynamic weapons to take down these strongholds. The first is the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, the Bible, and the second is praying in the Spirit, which are God’s guided missiles.
To stop these constant attacks of Satan, Paul tells us to take these thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ. To take them captive go directly to God’s word and be renewed in the spirit of your mind (Ephesians 4:23).
