Breaking Strongholds

A sign of stronghold is when you tried and tried to come out from a sin, but you are getting no where. Sins open a door for demonic influence to come in. A stronghold is when the demonic influence stays in and you have no abilities to remove it anymore. The demons will change and reorientate your mind so that wrong means right, and right means wrong. 

Romans 12:2 - "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."  The target of the demon is your mind; your mind must be transformed by renewal through the Word and the community of God. 

2 Corinthians 10:4-6 - "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete."   

Our weapons are not ourselves, but from the divine. Only the divine power can destroy strongholds. We have to take effort to say "no" to temptations, and allow Christ to control our minds. Only then will our obedience be complete. 

Demons can be taken out quickly, but strongholds will take time. John 8:31 - "So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  Jesus is saying "continue to read and obey my Word. then you will know what is right and what is wrong, and it will set you free from bondage of sin. 

Jesus continued: "everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:34-36.) Jesus saying that He has overcome death, the master of the slave of sin; If we abide with Him, you will be free from being a slave to death. 

Relationship and fellowship with believers who can strengthen your faith, and a small group intercessory against the stronghold is also very important. James 5:16 “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” 

Avoid the people places, and things that influence and temp you. Most importantly, replace any emptiness in you with Christ and make Him your Lord and Savior. Otherwise, the stronghold may come back and become worse than the first time. 

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first.” Matthew 12:43-45