In the life of a believer there are two types of strongholds that can reside in our lives. Negative strongholds are wrong ways of thinking, reacting, responding and behaving that are contrary to God's truth and His ways. They are wrong mindsets and/or behaviors that have become entrenched in our lives. These types of strongholds are referred to in 2 Corinthians 10:4. All of us know what it is to have a negative stronghold whether it be fear, worry, anxiety, doubt, unbelief, anger, lying, gossip, immorality or a myriad of other things I could list. These harmful strongholds must be recognized for what they are, places within us where we are vulnerable to the wiles of the enemy, and they must be overthrown and destroyed by cooperating with God in the renewing of our mind. Rarely do we see these strongholds torn down in a miraculous moment. The majority of the time these strongholds are overthrown by concentrated cooperation with God over a long period of time by allowing His Word to do its supernatural washing, restoring and renewing work in our mind, for our thoughts become strongholds that influence our actions.
There is another stronghold that resides in the life of the born again believer, the dwelling place of God's Spirit within us. Colossians 2:10 tells us that we are filled with the Godhead Who is the Head of all rule and authority. This is what Paul is referring to in Ephesians 3:16, when He prays that we will be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in our inner being. (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, February 12th, at Woman to Woman Ministries where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)
still following,
Also happily linking up with the lovely
Hello Elizabeth:
ReplyDeleteI am happy to see you blogging more frequently lately. I have subscribed to your blog for several years now and enjoy your posts. A few blogs ago, you shared your feelings stemming from a Church that can feel diminished in its message. I recently revisited some of the writing by the deeply spiritual English writer, the late Dorothy Sayers, and wondered if we might not find relevance today in her book, "Letters to a Diminished Church: Passionate Arguments for the Relevance of Christian Doctrine".
Thank you for your encouragement and honesty in your writing.
Best,
Janice Strong
Thank you for your recommendation and thank you for your encouragement!
ReplyDeleteBless his people with peace. What great words to read. :)
ReplyDeletePeabea@Peabea Scribbles
Blessings to you this coming week! Thank you for your weekly link up and your encouragement.
DeleteI love this idea of negative vs. Biblical strongholds! It is so true. When I make MYSELF and MY DEEDS my strength it turns me into a terrible wife/daughter/mother/believer.
ReplyDeleteJamie, thank God for His impenetrable strength in us!
DeleteJust written about a similar subject, published on my site tomorrow, about how to overcome negative thinking - that negative stronghold - through the Holy Spirit controlling our minds - the positive stronghold you talk about. So important to use God's stronghold to overcome.
ReplyDeleteand this ... this. yes. a million times over - yes. ♥
ReplyDelete