Some years ago, in order to reduce the risk of getting shocked, electricians developed new outlets that use three pronged plugs, instead of two pronged. These outlets, though thought to be safer, are sometimes annoying. You go to plug in your lamp and low and behold, the light does not come on. So you run to the cabinet or upstairs or down stairs to get a new light bulb, go back to the lamp, plug it in and it still does not turn on. UGGHHH! What in the world could be wrong?
It finally occurs to you that you need to press the rest button. A fuse was tripped or burned out and the plug needs to be reset before it can produce the electricity necessary to turn the light on.
In the same way, our minds, our brains, our psyche, at times need to be reset…reset because wrong thoughts of a garden variety can drain you of energy, joy, life, healing, wholeness and vitality in Christ.
Our focus scripture reminds us that we don’t have to fight off unhealthy patterns of thinking on our own. The children of God have weaponry that is not of this world. The child of God has weapons with “divine power to demolish strongholds.”
What is a “stronghold?”
The literal meaning of stronghold is,
A place that has been fortified so as to protect it against attack
Synonyms for stronghold are: fortress (A heavily protected and impenetrable building) - fort (A fortified building or strategic position) citadel (A fortress, typically on high ground, protecting or dominating a city.- castle - fastness – bulwark (a defensive wall)
In the spiritual sense, a stronghold is an incorrect thinking pattern that has molded itself into our way of thinking. It is as if the enemy has set up a fortress, a citadel, a bulwark in your mind that you can't seem to overcome. Strongholds have the capability of affecting our feelings, how we respond to various situations in life, and can play a large role in hindering our spiritual freedom.
The Psalmist declared,
“I will meditate on Your precepts and have respect to Your ways [the paths of life marked out by Your law].” Psalm 119:15 Amphv
The Bible instructs us to meditate upon God’s Word. The Psalmist said that he spent a lot of time meditating upon the “precepts” of God. In other words, he spent a lot of time thinking about, praying about, pondering God’s ways, God’s instructions and God’s teachings.
Psalm 1 tells us of the condition of the individual who meditates upon God. It says that we will be blessed, we will be like trees planted by the rivers of water, our leaves will not whither and whatsoever we do will prosper…
We must learn to cast down “mind binding spirits…”
Mind binding spirits are the spirits that seek to literally tie up your mind with thoughts of defeat, depression oppression, failure, inability etc. These spirits are strong holds that seek to thwart, lock up, bind up your faith and distort your outlook on life. You must learn to cast these demonic thoughts down and replace them through prayer, determination and meditation upon God’s Word. How? Consider the following…
Be careful what you think!
Consider Mark 4:24 in the Amplified version of the Bible…
…Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you who hear.
This scripture suggests that the more time we spend thinking about the Word we read and hear, the more power and ability we will have to do it, to follow it, to live it!
Romans 10:17 declares, “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” (KJV)
“Think about what you are thinking!”
“Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind…” Ephesians 2:3 Amphv
This passage warns us not to be governed by our sensual nature or to obey the impulses of our flesh, the thoughts of our carnal mind. We must determine to replace our carnal thoughts with thoughts purified by the Holy Spirit through God’s Word.
Romans 12: 1-2. Tells us to be “transformed by the renewing of our minds…”
Always remember that your mind plays an important role in your victory!
Remember our primary scripture…
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. II Corinthians 10: 4-5
Determine today to take “every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.”
Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com
Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org
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