Strongholds 101

2 Corinthians 10:³ “For though we live in the world, for though we walk in the flesh we do not wage war as the world does, we do not war after the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons.” (NIV, KJV, & AMPC).

Over the next few days, we are going to be dealing with strongholds. I pray that God will open our eyes to see as we ought to see, open our ears to hear as we ought to hear and that our lives will be completely transformed. Paul, explaining the dynamics of spiritual warfare, strongholds, and how they work, says in 2 Corinthians 10:^4-5 “We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons. They have divine power to demolish strongholds (to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments). We destroy every proud obstacle. We demolish arguments and we take captive every rebellious thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (NLT & NIV, emphasis added).

Paul was speaking to the Corinthian church and speaking to us by extension that we are engaged in military conflict, and this is how we battle. We do not battle like the world does. We battle with different strategies and weapons. So, we are going to focus on something that rings through Paul’s text and that is a stronghold. What is a stronghold and how do you navigate a stronghold? ChatGPT says a stronghold is “a fortified structure designed to withstand attack and invasion.” So accurate. Therefore, when God says we should pull down strongholds, we are coming against fortified structures that are designed to withstand attack and invasion. Secondly, God is also telling us to set up strongholds.

As a person, you must have strongholds in different areas. In other words, you must have fortified structures designed to withstand attacks or invasions. ChatGPT went on to say that “a stronghold is a heavily fortified military structure”. So, when we are pulling down strongholds, we must realize that they are fortified. But we will pull them down in the Name of Jesus, and as we pull down strongholds, we are to erect our own strongholds to the glory of God. We must understand that we are erecting heavily fortified military infrastructure.

ChatGPT says a stronghold is a fortress, a citadel. Wow! I recommend you read the book Winning: gaining and sustaining victory in the battles of life. The sixth chapter talks about the Principle of Security and within it is the Citadel Principle. A citadel is a fortified stronghold that you must erect (build) in your life. God expects us to navigate and break down the negative ones and erect the positive ones. As we do this, expansion and enlargement become inevitable.

Prayer: Father, I thank You for the gift of eyes that see and ears that hear. I ask that You give me an understanding heart filled with wisdom, in Jesus Mighty Name. Amen!