Authority over Strongholds

What is a stronghold? Physically, a stronghold is a defensive fortress, built to withstand intrusion or attacks.

Spiritually, a stronghold, as described in 2 Corinthians 10 is every wrong thought & perception that contradicts the true knowledge of God.

So, in the context of this blog post, a stronghold is a thought, perception or action that is contrary to the Word of God. A negative spiritual stronghold is built to resist the true knowledge of God. A stronghold is built in the mind of the believer by satan and must be brought down for God to have absolute control over the believers thoughts. A stronghold could be lust, bitterness, pride, selfishness, anger, etc. the list is exhaustive, (you can read Galatians 5:19-20 to see a few), these are things that are in direct contradiction to the precepts of God. It is even possible for a Christian to be a victim of demonic strongholds, that is why you see some believers displaying the negative attributes listed above. 

Some strongholds are passed down from generation to generation. You might notice that there are certain negative attributes (i.e. anger, lust, etc.) of your parents that are being manifested in your own life due to the enemy capturing your mind at a young age through the influence of your parents or guardians. These are lies that affect your relationship with God & hinder your spiritual growth.

There are also territorial strongholds. You realize that in certain communities, people exhibit similar negative traits. When you as a believer go into certain territories and observe that there are beliefs or norms contrary to God’s Word but widely accepted by the locals, it is evident that a spiritual entity governs the mind of such individuals.

But in all of these, there is good news. The Scriptures reveal to us that the believer has authority over these strongholds. They can be pulled down, and it can be done only through God. Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-6.

You have authority over the holds of the devil over your life, these things can be cast down in the Name of Jesus. The Bible describes God as our True Stronghold as believers. In Psalms 144:1-2, “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; He is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and He in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me”, the Lord is described as your True Stronghold. Whenever you realize that any aspect of your life is not been governed by God, you need to reclaim the territory, dethrone whatever beliefs dwell there and enthrone Jesus as Lord.

In Ephesians 6:10-18, you are given the Biblical and Divine defence tactics against the strongholds of the devil over your mind. I have broken down the scriptures into prayer points as follows:

Prayers

1.     The Belt of Truth – The Bible says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Romans 10:13. Pray against the stronghold of lies in you.

2.   The Breastplate of Righteousness – righteousness means believing in the finished work of Christ and living by His Word. Most Christians abandon the call to live righteously and tend to trust in their works, and the success they can attain in the flesh. Pray and ask God to help you to believe solely in His finished works, not your high thoughts. Pray against the stronghold of self-righteousness.

3.     The shoes of the Gospel of Peace –Scriptures reveal to us that the Word of God is Spirit & Life, it is only the Word of the Lord that is capable of effecting a change in our hearts and the hearts of others. Pray against the lackadaisical spirit. Repent for not being active in spreading the Word whilst the kingdom of darkness advances daily.

4.     The Shield of Faith – “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” – Hebrews 11:1-3. Some believers exchange their faith for a false perception of power and trust that they think they have. When you have the shield of faith, none of the schemes of the devil can penetrate your belief in God’s Word. Pray against the spirit of fear. Ask the Lord to help you understand that you must entirely rely on Him.

5.     The Helmet of Salvation – salvation is a free gift given to you by God. Sometimes, believers this truth in their dealings with others and in turn lord over them and judge them instead of extending the grace that God extends to us. Pray against the spirit of control and discouragement.

6.   The Sword of the Spirit – “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12. Pray against the spirit of witchcraft. Say ‘Lord, in every way that I have treated matters in my human capacity and ignored the power of Your Word, I repent. Teach me to trust in Your Word and not in chariots and horses.

7.     Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit – Pray and ask the Lord to quicken you to pray all kinds of prayer, morning prayer, night prayer, group prayer, quiet prayer, loud prayer, praying in the Spirit, praying in your understanding, etc.

8.   Watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints – Pray and intercede on behalf of your brethren in Christ. Pray against the strongholds, false doctrines and ideologies that keep believers in chains.

You must understand that after God delivers you from these strongholds that have held you bound, you must be fully engrossed in Him. The Bible says, “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” - Matthew 12:43-45. If you leave yourself empty, not filled with the Word of the Lord, the enemy will return and leave you in a more terrible state than before.

Taking authority over strongholds requires both spiritual & physical steps. As you make prayers in the secret place, ensure that you grow in the knowledge of God as well, the Bible tells us that faith without works is dead. You must put your faith to work till it produces fruit. Like Jesus said in John 14:30, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” The order of this age must not be found in you, no matter how trendy or popular it may be, if it is not in line with the Word of God, steer clear from it.

God bless you!