1. Introduction
A. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, NKJV: 3 For those we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
I want to ask you the same question that Jesus asked the man at Bethesda: Do you want to be made well? I want you to in your mind pray, saying, “Lord, I am getting out of the way and I will let You work in my heart and life to set me free in whatever way You wish to do it, not looking for the approval of man.” Then once we’re done with the teaching, if you feel you need further deliverance/inner healing, we will have ways you who are listening online can contact us or those of you that are present can talk with us after service.
Dr. Bob Larson writes of Strongholds in his book Demon-Proofing Prayers: Bob Larson’s Guide to Winning Spiritual Warfare pp. 41-42 in iBooks, “But if you find yourself hitting some kind of a wall when you try to stay free of that particular sin, when you have tried to get fixed and you cannot stay fixed no matter how much you pray or read your Bible, then you may be dealing with something more entrenched—a stronghold.” In another place, he says that a stronghold is “anything other than the Lord Himself that you trust in to defend you.” There is so much more concerning strongholds that should be looked over but for the sake of time, we have adopted this definition (please get the book I just mentioned for further study). The teaching we will be discussing today is modified off of an old video that a YouTube channel put out called The Six Strongholds of Satan.
2. Fear
A. 2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV: God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
B. Acts 1:8, NKJV: But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
I. The devil is trying everything he can to prevent Christians from receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit which was recorded in this verse. God’s gift is the power of the Holy Spirit to love and to resist temptations, but Satan wishes for us to wallow in self-condemnation and even be afraid that the Lord will not forgive us for what we’ve done. Dr. Larson calls it, “The fear of Forgivement.” Another thing that Satan can do is trick you into believing that the Holy Spirit is grieved over a certain thing you’re doing when He’s not.
3. Anger
A. Matthew 5:21-26, TPT: 21 “You’re familiar with the commandment taught to those of old, ×D not murder or you will be judged.` 22 But I’m telling you, if you hold anger in your heart toward a fellow believer, you are subject to judgment. And whoever demeans and insults a fellow believer is answerable to the congregation. And whoever calls down curses upon a fellow believer is in danger of being sent to a fiery hell. 23 “So then, if you’re presenting a gift before the altar and suddenly you remember a quarrel you have with a fellow believer, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar and go at once to appologize to the one who is offended. Then, after you have reconciled, come to the altar and present your gift. 25 It is always better to come to terms with the one who wants to sue you before you go to trial, or you may be found guilty by the judge, and he will hand you over to the officers, who will throw you into prison! 26 Believe me, you won’t get out of prison until you’ve paid the full amount!”
I. I’m not going to do an exhaustive teaching on this because I’m sure you’ve heard it all before. I want you to remember that we walk by faith and not by sight, and it doesn’t matter that you feel like you can’t forgive a person. With that being said, if you only pray and say, “Lord, I forgive (name the person) by faith, even though I’m not sure how it can be done,” God will do the rest. Some of you may not know how to pray but you can begin your prayer by saying, “Lord, I don’t know how to pray and I don’t feel Your presence, but…” and then pray what I just mentioned.
B. James 1:19-20, TPT: 19 My dearest brothers and sisters, take this to heart: Be quick to listen, but slow to speak. And be slow to become angry, for human anger is never a legitimate tool to promote God’s righteous purpose.
I. In this verse, “slow to become angry” was highlighted by the Lord. The Lord wants you to know that tonight, He is going to deal if you’ll let it come up and not feel embarrassed with the stronghold of anger in your life.
4. Rejection
A. Psalms 68:5, NKJV: A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.
B. Proverbs 18:24, NKJV: A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
I. Perhaps both your parents have emotionally or otherwise rejected you or abandoned you. Perhaps one of them is not around very much. However, the Lord is here today to heal that rejection and those wounds lingering because of that abandonment. Perhaps, the abandonment with your father is so deep that you can’t relate to God as a Father. The Father is here today to heal those wounds as well and will make Himself known to you like never before by the power of the Holy Spirit. Also, today is the day that the Holy Spirit can become your best friend like you’ve never experienced before.
5. Despair
B. John 14:16-18, NKJV: 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will never leave you orphans; I will come to you.
I. Perhaps you have been rejected, incested or abused in some way to despair. You’ve contemplated or even survived suicide. In whatever way this stronghold came, the Lord is here to heal it.
6. Abuse
A. Psalms 82:3, NKIV: Defend the poor and fatherless;
Do justice to the afflicted and needy.
I. Perhaps your father in a drunken stupor has beaten you time and time again. Perhaps you have been incested or sexually abused in some way. This is one of the devil’s biggest ways he wreaks havoc in people’s lives and the Lord is here to hear your cry and heal your wounds.
7. Self-hate
A. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, TPT: 19 Have you forgotten that your body is now the sacred temple of the Spirit of Holiness, who lives in you? You don’t belong to yourself any longer, for the gift of God, the Holy Spirit, lives inside your sanctuary. You were God’s expensive purchase, paid for with the tears of blood, so by all means, then, use your body to bring glory to God!
Today, know this: You may have had something done to you in your childhood and the devil is lying to you, saying, “God will never accept you?” Some of you, it seems that the Spirit is saying this. Therefore, you hate yourself. God has forgiven you for your past sins, but due to the lies of the devil, you can’t forgive yourself, and it’s a false guilt. Today, the Lord is here to heal you and to fill every void you have in your life. After today, He will personally be your stronghold.
Kingdom Advance 