Reposted from Lancewallnau.com
When the Apostle Paul said that we “wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers,” what did he mean? Ephesians 6:12 makes something very clear. Paul did not believe his warfare was a battle with people, political institutions, or even personal circumstances. Our warfare, like his, is an intense, personal, and close wrestling match with disembodied spirits.
How do you know you are under attack?
One of the things I’ve noticed is that when I am in warfare, I don’t feel like myself. I feel disconnected, awkward, and inauthentic. I’m not myself and I don’t even like who is showing up. Do you ever feel like this? It’s like you’re someone else. Something is trying to take over your thought process. Remember: the battle zone is in your thought life. The secret is to catch the enemy when he attempts to slip into your thought life like the serpent in the garden. Don’t let the thought take hold.
Paul says one of our primary weapons is the power to inspect and take thoughts captive as they enter your mind. Paul describes an interrogation process, in which we take a thought captive “at the point of a spear.” Notice the language he uses to address strongholds: “Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
What is a stronghold?
Think of it as a house made of thoughts. It’s a pattern of thinking that has a “stronghold” or grip on your mind. And let’s be honest: if it’s a pattern of thinking it is also a pattern of feeling and behaving.
A stronghold is something that exerts an influence or leverage over the thought patterns that play in your mind. They produce a harvest of consequences.
The devil is trying to rob you and your children of God’s inheritance.
He does this by working to get you to compromise and bow your knee to unbelief, apathy, fear, lust, addiction, or depression. Don’t let him succeed. Put up a FIGHT!
What is God’s goal for you?
The Spirit of God wants us to be thinking beings who operate out of freedom—NOT robots. The Holy Spirit is busy right now setting us free from CONTROLLING SPIRITS. This includes all addictions and compulsions. As a believer, you are not under the dominion of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). God created man in His image and in His likeness and gave him a territory called a garden. In that sphere of influence, man was in charge. He had authority over the snake. God has put you in the garden of your life. He wants you to be free to flourish, create, and expand dominion. God made you in His image and wants your mind free to see, sense, discern, and judge.
How can you dismantle these strongholds?
Strongholds are like fortresses that must be torn down one brick at a time. Every thought that hits you needs to be countered by another thought! Lies need to be answered with TRUTH. You need a proclamation in your mouth—there is an “IT IS WRITTEN!” for every battle. These truths need to be meditated upon and literally grafted into your soul.
In this way, God uses our warfare to do something that totally frustrates the enemy. It makes us stronger! This connects us to the lineage of overcomers described by the writer of Hebrews who said: “Out of weakness they became strong!” (Hebrews 11:34)
Take victory daily in the spiritual realm by standing on scriptural truth. Find the “it is written” for the battle you are facing.
As One,
Lance Wallnau