September 8

Demolishing Strongholds

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 102:12-17 | Isaiah 1:1-2:22 | 2 Corinthians 10:1-18 | Proverbs 22:26-27

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 10:1-18

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4 NIV).

The enemy of our souls is sneaky. Knowing our weaknesses, he sets temptations before us. In our pain—our weakness—they appear to be castles of refuge, safety and pleasure. So we run to them to ease our pain, to meet our needs and desires or, sometimes, just for the fun of it.  

The castle that promises pleasure becomes a prison from which we can’t seem to escape. We feel hopeless and defeated and wonder if we will ever find freedom and victory. Underneath the addictive behaviors are twisted patterns of thinking that need to be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. The good news is that we can demolish these strongholds, but not with the weapons of this world.

When we give the devil a foothold, he doesn’t want to let us go. He is a master of blinding our eyes and dulling our ability to see the glory of God and his word. But there is hope. These twisted patterns of thinking can be made obedient to Christ if we stand firm and resist the devil—the enemy of our souls.

We must stand firm against his attacks by putting on the armor of God (see Ephesians 6). The armor protects, but also enables us to take the word of God praying in such a way as to defeat the enemy in our lives, and demolish his strongholds. He has no rightful place in our lives, and we can resist him through the promises of the word and through the command of faith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we command him to flee, he must. For greater is he that is in us than he who is in the world. We stand in Christ’s authority, and he has won the battle.

God is our “mighty fortress.” All other fortresses/strongholds, are merely delusions that entrap and keep us in a place of hopeless defeat. Stand firm in your armor and resist the enemy. Don’t give him a foothold. Take back any ground he has stolen in the powerful name of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Be a student of the word and allow the word to dwell in you richly and you will be able to stand your ground and walk in victory–it is a powerful tool in taking thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ.

Father, equip me with the armor of God that I might stand against all the schemes of the enemy. Enable me to stand strong and resist temptation. Give me the mind of Christ that I might take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. I stand in your strength and victory today in the powerful name of Jesus. Amen.