Freedom from strongholds

R Mathews

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Dear brothers and sisters,

When we analyse our daily life we know that we are going through many struggles, distress, suffering and tragedies. The truth is we are in a spiritual warfare, and the real battle is not against any man in this world; but against unseen evil spirits that seek to control us or anyone to fulfil its evil intentions. So it’s very important for us to be always alert in the Spirit against the tactics and tricks which he uses against us.

Devil is the deceiver, father of lies and tempter from the beginning. There are many ways he attack and deceive a human soul.
His intent is to plant an evil thought seed that will take root and grow in one’s mind. It’s the False thoughts and False Imagination which he instil in a human mind that tempts one to do a sin. The devil comes to steal and ultimately destroy a soul. He knows the strengths and weaknesses of a man, and knows exactly where to hit at the least expected time. He is restless when he finds a soul getting more close to God, and will do all kinds of things to distract, to steal his faith, to stop from knowing God.

Devil incited David the false thought to number Israel “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.” ( Chronicles 21:1 )

The devil always tries and works in order to get a foothold in man’s life. For this he uses the mind as the entry point. He attacks with his cunning plan and use the circumstances in a man’s life, his weaknesses, to tempt him in order to get an access to enter his mind. If he gets a foothold, he corrupts the mind and body with more evil desires, lust and deception creating a stronghold such as:

a. Constant Worry
b. Negative Doubts
c. Unhealthy Fear
c. Anxiety
e. Love of the worldly pleasure
f. Selfishness, and Pride
g. Unforgiveness
h. Conflict
e. Constant Guilt ( Devil tries to distract a soul from knowing the truth that, God the Heavenly Father forgives a truly repentant heart. )

“Do not give the devil a foothold” ( Ephesians 4:27 )

Flesh and Spirit

Devil uses one’s flesh to tempt his soul, to do sin

Because of the orginal sin committed by Adam and Eve, we have the weeds of sin in our flesh. Hence the flesh works always against the Spirit.
Devil can use our flesh against our soul to tempt us. He tempts the soul to listen to the wrong voice of the flesh, waits for the soul to fall into its trap and commit a sin according to it’s evil intentions.

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.( Galatians 5:19 )

Denying the flesh is important to our overcoming its inclinations. We must learn to say "No" to the desires of our fallen nature.

Hence a soul shall not listen to the flesh, but should listen to the Spirit and walk in the Spirit. When we listen to the Spirit, we are one in Yeshua.

“Those who belong to Yeshua have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” ( Galatians 5:24 )

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” ( Galatians 5:16-17)

Fasting

Fasting is one of the strongest weapons we can use to demolish the weeds of the flesh and stronghold. It’s the flesh that holds us back from God. When we fast, the flesh submits to the Spirit. The soul one in the Spirit, will rule over the flesh.
For a three-week period, Daniel refrained from eating the luxurious royal food offered to him by the king. He made a covenant with God in his heart to refuse to eat foods forbidden by God, instead consuming only vegetables, beans and water. From his fast, Daniel received heightened spiritual insight.

Hence fasting removes the weeds of flesh and nurture the Fruits of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law”(Galatians 5:22-23)

“God does not tempt anyone”

There are people who blame God when tragedies happen in their life. They forget the fact that it’s the devil the enemy who causes the tragedies, the one who is deceiving them. The devil is the deceiver, father of lies and tempter.
Never blame God for the tragedies in life, because they come from the adversary, the devil. God doesn’t tempt anyone. At the times of temptation, struggles or tragedies we need to turn to the Almighty God, for strength and submit ourselves to Him, and the devil will flee from us.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. ( James 1:13-15 )

“Freedom in Yeshua”

When we seek the Almighty with all our heart we will know the Truth, and The Truth will set us free, demolishing the Stronghold.

Devil don’t want anyone to identify him, he is the enemy who hides and works in the dark, attacking a soul through deceptions, false thoughts and imaginations. The devil is the one who tempts a soul to do a sin, and later attacks a soul with constant guilt; accusing the soul that he is guilty, and there is no escape.
A repentant and broken heart will search for the truth and freedom, how he could be delivered from the torment and bondage of his sins, to save his soul which he will find the answer only in the True Almighty God Yeshua who died for his sins in his place at the Cross freeing him from the bondage of sins, and accusations.

Yeshua is our saviour; Yeshua sanctifies and redeems us.

“Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering
He was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed
The Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all”
(
Isaiah 53:4–6).

Satan is defeated at the Cross by Yeshua. If we truly repent of our sins, seek the God with all our heart by fasting, prayer, and believe in Yeshua, The God Almighty will forgive us. His love is relentless, freeing each believer from sin and death. This is the Truth, and Truth will set us free.

Yeshua is the way, the truth, and the life ( John 14:6 )

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

Finally, by studying the Word of God, fasting and praying, wearing the full spiritual armor of God ( Ephesians 6:11-15 ), we will learn to DISCARD, not to give any strength to False thoughts and imaginations of the enemy, thus not to allow the weeds of deception to take root and grow in the mind to become a False belief or stronghold. The soul shall never listen to the voices of the flesh; but should listen to the Spirit and walk in the Spirit.

“Do not give the devil a foothold” ( Ephesians 4:27 )

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25)

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<staff edit>
Have a blessed day!
Mathews
 
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Jeshu

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This is why it is so important that we heed God's Word to be freely ourselves - this is true freedom to love true God, other and self and all Creation and to be washed daily from our sins by the blood of Christ.

Praise our Heavenly Father for sending Jesus Christ to save us from our bad life.

Hallelujah


Feasting My Good Life
The Wicked captivated my truth
the truth of my heart and mind
and wound me around their lies
knotted me out of my own reality
into the dungeons of torture below.

Unable to unravel their cob webs
the wicked took control of my life
and brought much pain and misery
feasting on my God given good life
at the expense of my own welfare.

Yet when Christ light lit up my night
and i saw Him on the clouds of heaven
The Wicked sprung all their traps
thinking i was as good as dead
trapped in their nasty fowler's nets.

Yet the Lion of the tribe of Judea
killed the goats great and small
and set me free from their control
and gave me back my freedom in Him
feasting good times growing New Life.
 
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Francis Drake

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2Cor10v3For walking in flesh, we do not wage war according to flesh. 4For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but divinely powerful toward the demolition of strongholds, 5overthrowing arguments, and every high thing lifting itself up against the knowledge of God, and taking captive every thought into the obedience of Christ, 6and having readiness within to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience may have been fulfilled.

"............and taking captive every thought into the obedience of Christ....."

Over many decades of walking with the Lord, it is my experience that most Christians have no idea about taking their thoughts captive.
In their ignorance, they themselves are being taken captive by every thought that goes through their heads, and those thoughts are supplied by the master deceiver himself.

I believe a major problem is the false doctrine that God doesn't speak to people any more -because his complete will is written in the bible.

If the foundation of your theology is that God no longer speaks to us, it stands to reason you must also reject the idea that demons speak to us, otherwise Satan has greater ability than God!

In rejecting the idea that demons speak to people, they have absolutely no knowledge or discernment when they do, thus they are easy victims.
 
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Little Lantern

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and taking captive every thought into the obedience of Christ, 6and having readiness within to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience may have been fulfilled.

"............and taking captive every thought into the obedience of Christ....."

Over many decades of walking with the Lord, it is my experience that most Christians have no idea about taking their thoughts captive.
I agree. Many I know don't even think you can-- but I have also talked to others who use that excuse when, in reality, they simply don't want to make the effort.

I know this is not popular these days, but what about guarding our hearts by monitering what goes in our ears and eyes? Ungodly images and sounds can wreak havoc in the mind and become a foundation for Satan to build on. Some things cannot be avoided completely, but others can...
 
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Francis Drake

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I know this is not popular these days, but what about guarding our hearts by monitering what goes in our ears and eyes? Ungodly images and sounds can wreak havoc in the mind and become a foundation for Satan to build on. Some things cannot be avoided completely, but others can...
I agree totally.
Naïve believers are happy to watch TV filth all day long, with their spiritual guard completely down, not realising that demons enter through the eye or ear gates.
 
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