I have only made it through the first week and already reminded of so many things I have known to do, but over time forget to do them. I really wanted to write it out as much for me and hopefully to solidify it in my own mind as much as share it with you readers.
The first week is all about "demolishing strongholds". It explains what a stronghold is and how it can be good or bad. Ultimately the only stronghold that should remain in our lives is the one from God. We can be hidden in Christ. HE IS our stronghold, fortress, protection; HE IS our strong tower where we can go and seek refuge from the storms in this life. The definition in the book for stronghold and refuge: "to be too strong for, to be lofty, be exalted, to lift high, to protect, to be kept safe."
"God is (HE IS) our greatest stronghold"
We need to take all other thoughts that try to be higher than God in our minds and make them obey Christ...line them up with the word of God.
If God is our refuge and strong tower, the righteous can run into it and be safe! I don't have to be afraid of the days to come even if there is trouble ahead for He will protect me, lift me up and get me through. He will not leave me as an orphan in the midst of difficulty. He may choose to not rescue me from those trials to come, but He most certainly will be with me through it all. Hallelujah!!!
We have determined that God is the good, right and appropriate stronghold. Now let's take a look at the false ones. See 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV) We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (KJV) Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
We typically produce many strongholds with a little help from the enemy. These strongholds are identified as those things we "substitute for God and the bondage they create." A stronghold is "anything that exalts itself in our minds, pretending to be bigger or more powerful than our God. It steals our focus and causes us to feel overpowered. Controlled, Mastered"
Examples of strongholds: "Addictions, unforgiveness, despair. Anything that consumes our emotional and mental energy and strangles out our abundant life." The part that really got me is this: "Our callings remain unfulfilled, and our believing lives become ineffective." (which is the goal of our enemy) "Strongholds steal our focus." See 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 "We live in this body but we do not do battle that way, since the weapons of our warfare are not of this world. They are powerful through God and able to demolish strongholds. We destroy/tear down arguments and everything pretending to be bigger than God and take all thoughts captive and make them line up with the word (Christ)." We need to make our thoughts behave and line them up with His word.
So how do we know what His word is? It is the scriptures. We need to read it, ponder it, study it and meditate on it. In the study, the author suggest that we pray it. I wholeheartily agree. Please refer to my last blog to study this topic further. Do We Need the Word of God?
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