Strongholds to overcome are our primary personal “battlefields.” These are the major emotional strongholds that disconnect us from the peace of Christ and all too often hold us captive to stress (as anxiety) or distress (as depression). Jesus is our true stronghold—the Rock that we run to when threatened by sin or danger, our new shield of protection against the enemy’s encroachments. But if we don’t tag up with Him in time…
The enemy creates counterfeit strongholds in our flesh (with our co-operation). These are un-surrendered, un-healed or un-crucified areas of the old nature or self-life. They rise up and resist the Spirit-given life. Self-protectiveness built them and maintains them, aided by the lies and temptations of the enemy. We are to resist them by pulling them down. We don’t need self-protection any longer—we have the Lord to protect us! His grace is all-sufficient!
“Let’s put it in the pot!” is a very funny line in the movie Cold Mountain, referring to a rooster which was acting like a barnyard terror and that badly need to be captured and cooked. But it applies to us—that is, anything about us that doesn’t match up with Jesus. The first stage of crucifying the flesh is containment. Realize what shouldn’t be released into the world around you and put it in the pot instead. Are you getting angry…
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My older brother and I used to dam up the creek in the woods near our house (what did you think I meant?). The woods were hilly so the creek was swift. The soil was heavy with clay and perfect for plugging spaces between the “boulders” we would tumble into the water to form our makeshift dams. It was so much fun! We loved making the dams; but even more, we loved destroying them (hey, we were boys!) and then…
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The wrong kind of fear of God will eat your lunch. It is the true playground bully, who robs every believer that he can of the peace and joy of knowing we are being watched over by an ever-loving God. This demon-inspired fear makes Christians afraid of what God might do, or of what He might allow, or of what He might ask of them. Consequently, they try to stay within the moral boundaries (because of their fear of punishment), but they…
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Ah, the monkey trap… What is it you may ask? Only a most ingenious way to catch those tasty, high flying monkeys, dreamed up by hungry, indigenous people on the jungle floor! The beauty of it is that the monkey trap uses the exasperating nature of the monkey against him. Imagine the poor natives taunted and at times pelted by these irascible creatures who stay safely out of reach in the branches above them and you will …
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Strongholds to overcome are our primary personal “battlefields.” These are the major emotional strongholds that disconnect us from the peace of Christ and all too often hold us captive to stress (as anxiety) or distress (as depression). Jesus is our true stronghold—the Rock that we run to when threatened by sin or danger, our new shield of protection against the enemy’s encroachments. But if we don’t tag up with Him in time…
