Where Are Your Strongholds?

FRESH Official Podcast

When you face obstacles on your road through life, what’s your natural reaction? How do you deal with them? And as you look back, how well have you handled them in the past?

Obstacles typically create stress and suffering. Under those conditions, let’s be honest, we don’t always make the best choices. And the other thing … not all the obstacles out there are meant to be crashed through or torn down. Often, it’s more the ones within us that need conquering first.

Take the idea of strongholds. We tend to think of them as some dark spiritual force or place out there that we need to overcome. But perhaps not.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards; for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ. (NRSV)

So, the only time that the word “stronghold” is used in the New Testament is when it’s talking about the proud thoughts inside the hearts of believers – that’s you and me! And those strongholds within set themselves up against our knowledge of God. Scary, eh!

I think of such a stronghold as some belief, some behaviour contrary to Scripture that we hold onto so strongly that, try as we might, we can’t let go of it in order to lay hold of the good things, the wisdom, the blessings that God has planned for us.

That’s why God’s calling us to take every thought captive to obey Christ.

And that’s His Word. Fresh … for you … today.