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| Breaking Strongholds |
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LET IT GO!

Many of those who have suffered or are suffering abuse have great difficulty in many areas of their life. These difficulties if not dealt with swiftly and properly will become strong holds...strongholds such as ANGER which leads to even more powerful strongholds of Bitterness, hate and revenge.
Swimming in the moats of these strongholds are self rejection, depression and defeat. We build huge fortified walls which not only keep everyone that would or could care for us out but they keep us a prisoner within our own walls. As we build these walls higher, we also have to build them thicker thus entombing ourselves in smaller and smaller cells.
Others may not see these fortified walls upon first glance, but they soon realize they are there. Often as they attempt to approach us we will throw the darts of rejection to them to push them away before they have a chance to reject us. (1) Most will not try a 2nd or 3rd time.
Often when entombing ourselves in these fortified walls, we will ask...Where was GOD? We go on further by asking...Why doesn't GOD heal me if HE loves me so much?
In the next few moments, we will explore these strongholds and we will learn how to destroy them so we can...LET IT GO!
A: HOW DEVELOPED
Strongholds are actually a figment of our imagination. There is no mortar, stone and steel keeping us in. It is all in our thoughts. We think we are captive so we act like we are captive. Elephants are often chained with heavy chains when they are small. As adults, they only have thin chains that would snap like a cheap string of beads but they do not try. They are only held captive by their own thoughts that they can not break the chain.
The chains that hold us are our own thoughts. Often our goal is to make ourselves happy. We will always try to act in ways we think achieve our goals. IF we want happiness and we thing "wine, women (or men) and song will bring this happiness..well we go looking in bars and clubs to act on this goal. This is one reason for the proliferation of things like pornography, sexual addiction, alcoholism, and drug abuse. With the internet, women have caught up to men with the addiction to pornography. They can view it in the safety of their own homes without anyone finding out. Many men and women have chats with those of the opposite or even same gender that are of a very explicit sexual nature. The walls go higher each time a new page is opened. NO...it is not just the "lost: that do this. Many real Christian men and women are hooked. It is interesting that satan often tells one...hey you have to look at this just this once so you know how "bad" it is. My friend...do it ONCE...and you are on your way to an addiction. Often these images are forced on us by e-mail and profiles. When it is force, it will be easier to overcome..but I assure you..that once you willfully click on that link you know is not good...you ARE on your way to a stronghold. Yea..satan will tempt you to "just look" even giving you good reasons to do so..but then...the accuser of our soul will then say..."You must not "really" be a Christian because a REAL Christian would never go there.
The use of alcohol and drugs has spread amongst HIS people too. We are told the burden is too heavy to bear so take that "Valium" (or Ativan or a drink) just this time to take the edge off. We fail to remember that GOD has promised never to give us more then we can bear. We fail to REST in HIS Grace!
We also fail to realize that GOD will supply our every need so that when we feel we will not get money to pay for next months rent, we use the little we have left to run off and buy lottery tickets. This is often after we buy things we do not need before paying our bills or buying food. Sure, I think it is ok to splurge once in a while..but for example, I know someone that could not afford a car payment or rent, yet they bought a pets that were worth several thousands of dollars. When this money is not replaced, a stronghold is built..that God does not meet their need. However, I do need to say that just because someone is going through some very rough times..that does NOT mean they are guilty of what I said above. Please let us all avoid judging those in need so we do not build our own strongholds of doubt and improper judgment. Sound familiar? Do NOT listen my friend. Read on for the solution.
B: The RESULTS satan tries to keep one from trusting God to start. If he fails at this, his next task is to keep them from growing..from maturing in the LORD so they will not be effective in showing others their need for a savior. satan also gets us to doubt our salvation by telling us we need to work to keep it. We fail to realize the difference between Christianity and religion. Religion tells us to "DO" Christianity says.."DONE". Once we trust Christ for salvation, HE said "It is FINISHED" It is a done deal. HE paid it all...all to HIM I owe.
Of course, the results are higher and thicker walls. We have built a stronghold that nothing can break down...or so we think. We keep others out and ourselves in so that we become ineffective for the LORD. One reason for this...is that satan knows it is the ONLY way he can hurt GOD. This is done by making them build strongholds..and yes..satan does not build them.... WE do.
C: THE SOLUTION
1: VENGEANCE BELONGS TO GOD We need to remember that God has promised that HE will be just. One problem when we seek justice, is that when we "get even" for a wrong that was or we think was done to us, that person then has to get even for that. We escalate each time and we have even seen wars start by this very thing. When GOD gets revenge..it STOPS there. Too often we think that if we do not do it, the Love of God will prevent them from getting "what they deserve" is this true? Look at: Deuteronomy 32:35 To me belongeth vengeance and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
We need to also remember that God is not a respecter of persons. The Bible tells us that GODS the world and that there is not one person that is beyond HIS redemption. This alone would have destroyed one of my strongholds before the first brick was laid if I had accepted this fact. As you can see from my previous testimony, I had thought that GOD hated men. After writing this, I have found several women that felt just the opposite. Anyone else smell a rat here? (no offense intended to rats) If we stop to think, both of us could not possibly be right. This brings up another point....changing the way we think....
2: CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK We are told in Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: As mentioned above, when we think we are unable to do something, we will fail. This is why praise is so important to give our children. There is real Power in praise. We need to change the way we think that will bring us Joy and satisfaction. We need to learn who we are in Christ and to realize there is nothing we can do to make God love us more..or less. HE will love us and He will meet our needs because of WHO we are in HIM...not for anything else. We are HIS kids....once we have accepted to be adapted into the family of God by trusting Jesus for salvation. Salvation then is the First Step toward a better relationship...with God...or anyone else. One thing I have found that often helps us to change the way we think.. is to expose these strongholds to others. It was by exposing my strongholds that I found it was based on wrong ideas. When I compared notes with women who felt God hated women, we could both understand we were lied to....and both of our strongholds were torn down. Yet so often, satan will tell us that if we tell anyone about it...they will not like us anymore. I will admit, there are some that do not know how to love unconditionally that may well reject you, but if you find a mature Christian, this should not happen. Christian groups are a good place to start. You have the safety of the internet and the anonymity of a screen name. There are some great groups but of course I am partial to MyChurch, Yahoo-360. as I know these groups will accept people unconditional as both have had people come to destroy them, but are now serving the LORD. For good Christian fellowship and/or prayer, I would recommend any of groups in the Internet Alliance for Christ.
3: FORGIVE Forgiveness is not an option. It is not done for the offenders sake, it is done to release the one that forgives. As we started out, when we do not forgive, we set the state for some of the most powerful and damaging strongholds we could have.
4: LOVE 1 Peter 4 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. When we develop real love, many strongholds melt before our eyes. More important, when we learn to really love the LORD, we will Once again, to shorten a message I know is already to long, we have addressed this in a message called LOVE and Love Worth Finding
5: REST Jesus told us in Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29: Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30: For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. He went further in John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
My friend, there HAS to be something better then the average Christian has right now. Oh, they do have it, but they have a stronghold around them that prevents them from knowing it. Most do not realize our position IN Christ and thus they feel they have to work to earn God's favor. We ARE HIS children if we have trusted Christ and our position can not change. He will not abandon us. We have a promise of Chastisement so we know we will not be thrown out of HIS family. We can also see this in the message called Eternal Life! Eternal Or Temporary?
One thing we can do right now other then the above, is to ask God to show us what needs to be exposed to Gods Word. We can do this by praying the EFFECTIVE PRAYER FOR HURTING PEOPLE
I conclude this message with this song: Be Still My Soul
Be still my soul Be still my soul Cease from the labor and the toil Refreshing stream of peace await To trouble minds and hearts that ache
Be Still my soul God knows your way And HE will guide....for HIS name's sake
Plunge in the Rivers of HIS Grace Rest in the arms....of HIS embrace
Be still my soul, be still my soul Though battles round you rage and toil continually and nothing more to hear the whisper of the LORD
Be still my child I know your way and I will guide for My name's sake
Plunge in the Rivers of HIS Grace Rest in the arms....of HIS embrace
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