2 Corinthians 10:4 The dynamic of our strategy is revealed in God’s ability to disengage mindsets and perceptions that have held people captive in pseudo fortresses for centuries! (TMB)

Has God destroyed all of your strongholds?

When you have on your armor, you look at a situation from all sides. Sometimes it feels as if a person is the problem. You wonder why he or she acted that way. However, the problem could be you. Truth demands you to separate the action from the person. It does not matter how hard you think it may be. 

Ephesians 6:12 Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage. (TPT)

If you don’t, stand on the word, realizing it is not flesh and blood at work, hurt and unforgiveness will take you to a dark place. The enemy will use your feelings as reinforcement for your pain every time you think about what happened. Your emotions fortify and protect your feelings and create what believers call a stronghold. The stronghold has you trapped because:

1. You have not forgiven, and God will not forgive you.

Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (NKJV)

1. You are bitter and toxic.

Hebrews 12:14-15 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled. (NKJV)

1. You are hurting, and you often knowingly and unknowingly hurt other people.

1 Corinthians 10:32 Do not let yourselves be [hindrances by giving] an offense to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God [do not lead others into sin by your mode of life]; (AMPC)

1. You can’t let it go, and you can’t see what new things God is doing in your life. 

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Stop dwelling on the past. Don’t even remember these former things. 19 I am doing something brand new, something unheard of. Even now it sprouts and grows and matures. Don’t you perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and open up flowing streams in the desert.” (TPT)

To your knees you go, and you remember who you are. You don’t focus on how you “feel or felt”. You realize the soulish realm of your existence is not where you meet with the Father. Instead of allowing the enemy to build a stronghold, allow the Lord to be your stronghold.

Psalm 9:9-10 The Lord also will be a refuge and a high tower for the oppressed, a refuge and a stronghold in times of trouble (high cost, destitution, and desperation). 10 And they who know Your name [who have experience and acquaintance with Your mercy] will lean on and confidently put their trust in You, for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek (inquire of and for) You [on the authority of God’s Word and the right of their necessity]. (AMPC)

You go to El Shaddai, the All-Sufficient God, and get everything you need. He will give you the strength to forgive, to let go, and to move forward in Him. You wait in His presence for direction on your next step, and you have peace.

Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:

Father, in the name of Jesus, I have on the whole armor of God. I come to thank You for holding me in a place where I am prompted to walk in love and forgiveness. It is not enough to know I need to forgive; I must forgive. I repent for not forgiving sooner. I realize all I was doing was hurting myself and damaging my witness. Thank You for reminding me again. I don’t fight against flesh and blood. You are my strong tower. I can and should run to You. I know I can’t come to You in the flesh. I must come by the Holy Spirit. I don’t have all the pieces to the puzzle. I don’t know why anyone does what they do. Sometimes I don’t even know why I do the things I do. Why do I respond to one person one way and someone else a different way? Thank You for the assurance that You can cleanse my heart. You can set me free. You can destroy the strongholds that the past has built. I submit them to You, and I thank You for destroying them…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here: