July 2011

Saint James Adult Bible Study

Waging Victorious Spiritual Warfare (Family Life)

Rev. K.D. Hale, Sr.

Tearing Down Satanic Strongholds

Def: Satanic Stronghold – is a mind set that accepts a situation as unchangeable, even though that situation is contrary to the will of God.

Therefore, I believe that we can safely say that many people in the Body of Christ are in bondage to satanic strongholds. They have yielded ground to Satan in their lives, and he has used that ground to build an outpost from which he wages war and makes that person his prisoner of war.

Three Causes of Family Strongholds:

  1. Unresolved Anger

Ephesians 4:26-27, “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”

Anger at sin is valid. But prolonged anger violates the scriptural command to resolve it quickly, and it provides the ground Satan needs to build that unresolved anger into a stronghold.

Ex: VCR/Videotape

VCR’s allows us to replay a tape over and over again. Unless we eject the tape, we can never put in another tape. Solution: We must quit playing that anger tape. We must eject the video-tape of anger and frustration. Eject the tape and release the offender. Otherwise, Satan will continue using your anger to defeat you in spiritual warfare. Releasing the offender and dealing with sin may require that you sit down and write or call a family member to say, “You hurt me deeply, but I cannot let your hurt control the rest of my life. And so, for my sake and for yours, I forgive you and release you of any emotional obligation to me.”

Ex: A Raging River

What makes a river flow with high waves and rough surface? It’s because there is turmoil underneath the surface. The same is true with people who are rough around the edges and are easily triggered to things such as pain, anger, hurt, etc.

Have you ever seen somebody who is tense, where it is easy to get on their nerves? Do they always seem irritable? Does this describe how you feel? Have you ever wondered why a person is like that? It is certainly not part of God's design for us, for His Word is clear that we are given a sound clear mind:

2nd Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Turmoil in one's system is usually caused by emotional buildup (things in the past that were never let go of) or unclean spirits. If something is bothering us, we need to make the choice to release our concerns to the Lord. Whether it be bitterness, fear, hurt feelings, emotional damage, feelings of rejection or abandonment, those feelings are devastating to our spiritual health and must be released from our systems. God's Word clearly tells us to cast our cares upon Him, for He cares for us:

1st Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."

God wants us to release our emotional buildup, hurt feelings, etc. and give those things to Him. Why did God tell us to do this? Because He knew the devastating effects that such negative buildup can have on our systems.

Matthew 6:15, "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

  1. Rebellion
  1. This simply means to go against God’s established order of authority. Satan was the original rebel, so it’s not surprising that he would use this approach.
  2. Rebellious children can tear a family apart. (We are rebellious to God when we refuse to obey His commands.)
  3. Adults who refuse to submit themselves to God’s legitimate chain of command, destroys the family.

Exodus 20:5 states that God would pass the results of disobedience (rebellion) on to the 3rd & 4th generation.

Parents can hand their children and grandchildren a real mess whey they rebel against God’s authority. What are you leaving your kids and grandkids, blesses or curses.

Example of Rebellious People:

  1. The people of Noah’s day
  2. Sodom and Gomorrah
  3. 1/3 of the Angels

“God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment” (2nd Peter 2:4)

  1. Husbands/Fathers who are not lined up under God’s established chain of authority
  2. Women who refuses to respect their husband’s position of authority (1st Cor. 11:3-10)
  1. Selfishness

Paul addresses selfishness in the area of sexual intimacy in marriage (1st Cor. 7:1-5), but the principle has a wider application. Satan looks for opportunities of selfishness in a home so he can exploit them for his purposes.

Three Weapons for Tearing Down Strongholds

  1. Proper Marital Roles

Col. 3:18-21 – Honor the POSITION of AUTHORITY THAT THE MAN IS IN

This is a big deal with God. It reflects God’s authority. Men, women are our partners, not our servants. We are to love them like Christ love the Church. (Eph. 5:25)

  1. Proper Parenting

Col. 3:21 & Ephesians 6:4

  1. Encourage kids, don’t discourage them
  2. Don’t put them down
  3. Tell them what their possibilities are under God
  1. Obedient Children

Col. 3:21

  1. Be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.

In 2nd Corinthians, we are told that our spiritual weaponry is designed to tear down strongholds:

2nd Corinthians 10:3-5, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

So when the devil tries to tell us, "You really messed up, haven't you?"

You need to counter it with, "1stJohn 3:5 tells me that the reason Jesus went to the cross was to take away that sin! Hebrews 8:12 tells me that even God has chosen to forget my sin!"

As you can see, strongholds are built on lies and deception. How do you counter such things? With truth! Where do you find truth? In the Word of God!

God acted kindly by driving Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. Why? Because God didn’t want them to eat of the Tree of Life and live forever in their sinful state with no hope of redemption. He evicted them from Eden, but they left with the promise of a coming Redeemer ringing in their ears. That Redeemer came and died on another tree, the cross of CALVARY!

Notes:

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