“the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow {and} destruction of strongholds,” (2 Cor. 10: 4; Amp)

“Strongholds” from a Biblical perspective refers to ideologies, thoughts, principles, arguments and reasonings which are contrary to GOD’s Word.

For a clearer understanding, let us read what verse 5 of our opening scripture say:

[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments {and} theories {and} reasonings and every proud {and} lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought {and} purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),” (2 Corinthians 10:5; Amp.)

The above Scripture points to ‘Strongholds’ as being in the Soul of Humans. The Soul is the center of our self-consciousness and the seat of our personality. The Bible describes “MAN” as a “living soul” (Genesis 2:7).

The ‘Soul’ has three (3) major faculties or distinct functions, which are: The Will/volition; Mind/Intellect; Emotion/Feeling.

Let us now see how they function so that we can understand why Strongholds can be in the Soul.

The Will or Volition; is the organ of decision. It gives us humans the power to make decisions for ourselves. We have the freedom of choice. Without the WILL humans would have been no better than robots. GOD made Humans ‘free moral agents’.

But do you know that there are those who believe that because of the ‘doctrine of predestination’; they are supposed to live their lives by happenstance. They are docile about life. Whatever happens to them, whether good or bad, they accept it as GOD’s will for their lives.

This is contrary to GOD’s Word.

There are many Scripture verses which refutes this reasoning. But I will give you just two from the Old and New Testaments.

1. “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! (Deuteronomy 30:19; NLT)
2. “God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong” (1 John 1:9)

As a Human Being, you can choose life or death, as well as decide to confess your sins and receive forgiveness and cleansing or you can choose not to confess them and live with the consequences.

It is GOD’s desire that HIS children enjoy abundant life here on earth. As Christians, we are to speak as Oracles of GOD. And thus we are able to speak from a Divine perspective. It is an outworking of God’s grace.

The Mind or Intellect is the seat of the soul. With the mind the Human Being is capable of acquiring knowledge, human wisdom as well as reason things out. When we are thinking, the mind is in motion. Thinking is mind on the move.

That is why a person is what he or she thinks. Good thoughts produce good actions while negative thoughts produces negative outcome.

You can now see why the mind is the battleground for spiritual combat. And why we are to “refute arguments {and} theories {and} reasonings and every proud {and} lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God”.

You may not be able to stop birds from flying over your head but can stop them from building nests in your hair.

Likewise even if you are unable to stop negative thoughts from entering your mind, you can stop them from finding a home in your mind. ‘Overthrow and Destroy’ negative thoughts with the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of GOD.

There is no part of the Soul that GOD’s Word cannot penetrate. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. So that we can confront, overthrow and destroy those that don’t line up with HIS Word..

Do you know that there are some Christians who hold tenaciously to the belief that sickness is divine punishment against them? Because of that they don’t resist sickness. They accept it as their lot in life.

That is the kind of ‘reasoning’ which constitutes a ‘stronghold’. It holds people very strongly. It keeps them in bondage to their erroneous beliefs and effectively disables them from exercising dominion in life. They fall sick and die in their sickness, even when “the sickness is not unto death”. They miss out on ‘Divine Healing’ and ‘Divine Health’.

Divine Health and Divine healing are present day realities for those who believe. For as Scripture states, “by HIS stripes, you were healed”.

There are also those who have very vivid negative imaginations. Whenever they are set to embark on a new project; evil imagination would start tormenting them. Their minds would be flooded with thoughts of failure, accident and anything that would scare and frustrate them into not making progress.

Such ‘strongholds’ incapacitates faith and restrains people from enjoying the benefits of salvation.

You need to feed your mind with GOD’s Word: take in a regular dose of the WORD through Bible study. Reset your mind with GOD’s Word. Listen to messages that would build up your faith. Saturate your home or work environment with worship songs. And with ear phones if you have to.

Strongholds are ‘strong’ and you confront them with determination and perseverance until they are pulled down. Don’t be victimized. Faith is the victory.

Emotion or Feeling: It is through this organ that we are able to express our likes or dislikes, love or hate, joy or sadness. By it we can express our feelings and what we are sensing

Some people have very strong feelings about certain issues based on the human knowledge they have acquired. These feelings become strongholds which sets itself up against the knowledge of GOD.

Knowledge puffs up.

Human wisdom is foolishness before GOD.

Review those religious doctrines that you are strongly holding unto. Intellectual Knowledge is not able to enable spiritual understanding. GOD’s Word is Spirit and can only be spiritually discerned. Revelation Knowledge is progressive and it is ‘caught’ as you grow in intimacy with GOD; through prayer and Bible study.

What you think you know that is puffing you up might just be the stronghold that has kept you bound to suffering, shame, sickness and repeated setbacks.

Renew your mind with GOD’s Word.

Strongholds stunts spiritual growth and spiritual progress if not pulled down and destroyed.

And since ‘strongholds’ are not physical structures but ideologies, philosophies, and so on; they can only be destroyed and overthrown with non-physical weapons as well.

GOD’s Word is Spirit and Truth and is the weapon to use to ‘Overthrow and Destroy Strongholds which are in your life or in the lives of others.

Use GOD’s Word to stop such thoughts and make them subject and obedient to CHRIST. Dig deep into your Bible and pull out every scripture that is related to your challenge: as an Oracle of GOD; declare them till you Overthrow and Destroy every Stronghold and drown out the voice of every contrary thought.

No Stronghold can impede your spiritual growth and excellence in life, in CHRIST powerful name. Amein.-hephzibah christly