Romans 7:15-25 Strongholds = areas of our lives where we behave differently than we know to
- They are not our identity, but they are powerful. Sanctification is a lifelong process…
- “Flesh” = our heart/ inner man/ our soul …From it springs all the issues of life.
- We receive a new heart when we are born again, but it has to grow within us!
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Fortresses: arguments used to fortify a position:
- Truths or lies? What we believe in our hearts determines what we defend and how.
Warring according to the flesh: trying to overcome flesh with flesh.
- Understanding the truth of God’s word…employing disciplines…even practicing intimacy with God
- These can fall short of helping until we get at the root of these strongholds
Speculations “computations/ conclusions/ judgments”
- When we deal with strongholds, we are dealing with deeply embedded lies, beliefs and judgments
- Most of these formed in our younger years. They continue to develop until they become strongholds.
- We defend these beliefs even against the revelation of God’s word when it comes to us.
- These become legal ground for the enemy to occupy a spot our heart… like a demonic vacation home
2 Cor 2:10-11 …We are not ignorant of his schemes (noēma)
Ex 15:23-26 …for I, the LORD, am your healer.” Jehovah Rapha WHAT WAS GOD HEALING?
- 3 Days in! No question about God being for them. His Power. His love for them.
Exodus 4:31 So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD was concerned about the sons of Israel and that He had seen their affliction, then they bowed low and worshiped
- The waters were bitter: Just like what their lives were like back in Egypt:
Exodus 1:14 and they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field, all their labors which they rigorously imposed on them.
- Their instinctive response: murmuring/ grumbling.
- Their strongholds: we can’t trust God. Blame the man. He’s going to kill us. Ex 16:3 He is not for us.
- All of which are inaccurate, but very real because of the lies about God the came to believe
It’s not lifes events, but rather how we interpret them that determines whether we build strongholds
Scene from Disney’s The Kid
Joshua 5:9 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.
v.25 the LORD showed him [Moses] a tree, and He threw it in the waters and they became sweet:
- the cross must be specifically applied to areas where we stumble – to reap all the benefits of the cross:
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