By Revd Betty King
As my team and I pray for the body of Christ we feel a surge of strength and know that it is an appropriate time to remind you of a word that I brought earlier in this year about “arming yourself”.
As I share this reminder with you I want to address the area of strongholds. Let me start with a definition.
Strongholds
A stronghold is something that argues against God’s purposes in your life. Since it a thing that argues against you it generally attacks you in your thought patterns.
A stronghold is also a system of logic that promotes a lie instead of God’s truth and is a ready opening for the demonic to take up residence in your life. Strongholds stop you thinking about yourself the way that God does and prevent you seeing yourself the way in which He sees you.
In a nutshell through the creation of a stronghold in your life satan basically puts himself on a pedestal in your situation. Once he has achieved this, your perceptions enable him fulfil his purposes in your life.
Strongholds also lead to a victim mentality. They hinder your ability to receive compliments. Where strongholds exist you often experience spiritual disorientation. You also suffer from faulty decision making with a consequence that you are unable to get results which in turn leads to disappointments and deferred hopes.
Although a demon may be cast out the stronghold created still needs to be pulled down. Let me illustrate this with an example. Why is it that people can attend powerful conferences, agree with the messages preached under that particular grace and then on returning to their familiar surroundings find themselves almost immediately reverting to business as usual?
The truth is that the reason you are unable to resist the impact of your familiar environments of work, family, business or ministry related is because you failed to use the word to combat the way in which you have been formed and perceive things. As a result despite your earlier agreement with the words shared or prayed and your faith in the moment there is no real transformation in your life.
In this month, you must be fiercely intentional. You must actively wage war on the strongholds of your mind. This is not an encouragement to somehow embark on a journey of mind over matter but is all about taking God at His word and taking action to do something about your mind and thinking patterns.
A stronghold can whisper to you that you do not belong. To combat this you must refute the suggestions and whispers. Accept the word of God that states indisputably that He has set you in a family and contend with the lies that seek to keep you out of your destiny. Ps 68:6.
Even though there are moments when the actions of people who are envious or jealous of you reinforce your perception that you do not belong you must refute this. RESIST, GET UP, STAND AND FIGHT BACK, WITH THE WORD OF GOD. Don’t listen to the enemy’s suggestions.
Refuse to be pushed aside. Refuse to walk away. Don’t get out – get even. You have the right to be blessed, you deserve to be. Refuse to back down and receive strength in the name of Jesus. It is time to recover all.
ADVANCE, ADVANCE, ADVANCE. RECEIVE STRENGTH, ADVANCE, LEAP OVER WALLS.
Look into your heart and make sure that you are not self centred. A good test of this is whether you are quick to take offence.
This month in order to prepare for and receive the miraculous, you must address the strongholds of your mind and allow the Holy Spirit to assist you so that you can have a safe delivery. It is time to set new records and break out of the spirit of stagnation.
A lot of Christians in their obedience and suffering experience incredible breakthrough but then develop an exaggerated opinion of themselves allowing arguments to come into their minds. As a result of this mindset you begin to defend yourself against the people that you see as threats. In effect you project your own thinking and imaginings onto others. If this is not the case with you then you have nothing to worry about., but if that is the case if this not dealt with will cause you to miss some great doors.
Let us pray together:
With one accord pray for your mind and cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. By faith bring every one of your thoughts into captivity and subject them to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5
Receive grace from God to meditate on His word. Pray and say that even as you do so you will not be conformed to this world, but will be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is God’s good, acceptable and perfect will. Romans 12:2
Call out to our Eternal Father, everlasting King. Declare His greatness and that He does wondrous things. Receive His great mercy and grace to be taught of Him and to walk in His ways and His truth.
Seek His deliverance from the enemy’s hands and pray that confusion be driven far from You. May the Lord unite your heart to fear His name. Praise the Lord with all your heart and glorify His name forevermore. PS 86: 10-13
For You oh Lord are our Shepherd. You are our divine sense of direction and purpose. In His mercy may the Lord lead you, watch over you and restore your soul. Ps 23: 3
I decree that the Lord will strengthen the bars of your gates. He will cause His peace to break out in your heart. May the Lord bless you with prosperity. May His promises be swift and sure in your life. The Lord Himself will breathe upon you and turn your winter into spring. Psalm 147:12-15
Put your trust in God. May our Father establish you such that you cannot be moved. May He surround you with His presence even as the mountains surround Jerusalem. Father protect the nations of the world and grip the hearts of the people that would do evil with repentance. Psalm 125.
In Jesus’ Name confess and say that the Lord is your Helper. He teaches your hands to make war, so that your arms can bend a bow of bronze. The Lord has defended you with the shield of His salvation and has upheld you by His victorious right arm. Rejoice and sing praises to our great King, the God of the angel armies whose gentleness has made us great. Give thanks to the Lord who has enlarged your path so that your feet do not slip. Psalm 18:34-36
In closing this month’s prayer points pray for every Christian business that is standing for the truth. Declare that Christian business men and women will not lose their businesses as they promote the cause of Christ.
Father we ask that you encourage Your people, prosper their businesses and deliver them from the enemy’s attacks in the matchless name of Jesus. Amen. 3 Jhn 1:2.
We love you and we are praying for you.
Gripped by his Love
Rev Betty King
Source: Betty King International Ministries, www.bettykingministries.org.
