2024-11-01
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Last week, I mentioned that the Holy Spirit commands me to write about strongholds that the evil one can establish in people. When we refuse to forgive a wrongdoer repeatedly, we are allowing the devil to establish a stronghold in us. Normally, we don’t want to talk about it, so it just festers within us. Grudge piles upon grudge in some of these, making the situation and the bitterness even worse. There are different reasons why people allow Satan this power over them that he surely does not deserve. 2 COR 2: 10-11, “Anyone you forgive, I [Paul] also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive –I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are unaware of his schemes.” Harboring a stronghold doesn’t make the wrongdoer right and it tortures the person who has allowed Satan to outwit him. No good can come out of this situation. The person who forgives whatever the offender did is right to do this, and it is cleansing to the spirit to offload the burden of a stronghold.
There are many reasons for a stronghold to be established. One might be like the awful knot of fright and anger that was built up in me as a result of childhood conditioning to resent and be afraid of what the Nazis did in WW II to the Jews in my family and others. Whenever a person spoke with a German accent, I harbored such fear as to run away from them as a child.
Later, as an adult, I carried this kind of stronghold in me, until I met with the leaders of JoshuaMission, visiting our church from Europe, and they prayed for me and others. It was almost as if something hard and bitter exploded in me and finally left me. My fear was irrational, albeit with very real origins. It was interfering with the kind of person I could be.
Other strongholds have an element of meanness in them. They are established because someone feels wrong has been done to him, holds a grudge, and is just as irrational as my example above. As time goes on, my evil feelings are piled upon the inherent meanness of refusing to work out their differences. The two parties even concoct explanations for behavior that may not even have a basis in truth. This is hardly demonstrating the love that our Lord Jesus would want us to have for each other. I’m aware of two people who had an argument as children. They haven’t seen or talked to each other for 30 years! When they finally met again as adults, they couldn’t even remember about that which they argued. LV 19: 18, “You should not avenge nor bear any grudge against your people’s children, but you should love your neighbor as yourself.”
There are ways to avoid giving the devil the power to build a stronghold in a person. PR 15: 1, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger.” Our Lord Jesus knows what a heavy burden a stronghold can be in one’s life. That is why He says, in MT 11: 28-30, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” He is here for all of us, and all we have to do is turn to Him! Forgiveness is freeing, as it unlocks us from the prison of bitterness and anger. We are meant to have freedom in Christ. GA 5: 1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.
We might ask, what steps must we take to get rid of a stronghold? First, we must realize that the evil one is crafty and will look and often find areas of our own personalities which are weak. Then, as 1 PET 5: 8 tells us, once he finds these areas of weakness, he zeroes in for the attack, “like a lion looking around for someone to devour.” If we are on to him, he can’t do this. So, how do we strengthen these weaknesses? EPH 5: 8-11, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ask yourself, “What would Jesus do?” That question is more important in problem solving that many of us realize.
PRAYER: O Lord, it is not always easy to forgive some offenses, but forgiving is something we must learn to do. If it’s possible, talk out the issue with the potential offender. If not, we should pray to You that You will help with our issues. There are times when the offender will take time to process what he has done and approach the person he offended on his own. Other times, we must patiently wait for the Lord to step in. And yes, there are times when the offense can’t be solved but we know that we must give account to You at the time allotted. You have told us, in EPH 4: 31-32, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” We thank and praise You for giving us such good advice and making Your will clear. In Christ’s name, Amen.
NEXT WEEK: Living in the past is one way Satan works to create the vicious cycle of a stronghold. Allowing him this power over us ties God’s hands from working good in us. Remember, RO 8: 28-29, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” God has given us armor to protect us against Satan’s craftiness and evil. We’ll look into it next week. In the meanwhile, never forget that each of us is loved dearly by our Lord Jesus Christ. Thanksgiving and praise be to Him!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn, JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2024. All Rights Reserved.
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