Pulling Down Strongholds

Good morning, and welcome to day 17 of our 21 day devotional entitled Restart Your Heart. I hope you've been enjoying this series, and it's being hosted by the leadership other thing councils of Murfreesboro. And I'm sitting out here enjoying the weather today, the beautiful day that God's created us. And as pastor has allowed us, I'm also enjoying my one cup of caffeine. And no, pastor, it's not coffee. I'm still not mature enough to drink coffee yet.

Today we're gonna be talking about pulling down strongholds. My name is Jason saline, and I appreciate you joining me. I understand that I am outside, and so if a deer walks up or turkey walks up in the background, I know I'm gonna lose the majority of my audience. But enjoy the day, and enjoy the sounds of nature, as we talk through this devotional today.

You know, it's kind of an odd coincidence that in our previous 21 day devotional on prayer, I also had the same topic about strongholds. What I find is not a coincidence, though, is that multiple authors choose to address the issue of strongholds when dealing with our realities of the Christian walk. You know, Jensen — and is in this devotional, focus is on the — the dealing with the offenses of the heart. And he describes that when we experience new offenses in our lives, and then we compound those on top of the old offenses that we've seen in our past, and then we multiply that by the bitterness that may be built up or harbored in our hearts against someone that's hurt us — this is what allows Satan to inch by inch develop and build a stronghold in our life.

You know, there's this old joke that says: you know what's the difference between major surgery and minor surgery? You know, and the answer is, well, minor surgery is when it's on you, and major surgery is when it's on me. It's the same way with offenses of the heart. You know, when we're talking to someone else that's been hurt, it's easy for us to say, "Well, you just forgive that person and move on." But when it's me that's been offended, it's — it's so much more difficult to take that advice. In fact, you know, if somebody gives me that advice, then I usually get even or offended. You know, it's like my response is, "Well, you just don't understand my situation there. You don't know how much that person hurt me. And why should I have to forgive them? And who are you to even tell me how I should respond?"

You know, Jensen describes in the book as how, when Satan comes against us, he's after something. He's not just picking on you to annoy you. He's after the spoils. He wants to take you and the ones that you love, and he wants to infect them with bitterness and unforgiveness and anger and offense. This is why it's so important — because our enemy is always looking — this — this is why forgiveness is so important: is because our enemy is always looking for just a crack in our spiritual armor. He wants to be able to get a small foothold, because if he can get a small foothold, then they can ultimately lead to strongholds in our lives. When we refuse to show forgiveness, it weakens our defensive armor against his attacks.

The Ephesians 6 and 13 tells us that the piece of spiritual armor that guards our heart is the breastplate of righteousness. Dictionaries describe righteousness as a behavior or actions that are morally justifiable or right. As Christians, our goal is to take on the characteristics of Christ, and to model his behaviors.

You know, the Easter story tells us of the death and the burial and the resurrection, and it shows us how Jesus was beaten and abused, and yet he chose to forgive his offenders. You know, Christ's actions paved the way for the foundational principle of forgiveness that ultimately restores peace in our relationship with God. How is it, then, that we can so easily expect God to forgive us of our sins, but we find it so hard to model Christ's behavior and show forgiveness to others? The breastplate of righteousness cannot protect our hearts when we refuse to initiate the morally right action of forgiving others.

Jesus's words in Mark 11 are very clear. In verse 24 — we love this verse — it says, "Whatsoever you desire, when you pray, but leave, and you shall have it." We ain't men that we fist-pumped that. But we often overlook that a very next verse that says, when you pray, if you have offense against him he, forgive, so that God may forgive you. And he backs it up with the next verse, in verse 26, and it says, "If you do not forgive, neither will God forgive your trespasses." When we refuse to forgive, we open the door to the enemy to enter our hearts. And if we're not careful, with a shortcut, within a short period of time, he'll develop strongholds of bitterness and anger.

So how do we defeat the attack of the Satan of Satan when offenses come into our life? Well, Matthew 5:9, the New King James Version, says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God." You know, typically sons display, or they reflect, character traits of their fathers. And we radiate our father's righteousness when we pursue peace.

In that same chapter of Ephesians, it talks about another part of the spiritual armor, and that's the gospel of peace, and it adorns our feet. God's peace is at the foundational core of our lives. When we allow Satan to disrupt our peace, then we're in danger of slipping and falling on the battlefield. However, when we choose to pursue peace with all men, then we're walking confidently towards holiness, and at the same time we're tearing down strongholds of the enemy in our heart.

Now I know it's — it's — if you've been hurt or if you've been offended, it's not easy to hear these words. And the last thing you want to hear is for me to tell you that the best way to overcome your issue is to forgive them and ask for peace in the situation. I understand their harsh words, but they're the words of Jesus. And if you want to avoid allowing Satan to develop a stronghold in your life, then we need to pray for the grace of God to give a strength to forgive.

Let's take just a minute and do that this morning. God, we love you today, and we thank you for giving us your word. It's our guidebook for navigating our Christian walk. We might not always understand or like what we heard, but you've given us clear instructions on the way to live a peaceful and overcoming life. Now I know that under the sound of my voice today, there's at least one person that's been offended or hurt in some way. I pray that you give that person courage today, to tear down the strongholds of anger in bitterness, and to set aside the hurt and the pain of their situation, and choose to reflect your righteousness by extending forgiveness. For God, I know that when we pursue peace, you're faithful to begin the healing process in our hearts, and the burdens of our circumstances are quickly replaced by the joy of your spirit. God, help us to show your love today, as we go about our daily activities, and give us the strength to overcome the strongholds of the enemy in our lives. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

And now just an afterthought on the topic of strongholds: why is it that strongholds always seem to be associated with the enemy? Shouldn't we, as Christians, be building our own strongholds that the devil can't penetrate? Think about it: strong individual Christians make up strong families, which in turn creates strong churches that become safe havens for sinners seeking grace, to overcome the strongholds in their own lives. Just something for all UT Palmer's to ponder today, to keep your mind off of food.

Thank you for joining me today. Have a great day, and I hope you'll join us again tomorrow at 7 a.m. for day 18, a Restart Your Heart, where the topic will be "Faith in the Unseen."