Lesson 2 Spiritual Warfare- Breaking Strongholds 

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In this article we are referring to a scripture in 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 about strongholds. It says: “Though we walk in the flesh we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.”
Strongholds are like a castle that our spirit and soul are imprisoned in. Strongholds can also be a place where people run to hide from the enemy as in Judges 9:51. David and his mighty men looked for a stronghold to hide from Saul,2 Samuel 22:1-5. – 2 Samuel 23:14. Therefore, strongholds can keep us locked up or stuck in a certain behavior or imprisoned by the enemy, or they can become a safe place from the enemy. 

We are unable to function freely, because we are bound by the wounds we have experienced, the lies that we believed about ourselves, life, God and others until we come out of agreement with the enemy. Proverbs 23:7, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” It is true that if I think that I am stupid, I will not allow myself to go to college because I do not believe that I am smart enough. If I have been called fat, and If I believe that I am fat, I will constantly be trying to lose weight, not based upon the truth but based upon the way I have been groomed to think. Many are caught in the lies about themselves because of childhood wounds. This verse stands true even if there is no other verse that support this concept. It is sure true for me, and countless others that I have ministered to. What this verse is saying is, we may say one thing but really believe something else. And whatever we believe in our heart will truly dictate our behavior. This stronghold of the enemy can be brought down. The goal is to be in the stronghold of God where we are protected from the enemy’s attack. Though we became imprisoned in the enemy’s stronghold, we can learn how to get set free. 

If you struggle with fear, depression, anger, anxiety and trauma, the good news is that you can be set free. You don’t have to live with it the rest of your life. Yes, the enemy will tempt you to believe the lie again, but it doesn’t have to be a continuous battle once you have reprogrammed your mind. The truth will set you free. Jesus said: “You say that I am a King. I was born for this and came into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”( John 18:37.) 

“Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. “(Revelation 2:1.) Jesus speaks to all mankind and says: “I came to give life, and that more abundantly; but the thief comes to kill, steal and destroy.” (John 10:10). Jesus came that he might destroy the works of the devil. Jesus came from God the Father to restore what the enemy has destroyed, stolen and killed. Come, now and listen to this truth, believe His truth and let Him set you free. “And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”( John 8:32) 

Strongholds are developed at a very young age. When negative things happen to us, when a legitimate need is not met, we search for a way to get it met. We think and act according to our experience and ability for ways to get that need met. Dr. Siegel in his book The Developing Mind, teaches that we develop our mind through the relationships and events in our life. The earliest memories have a tremendous impact. His works educate us about how these events form our neuro pathways and about our experiences impacting our modes of communication form our genetics. We often find through epi-genetic studies that the DNA in animals can be changed if their social surroundings are changed. Thus we can also affect our genome. 

Even unborn babies, according to Dr. Verney in his work called The Secret Life of the Unborn Child, can have their experiences tracked from conception. He has come to the conclusion that negative experiences program us to react in unhealthy and predictable ways throughout their entire lives. Verney also shows how positive experiences influence us to react in positive ways. 

Thus, we can unlearn our negative ways of responding with new input, or truth and change our lives.
When, however, we have open doors to the enemy through anger, judgments, retaliation and sinful practices, it is necessary to expose the lies that we believe, renounce the decisions that we made when we were wounded, and repent. We often carry those decisions into adulthood which were based upon a child trying to figure out how to overcome pain, abuse, fear, etc. with limited understanding. When we acknowledge the lies, repent of them, counter act them with truth, renounce the decisions made to protect ourselves, and release trust to the Savior we can be made free of the stronghold. 

The components that make strongholds are: Our ancestor’s sin, unforgiveness, ungodly beliefs, inner vows, soul spirit hurts, soul ties, bitter root judgments and demonic oppression. 

The first door of the stronghold is the sins of the fathers which are passed down to the third and fourth generation, Exodus 20:3-4. We are tempted to repeat the same sins as our parents, grandparents and great grandparents. Why do we need to repent of their sins? They cannot receive forgiveness for their sins unless they confess them, but you can cancel the assignment of the enemy to tempt you to repeat it. In other words, you send notice to those demons that they are not welcome in your house to tempt you or your children to do the same thing. When we confess our sins, or their sins, we push back the enemy, REVELATION 12:11. Often we have already repeated their sins or judged them for their sin. Matthew 7:1-2 says: “Whatever you judge will be meted back to you in the same way that you judged.” It is coming back around to you to reap the judgment you made.
The children of Israel were told to confess their ancestor’s sins and they did. We see the practice in Ezra 9, Nehemiah 9 and Daniel 9. God’s word says that if we confess our sin he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” That takes the target of the enemy off of our back. Sin always sets us up for an attack. I find that most people are shocked at all the times they have sinned, never repented and are still sinning in the same way. The second door of the enemy to our stronghold are judgments. Along with criticizing and blaming we often use our own life as the standard for righteousness. We are better than they, and blame is often put upon them unfairly. Blame should be put on no one. The Holy Spirit’s job is to bring conviction of sin, not ours. Where there has been a judgment and there has not been forgiveness there is an open door for the enemy.
The third door of the enemy to keep us in the stronghold is lies or ungodly beliefs. As children trying to figure out life without our parents or even with our parents we are wounded and believe lies about God, self and others. God’s word tells us: ”As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 26:3) We often are in agreement with the enemy. Beliefs such as God won’t take care of me; I am on my own; no one will listen to me; I am not good enough; men are pigs; women are controlling make up an exhausting list of lies. And if we believe lies like these, we will make decisions to keep ourselves out of harm’s way that seem logical as a child, but not as 

an adult. Often, we are still walking in these lies and decisions or vows even after salvation and maturity. These keep us stuck in sinful and frustrating cycles.
The fourth door is bitter root judgment expectations. We develop an expectation to have people hurt us again and again the same way. (Matthew 5:33-37). These judgments and vows are made with the help of the enemy to control us instead of us being led by the Holy Spirit. When we are in bitterness about things that happened to us, it is as if we have a target on our back saying: “Hurt Me.” And you do. because the enemy has a legal right to hang out with you until you repent of your judgments. Hebrews 12:15 says:”Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.” 

The fifth door that can be opened to develop the stronghold in your mind is ungodly soul ties. These are created with another person, organization or thing based upon an unhealthy emotional, or sexual relationship. It binds people together in an unholy alliance. Jonathan and David were knit together in a holy alliance. Solomon made an unholy treaty by marrying the Pharaoh’s daughter. He also made many unholy marriages and treaties with those who were not Jewish and under covenant with Yahweh. They were unequally yoked. Any of our relationships that are ungodly need to be renounced. Ties need to be broken and your soul restored to its original design which is to serve the Lord your God with your whole heart, soul, and strength. Ungodly soul ties will lead you to compromise your beliefs and your relationship with the Lord. Sins committed with these people need to be confessed and renounced and our heart reset upon serving the Lord. 

Demonic oppression is the last door that can been opened. Your wounds, judgments, beliefs, behaviors, and evil associations may open the door to the demonic. Demons are spiritual entities with minds, emotions and wills of their own in league with Satan. They are watching and waiting for you to judge, accept a lie they tell you, receive a wound and walk in unforgiveness. According to Chester and Becky Kylstra who wrote,” Restoring the Foundations,” oppression means to afflict, harass, influence, torment, oppress, try, worry, and wrong. Demons need to have an open door to legally gain access to us. Open doors come from the previous doors mentioned and your personal sin. Steps to Deliverance are: 

Return to your first love.
Intercede by prayer, fasting and worship to get a clear strategy for the battle.
Lay aside differences. Forgive, restore relationships and make a choice to love others as God has loved you.
Confess, repent of your sins, forgive others, and trust Jesus. Make restitution. Be willing to listen to the Lord.
Rest in Him. Lay all of your burdens at His feet and enter into His rest. Matthew 11:28. 

Pray:
I confess my sin of____________________________________.
I repent of __________________________________________.
I ask you to forgive me for_____________________________.
I forgive ____________________________ for __________________.
I repent for believing the lie that ______________________________. I choose to believe the truth that ______________________________. 

I renounce and break my vow or decision to _______________________.
I repent of my bitter root judgment expectation that _________________.
I repent for all of the sinful ways I have behaved in response to this person. I forgive myself.
I release the pain from the wound this person has caused me.
I break the ungodly soul tie with __________________. I send away any attachments to me in this relationship back to them. I receive back any part of me that was stolen from my soul. Restore me to my original design.
I send to Jesus any evil spirits oppressing me in relationship to this sin or these people. I say never come back. Now, Jesus, please tell me the truth about this. 

Hopefully you will receive peace at this moment or very soon.