"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
(For the weapons
of our warfare are not carnal,
but mighty through
God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth
itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience
of Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
I have heard many Christians who have a certain trouble
in their life say they believe
God is punishing them for something they did in their past. This is what the Bible
calls a stronghold in your mind. As a man thinks, so is he. If you believe God is
punishing you, you will live your life with this belief in your soul and your soul will
suffer because of it. You will never believe God will use your life for great things, because
how can he if he is punishing you. You will never believe
how much God loves you, because how can he if he is punishing you. Do you see the
suffering your soul goes through
with this type of wrong thinking?
I would say most of the time the trouble in a Christian's life that they believe
is there because they are being punished for something in their past is one their
children. Either their
child is sickly
or has put them through
a lot of trouble. This is a stronghold in your mind and it needs to be torn down. In John 9, the disciples asked Jesus about a man that was born blind. They asked, "Who did sin, this man, or his
parents, that he was born blind?" And Jesus answered,
"Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." Your child is sickly or is a lot of trouble for you not because of something you did in your past,
but so God can use your child
to work in your life.
He will use your child in your life to get you to see you cannot
do it without Him. Your child will bring out weaknesses in you that you did not know you had and when you bring those weaknesses to God, He adds
His strength and you will see mighty
works, in not only your child's life, but also in yours.
In the Old Testament, King David lost his first born son because of his past sins, but in
the New Testament, God gave up, not only His first born Son, but His only Beloved
Son, so that you would not be punished or condemned ever again. God nailed all of your sins to the cross
and said He would never
remember your sins anymore.
The only way you can get rid of a stronghold in your mind is with truth. The truth is God loves you so much that He gave up His only begotten Son for you. The truth is
God has only good in store for you. The truth is God will never remember
any of your sins ever again.
The truth is God has a purpose
for you. He wants to do great
and mighty works through your life. The truth is God highly favors you and His favor surrounds you like a shield.
The truth is because of Jesus, you can come boldly to God's throne
asking or telling
Him anything, and He will incline
His ear to you. Tell yourself these truths every day until you are free from any
stronghold in your mind.
"But he was wounded
for our transgressions, he was bruised
for our iniquities: the
chasetisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes
we are healed." Isaiah
53:5
