Strongholds, Looking Back to Look Forward

[HKHaugan]

“We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity (2Cor.10:5-6).”

There is a wise saying that concludes those who don’t pay attention to history are bound to repeat it. That is so true of the way we deal with our own personal history. How we are formed, shaped and groomed as individuals is the result of how our mind, heart and spirit have been conditioned. That is our personal history. Our reaction to circumstance mirrors our history.

First of all the idea of a stronghold is best understood as attitude. Attitudes are the reflections of the inner person having decided, concluded, what it takes to survive in a hostile world. The world being the personal and interpersonal atmosphere of the secular society in which we live. Attitudes formed outside of God and His Word are honed and fortified, shored up so to speak, to protect the fragile heart. Attitudes are the means, the methods, through which we assess the impress of our social, physical and spiritual experiences. Attitudes are what we use to relate to the world around us. Attitudes determine how we want to be seen and understood. The attitudes we build up over the years define who we are. Outside of God they are the result of the devil’s work to keep us alienated and isolated from God and protect us from attitudes of others.

The important thing for us is to undo those attitudes. The scriptural premise is described well by John in his first general letter to the Body of Christ. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work (1Jn.3:8).” Let’s be very clear about one thing. We don’t earn our salvation. That is a free gift through faith in Jesus Christ. It’s like when you are given a tool set. You learn how to use them. You develop your given skill.

What we do is to work out our salvation. “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,…(Php.2:12).” That is, you apply what God has given you, the gift of the Holy Spirit, when you accepted Jesus your salvation, your spiritual restoration to God. It is the Holy Spirit who moves within you to undo the attitudes we all have built outside of God. It is an inner healing to let one attitude replace all others and that is the attitude of Christ. Php.2:5 tells us, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…”

If working out our salvation is to let the Holy Spirit undo our past then Jesus has a purpose for us in doing that. It is to free us for the future. Those past attitudes, strongholds, are what are also known as ‘hang-ups’, things that hinder our freedom to be creative and open to His leading. The task of the Holy Spirit is to release us to act in each future moment, the every next moment. It is to free us from the fear that empowers attitudes that keep us from being witnesses of Jesus for Jesus. Jesus tells us that the process is one He has modeled for us, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me (Luke 9:23).” Taking up our cross is actually undoing our past and walking every next moment with faith in Jesus as our Lord. Jesus’ Cross was undoing all humanity’s past and trusting His Father for all humanity’s future.

“We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.” The Message.

We’ll continue looking at this passage.