Brain Games-1-Tearing Down Strongholds

This morning Pastor Brad starts a new series he calls Brain Games.

Pastor's Notes:

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 NKJV

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not [a]carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

INTRODUCTION

Good morning, everybody.

I’m so glad you’re here today! I hope you enjoyed Pastor Shane last week. How, what a word! Thank you again for all of your kind words, cards, and gifts. They really ministered to us. I really couldn’t do it all without a great staff.

This morning, I want to start a brand new series entitled “Brain Games”, and we will be dealing with some very strong teaching that I believe will help you in your life.

In this series, we are going to deal with the mind, and how to walk in victory. Why?

One of the biggest ways the enemy of our soul attacks us is through our mind.

Can I share with you a secret? It’s a big one. Lean in just a little.

You ready?

TRUTH: The devil is not your biggest enemy.

Yup, you heard me right.

“Hold up a minute, pastor! Haven’t you been teaching us about the Devil and demons?”

I sure have, but He is a defeated foe. When you learn how to recognize his attacks, you can get victory.

The Devil is defeated, but your greatest enemy is you! - POWER STATEMENT

Today, I want to talk to you about “Tearing Down Strongholds”.
What is a stronghold?
A stronghold in the greek text means “a fortress” or “ a fortified hiding place”.

The dictionary defines stronghold as :




1. a place that has been fortified so as to protect it against attack.

Look at the second definition.....

2. a place where a particular cause or belief is strongly defended or upheld.

In our scripture, the word “strongholds” is used in the sense of the spiritual battle, and is used in a negative aspect.

In the Bible, the enemy having a stronghold in your territory means he has snuck in, set up shop in your land, and has put up walls to keep you out in order than he might keep a place in your life.

The trouble is, in our minds, we actually build the stronghold in our mind, and we do our best to protect it.

People can have strongholds of doubt, unbelief, poverty, religion, lust, and many other things. A stronghold is nothing but a safe place to hide in.

Let’s look at what Peter gives us as some insights into the mind.

ILLUSTRATION




1 Peter1:13-16 NKJV

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

In this passage, Peter is talking living for God, and he uses an analogy of a runner. In this culture, when they would run, they would have to take up the loose ends of their toga robes that hung down by their feet, and pick them up and tuck them in, lest that when they started to run, they would trip over it.

• -  We need to get a hold of the loose ends of our thought life.

• -  The loins are reproductive, so if we don’t get a hold of those thoughts, they will reproduce and produce fruit. Thoughts become words, words become actions, etc

• -  If we don’t get our thoughts in check, they will cause us to stumble in the race.

  


  TRANSITION

  With this information, let’s see how we attack this.

  How does bondage get in our lives?

1. Bondage begins as thoughts.

- A thought is not a sin. David seeing Bathsheba naked wasn’t the sin. Even acknowledging that she looked nice wasn’t a sin. Looking twice was the sin.

James 1:15 NKJV “Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

2. Thoughts become arguments (justifications, imaginations)

   - What would it be like?
   - I deserve it.
   - It would be nice to get revenge. - My sin isn’t as bad as others.

3. Justification become a stronghold.

   - It becomes the acceptable pattern of thinking.
   - It becomes an ingrained pattern.
   - This is how habits are formed (repeated behavior).

So how to you tear down a stronghold? It’s more than just us laying hands on you. When you come to the altar and get charged up, you are going to have to tear this down brick by brick.

APPLICATION

1. Take your thoughts captive.

- If you don’t take them captive, they will take you captive.

- You can’t stop the thoughts from coming, but you can stop them from staying.

- QUOTE: You can’t stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can keep it from building a nest in your hair.

2. Cast down arguments

• -  If you skip step one, you have to be more violent. Now you must cast it down.

• -  Don’t coddle it. Don’t let it linger. throw it far away from you!

3. Tear down strongholds.

• -  Get crazy with it at this point.

• -  You have to really determine to get free from this.

• -  Destroy your thoughts and arguments and get them in the open.

• -  If you don’t embarrass sin, sin will embarrass you.

  CONCLUSION

  Are you willing to submit yourself to the process of getting free from bad thinking? Next week we will carry this further.