Strongholds
: Our View of
God
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not
waging war according to the flesh. For the
weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh
but have divine power to destroy
strongholds. We destroy arguments and
every lofty opinion raised against the
knowledge of God, and take every thought
captive to obey Christ…” *
Breaking it Down
• Not against flesh and blood – not fought
with humans resources, strategies, tactics
• Weapons – mighty in God
– Destroy: to extinction; violent and deliberate
– Strongholds: a fortification; seat of authority
• Arguments and Lofty Opinions – inflated
imaginations and delusional reasonings
from a corrupt and darkened mind that
argue with your faith.
Breaking it Down
• Against the Knowledge of God – Who He
is, His ways, His Word, His will.
• Take Every Thought Captive – imprison
them, render them useless, powerless,
inoperative and non-threatening.
• To Obey Christ – Make that thought – or
repeated thinking – bend its knee to the
truth, character, ways of Jesus.
What is a Stronghold?
A satanic lie, a generational mindset or a
human wounding that you have listened to
long enough, believed strongly enough, and
owned deeply enough that it becomes part
of your identity. It has fortified itself in you
and dictates your thoughts, beliefs, actions
and reactions. It is an unholy filter through
which all thoughts pass.
(Pastor Steve Berger)
Examples of Strongholds
Rejection
Unforgiveness
Pride
Unbelief
Fear
Anger
Control or Passivity
Shame and Condemnation, etc.
Stronghold: How We View God
Genesis 3:1-7
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any
other beast of the field that the LORD God had
made. He said to the woman, "Did God
actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in
the garden'?” And the woman said to the
serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in
the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of
the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the
garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'”
Stronghold: How We View God
...But the serpent said to the woman, "You will
not surely die for God knows that when you eat
of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be
like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the
woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that
the tree was to be desired to make one wise,
she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave
some to her husband who was with her, and he
ate…
Stronghold: How We View God
…Then the eyes of both were opened, and
they knew that they were naked. And they
sewed fig leaves together and made
themselves loincloths.” *
Satan’s Sabotage
Satan’s strategy here was to undermine
God’s character, persuading them that God
did not love them and is not trustworthy.
– Instilling doubt by accusing God of lying
– God did not have their best interest at heart
– God withholding something good from them
– Ultimately, God is not trustworthy
– This cultivated a predisposition (bent) towards
acting independently of God
Satan’s Sabotage
• From the very beginning of your life and
mine, Satan’s aim has been to distort,
disfigure and destroy the character of
God in your heart and mind.
• In childhood – through our teen years –
into adulthood, Satan will strategically play
on the events of our lives to drive home a
distorted image of the One who loves you.
“Steal, kill, destroy” – John 10:10
Satan’s Sabotage
• Satan knows that if we see God for who
He really is that we’ll fall in love with Him,
be conformed to the image of Jesus, and
have His vision for our lives – thus fulfill
God’s purposes, glorify Him, and become
a serious threat to the purposes of hell.
• The image of God you carry around in
your heart and mind affects your daily life!
The Result in Our Lives?
A stronghold (fortification) in our thinking
about who God is and is not;
how He does or doesn’t relate to you;
what He will or won’t do for you;
what He’s able or unable to do
in and through you.
Pause with me for a moment.
How do you view God?
Where are your strongholds of thinking?
A Misrepresented God
• What “image” of God rules your mind?
• How have those “images” come to be?
– Authority figures? Other people? Our own sin?
– Words? Actions? Hurts? Disappointments?
– Life circumstances? Traumatic events?
• Satan looks to pounce and take advantage!
• Which of these “images” have become
fortified thinking (strongholds), robbing you
of relationship, joy, peace and destiny?
Moving Forward
• Jeremiah 9:23-25:
– “Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man
boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man
boast in his might, let not the rich man boast
in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in
this, that he understands and knows me, that I
am the Lord who practices steadfast love,
justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in
these things I delight, declares the Lord.’”
Moving Forward
• Exodus 34:6-7
– The Lord passed before him and proclaimed,
“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and
gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in
steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping
steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity
and transgression and sin…
Moving Forward
• Repentance
– “Owning” the reality that we’ve not walked in
the truth about God revealed in the
Scriptures.
– “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9
– Realigning us to the truth of who God really is.
Moving Forward
• Engage God’s Character in the Scriptures
– His Names, Titles and Attributes reveal Him
– Example: The Book of Revelation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Alpha and Omega; The One who was, is, is to come
Holy, holy, holy; Worthy of honor, glory, praise
The Living One; Lord God Almighty
The Lamb of God; King of Kings, Lord of Lords
The One who sits upon the Throne
Ruler of the kings of the Earth
The One the nations worship, etc.
Moving Forward
• Seek God’s Ways Throughout Scripture
– Exodus 33:13: “Show me now your ways that I
might know you…”
– One’s ways are an extension of who they are
– God’s ways reveal how He goes about things
•
•
•
•
If you want to live – you must die to self
You experience grace when you embrace humility
To walk in wisdom you must Fear the Lord
To become great we must become servants
Moving Forward
• Observe God’s Works in Scripture
– God’s acts display who He is / what He’s like
– Examples from the Scriptures:
• The parting of the Red Sea reveals His power,
protection and commitment to His promises.
• David’s defeat of Goliath demonstrates God’s ability
to accomplish much through yielded vessels.
• How Jesus dealt with the woman caught in adultery
shows us the extent of His forgiveness.
Moving Forward
• Listen to God’s Words in Scripture
– God’s words show us what’s in His heart
– Examples in Scriptures:
• “Let Us make man in our own image…” reveals
God’s heart for man and unveils the Trinity.
• “Honor one another above yourselves” shares how
we are to relate to one another.
• “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life…” shows us
how we enter in to relationship with God
• “Its more blessed to give than receive…” let’s us
know God’s heart towards giving.
Review: A Stronghold is…
A satanic lie, a generational mindset or a
human wounding that you have listened to
long enough, believed strongly enough, and
owned deeply enough that it becomes part
of your identity. It has fortified itself in you
and dictates your thoughts, beliefs, actions
and reactions. It is an unholy filter through
which all thoughts pass.
(Pastor Steve Berger)
From Stronghold to Truth
• Begins with Repentance
• Realignment via the Scriptures & Daily Life:
– Engage God’s Character
– Seek God’s Ways
– Observe God’s Works
– Listen to God’s Words
What steps will you take today?