Demolishing Strongholds
Argument Pretension
Speculations Every lofty
LIE
Misperception
Wrong
thinking
Fed by Satan
Formed
thing
Strongholds form through thoughts (fiery darts) we receive from Satan.
1. Thoughts2. Emotions3. Actions4. Habits5. Strongholds-
Satan’s lies come disguised as our thoughts, opinions, perceptions
The lie takes root and stirs an emotional response
We respond to people and circumstances fed by an emotion driven by
by a lie.
If not corrected, we will continue to respond to people and
circumstances based on the lie fed us by Satan.
We believe the lie is us and in us. It controls our view of life, others,
and God. We defend the stronghold.
For example (only an example!): From your perception, your father made decisions for the
family. You perceive your mother’s position as weakness and your father’s as strength.
You begin to despise your mother and respect your father. Now, you are involved in power
struggles in your marriage, at work, and with your children.
The truth is you were strong-willed and would not receive correction from your
mother, so your father had to be the one to discipline you. What you did not see was your
mother and father talking together and coming to a consensus on decisions. Over time,
your lack of respect for “gentle authority” became a stronghold. Strength and the ability to
control those around you became your measure of worth.
How would this person respond emotionally?
What actions would he/she take?
How does the false perception become habitual?
How does the lie become a stronghold?
What would it take to demolish the stronghold?
Once a person is deceived, he does not recognize the deception and will defend it
and the right to continue in it. The root of arguments and disagreements is strongholds
that have not been surrendered to Jesus and the Holy Spirit- places where a person has not
been set free in the truth. An argumentative, critical, judgmental spirit is the evidence of
strongholds. An argumentative spirit demands control, the critical spirit measures
everything and everyone through his stronghold, and the judgmental spirit condemns.
Boldness is not the indication of a stronghold: the lion and the mouse can both be under the
control of a stronghold. Arrogance/Confrontation, Depression/Despondency,
Independence/Codependency all indicate a person under the control of a stronghold.
The evidence of a stronghold is the fruit it yields
Galatians 5:16-26
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the
flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in
opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are
led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissension, factions,
envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarned you that those
who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
The deeds of the flesh are rooted in a lie spoken by Satan and believed by a person.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law.
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful,
challenging one another, envying one another.
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control
are the indicators of whether we are walking in the flesh controlled by strongholds or
walking in the Spirit yielded to the truth. We either exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, because
the Spirit and the truth are fully operational or we are under the control of strongholds,
because we believe lies about God, ourselves, others, and life.
If there is a fruit of the Spirit you are not exhibiting, you have a stronghold!
A stronghold is a lie that has taken root and is bearing fruit.
In 2 Corinthians 10:1-6, Paul was addressing a stronghold, a lie planted by Satan to destroy
their congregation of faith, that was taking root in the church at Corinth. Paul checked the
fruit in his life and made sure he was not walking according to the flesh, but was walking in
step with Jesus and filled with His Holy Spirit. Only when he knew he was filled with the
meekness and gentleness of Christ did Paul confront the strongholds attacking the
believers at Corinth.
Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am meek
when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent. I ask that when I am present I
may not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some,
who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.
Then Paul challenged them to take up their divinely powerful weapons and go to battle
against Satan’s lies and the fruit they were producing.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons
of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses
(strongholds).
The divinely powerful weapons of our warfare are Jesus, the One who fought the battle
with Satan and redeems us from sin, error and evil, the Word of God (the truth that
destroys Satan’s lies), and the Holy Spirit. Flesh (your mind, your will, your emotion)
cannot win the battle over strongholds. We have to submit to Jesus, take in God’s truth, and
enlist the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. The weapons we need are divinely
powerful for the demolishing of strongholds: the weapons we need are readily available,
but they are only available to those who fear the Lord God and walk with Him.
Work through the following list. Stop when you face resistance- when your mind or
heart rises up and argues or speculates. This is the indication of a stronghold, a place
where a lie has taken root and is bearing fruit. Everyone has strongholds- places where we
are blinded by Satan and cannot see the truth.
My name is ______________________________________________________________________
In order to bring down the strongholds operating in my life, I must…
1. Admit my thinking is flawed; my thoughts are infiltrated by the enemy.
2. Look for habits where my flesh is leading and controlling my emotions, thoughts
and actions.
3. Ask for truth to counter the lies I have taken in and digested from Satan.
4. Let the Holy Spirit renew my mind through His mind, His truth, His ways
The same pattern applies in reverse: Freedom- habits- action- emotion- thought
 When we know the truth (experience the power of the truth actually working
in us to undo Satan’s lies, habits change. We do no do things the way we
always have.
 When our ways change, our actions change, because they are driven by the
truth and led by the Holy Spirit.
 Emotions are our responses to life, to people and to situations. When the lies
that have driven us are removed, we see clearly and respond very differently.
 The last bastion of the stronghold to fall is thoughts, because that is Satan’s
point of attack.
5. Take on the meekness and gentleness of Christ and walk in the fruit of the Spirit
6. Help others see and confront their strongholds. I can only help them when I have let
God take the log out of my eye.
We are destroying speculations (arguments) and every lofty thing (pretensions) raised
up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of
Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience once your obedience is complete.

Strongholds are surrounded by and defended by speculations and
arguments, ways we reason, justify, rationalize and defend our actions and
ways we vilify, condemn, and judge others.

Strongholds are filled with EGO- pride in what we know, have or can do
which blinds us to the joy of changing and surrendering to the Lord.

Strongholds are destroyed through the taking in of the Word of God- the
truth- and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Strongholds cannot be attacked in the flesh or by the flesh; they have to be
taken down and demolished in the Spirit. We cannot see the stronghold
without revelation by the Holy Spirit or destroy the stronghold. But, as God
through the Word and the Holy Spirit reveal truth to us, we can take every
thought captive to the obedience of Christ (His Spirit operating in us) and we
can walk in obedience to all He is calling forth for us and in us.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons
of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses
(strongholds).
We are destroying speculations (arguments) and every lofty thing (pretensions) raised
up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of
Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience once your obedience is complete.