Tag: Breaking Down Strongholds

²¹ When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” ²² Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” ~ John 21:21-22

Just before Jesus’ ascension, He asked Peter 3 times if he loved Him. Peter replied, “Yes, LORD, I love You.” Jesus then told him to feed His sheep. No one is called to be idle; we all have work to do, and that work is feeding the sheep. You don’t have to be a full-time lead pastor to feed sheep; we just need to be knowledgeable ourselves and committed.

Then Jesus goes on to tell Peter how he would die. Peter didn’t seem to be pleased with what he learned about his future. He apparently turns away from the conversation because the Scripture says that he turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them.

He points his finger at him and says to Jesus, “What about him?” This is often us. We look at our trials and tribulations, then at others, and we feel envious of them and their journey. But we have to remember what Jesus explained to Peter. Your job is not based on someone else’s job. Your call is not based on someone else’s call. Their experience is not your experience. Their situation is not your situation.

Your job is to follow Jesus and be obedient to His plan for you. When things get hard, and persecution gets rough, always remember that you are not your own; you are bought at a price. Therefore, the life you live does not belong to you but to Jesus.

You will receive your life in eternity. This life here on earth is only for a very short time, and it is a preparation for eternity, and it is to be lived for Jesus. That is not too much to ask since He purchased your life by giving His own life. Did you notice what Jesus said to Peter? Don’t look around and notice the lush lifestyle someone else might seem to be living compared to yours. What is it to you if it is Jesus’ will to bless someone else extravagantly? You follow Jesus; never forget that.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Remember Whom You Follow.

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21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. 22 As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. ~ Romans 1:21-22 NLT

Sometimes, as humans, we forget our role in the world. We forget who we are. We aren’t the Creator; we’re the creation. What does that mean? We don’t get a say in who the Creator is. Why? Because we didn’t create Him. He created us.

Oftentimes, we get so caught up in our own ideas and biases that we miss the Truth that’s staring us in the face. It’s not our truth that sets us free. It’s not society’s Truth that sets us free. It’s The Truth that sets us free. What is The Truth? Jesus. And Jesus does not change. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If He doesn’t change, then neither will The Truth or The Word.

Therefore, seek the LORD with all your heart and humble yourself before Him that He might show you who He is. When you truly learn who God is, that’s when you truly learn who you are.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek The Truth of God.

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⁶ Afterward they traveled from town to town across the entire island until finally they reached Paphos, where they met a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus. ⁷ He had attached himself to the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to visit him, for he wanted to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas and Saul said. He was trying to keep the governor from believing. ⁹ Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye. ¹⁰ Then he said, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord? ¹¹ Watch now, for the Lord has laid his hand of punishment upon you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see the sunlight for some time.” Instantly mist and darkness came over the man’s eyes, and he began groping around begging for someone to take his hand and lead him. ~ Acts of the Apostles 13:6-11^NLT

Elymus interfered and urged the Governor to not listen to the Gospel. Being a sorcerer, he most likely not only used his words to urge the Governor but also a charm. He was using his position and demonic/Satanic power to his own advantage. How? If the Governor received salvation, the sorcerers and the false prophets would lose their influence over the Governor.

He was physically trying to keep the Governor in spiritual darkness; in doing so, he opened himself up to be taken over by physical darkness. We have to be careful what we say and do because every physical act has a spiritual reward or consequence.

Dear LORD, please help me not to act against You. Help me to have reverence for You and Your Kingdom. Help me to always show Your light to the world and to never snuff it out. Help me to always kindle the flame of the gifts You have given me and never use them for my own selfish ambition and gain.

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⁴  Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. ~ Romans 3:4

The early Church was led, taught, and guided by men and women who didn’t search the Scriptures with biases but allowed the Holy Spirit to guide them. They didn’t care what the Truth was; they just wanted to know the Truth. I believe this was a key piece to the miracles they saw and mysteries revealed to them. Today’s Church is quite the opposite.

Today, we don’t care what God’s Scripture says; we care what our favorite pastor or teacher says. We care what Church Tradition has taught us from our childhood. We care what our own thoughts and opinions are. Why? Pride? Arrogance? Stubbornness? This is currently what plagues the Church, ignorance. We’re ignorant of the Truth because we’d rather someone else’s interpretation or our own beliefs over the Truth. Only the Truth can set us free. Only the true Word of God is sharper than any double-edged sword.

Therefore, seek God and His wisdom. Seek God and His understanding. If the Scriptures contradict your beliefs, then it’s your beliefs that need to be adjusted, not the Scriptures. If the Scriptures seem to contradict, then it’s your understanding that is flawed, not the Scriptures. We don’t have to stay in ignorance, our God wants us to understand and have wisdom, that’s why He gave us His Word and His Holy Spirit.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Escape Ignorance.

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¹³ You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors, ¹⁴ therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people, and all your fortresses shall be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle; mothers were dashed in pieces with their children. ~ Hosea 10:13-14

The forbidden fruit can seem more important than anything else. It looks good to the eyes, touch, and smell. It even promises to give you something, but what it’ll take from you is so much more. The iniquity that we cling to won’t allow us to live in peace. Why? Because unrighteousness can’t dwell with God.

See, our souls, deep down, yearn for God. It knows we need God. That we’re empty without Him because we’re empty without Him. So, our soul is being destroyed by the sin that we allow in our lives. Sin doesn’t want what’s best for you. Sin wants to destroy you. It wants to drain you of all you have until there is nothing left to give. Sin destroys, but God saves. Sin condemns, but God redeems. If we want the peace of God with all of the other many blessings and benefits that come with dwelling in the presence of God and abiding in His love.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Forbid Forbidden Fruit.

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¹² The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is kept in store. ¹³ The pangs of childbirth come for him, but he is an unwise son, for at the right time he does not present himself at the opening of the womb. ~ Hosea 13:12-13

The LORD gives us each time to prepare for our call that He has given to us. But the strongholds that keep us bound in chains because we refuse to give up our sins will try to keep us from that call. This is the only life we have to fulfill all that God has in store for us. We can’t afford to let anything keep us from the good life God has for us.

Each obstacle is a new learning experience. It’s a new way to grow so that you’ll be ready to face what’s in store for you. Our call is sometimes bigger than we can imagine. Sometimes it’s bigger than we’re ready for because we didn’t allow the LORD to prepare us. If we allow our strongholds to keep us from preparing for our call, we’ll never be ready for it.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Prepare For Your Call.

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³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. ~ John 8:36

So many of us are battling the same sins we have had for years. We all struggle with sin. None of us are perfect, but only a few of us actually ever overcome our sin. Imagine each sin we struggle with is a tree in our yard. Some people only trim the branches of the tree so that their house (them) can still get a little light, while some of us go as far as to cut down the whole tree. Both of these are good steps to take, but they give a false sense of completion and overcoming.

See, when we begin trimming those limbs or even cutting down trees, we feel like we’ve overcome, and we leave that dead tree and start on to the next tree. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, that tree we thought we were completely down with has sprung up and is now beginning to blossom and bloom. We’re constantly struggling with the same sins over and over again because we don’t take the time to dig up the root. We don’t face the root of our sin to figure out what opened the door in the first place. When you find the root of your sin, face it. Dig it up and place it before God. And never return to it again.

Dear God, please help me to see the root of my sin. Help me to overcome my sin. Help me to do more than cut off the branches or cut down the tree. Help me to dig up the root so that it will never sprout up in my life again. Help me to truly overcome. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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⁴⁹ I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! ~ Luke 12:49-50

Jesus understood His mission. He understood His call in life. He knew the importance of it to the point that it distressed Him. His call was His focus. It was His North Star, if you will. It led Him back to the Father. It led Him forward to whatever He needed to accomplish. It led Him in every endeavor in life. He understood the urgency of fulfilling that call because He was on fire for God. That fire inside of Him, He wanted to share with the world. He needed to share with the world. It was like it was shut up in His bones, and He had to release it. This is His desire for us.

So, many of us know our call. We can feel it deep within us, but we refuse to chase after it. We refuse to let it direct us. Maybe it’s because of fear. Maybe it’s because of depression, doubt, or anxiety. Maybe we’re battling a sin we don’t feel God can save and redeem us from. Whatever may be blocking and hindering you from fulfilling your call, you have to tear it down. You can’t allow it to overcome you. You have to overcome it. You have to master it so that you can fulfill the call of God at all costs.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be Distressed By Your Call.

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¹¹ I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. ~ Revelation 3:11

Jesus told the Church in Philadelphia to hold fast to what they had so that someone else wouldn’t take their crown from them. So many of us take this warning from Jesus as a warning against someone taking the crown of life from you, but that’s not Jesus’ warning. Paul said that he was certain that no one could remove us from the love of Christ. Therefore, no one could take or seize our salvation from us. Jesus was warning us about someone else taking our blessing, promise, etc. from us. So often, the Church holds on to the false hope of que sera, sera, but this isn’t Biblical. We all have promises, blessings, and favor given to us from the good LORD above, but unless we hold fast to them, unless we claim them, they won’t be given to us.

Moses was a man that was slow of speech and tongue; never is there a claim that he received his healing. Moses was called to go before Pharaoh alone, but Moses allowed his doubt and fear to get the better of him, and his descendants have long since been forgotten. Aaron, who wasn’t a part of the original plan but obeyed as the LORD called, seized Moses’ gift. It was Aaron’s descendants who became the priests and high priests of Israel. His descendants received the legacy that was initially intended for Moses’ descendants.

Your blessings, promises, and God-given favor aren’t just going to fall into your lap. You have to hold on to it by being obedient. You can’t allow any stronghold, whether it be fear, shame, doubt, anxiety, anger, grief, etc., to keep you from being obedient to God because you may just very well miss your good gift from your good Father in Heaven.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Hold Fast To What Is Yours.

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