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Demonic Strongholds

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Yesterday we saw how a demonic foothold can turn into a demonic strong man. Unfortunately it doesn’t stop there. If the agreement or contract is not broken then the strongman that began as a foothold becomes a stronghold. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 states: For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,…

Let us revisit the demonic stages of torment or demonization. Yesterday we saw how a small demonic foothold left unaddressed transforms into a demonic strong man. Yet, when these two stages are ignored the strong man becomes a stronghold, or demonic fortress. What’s a demonic fortress? Demonic strongholds are spiritual fortresses – mental and soulish – built from lies, ungodly beliefs, habitual sins, traumas, soul and spirit hurts or wounds, generational cycles of sin, deceit, deception, and demonic agreements. Any of these give the enemy forces influence and control of a person’s mind, emotions, and lifestyle – hindering spiritual growth. Obviously, they aren’t physical places but entrenched mindsets like fear, pride, bitterness, judgments, hate, unforgiveness, etc. – that we have allowed to control our thinking and our living. 

What do we do? Ephesians 4:26-30 offers some exhortations: When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down.27 Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].28 Let the thief steal no more, but rather let him be industrious, making an honest living with his own hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need.29 Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God’s own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin).

Take note of the steps: 

Don’t let anger remain

Do not give the devil any more room to have a foothold in your life

Let the thief steal no more

Get rid of foul or polluting language – this isn’t just talking about profanity, or profane speech. (If there is sacred speech there is profane speech). What it is talking about is speech that is attached to the feelings of anger, unforgiveness, criticism, judgments, malicious talk, bitterness, slander, gossip, etc.

Speak only what is beneficial to the spiritual progress of others

Give Grace to Others (that’s what’s still begin given to you by God. You didn’t deserve it when you first believed and confessed Jesus as Lord, and you still don’t. That’s why it’s called GRACE. You and I are saved by it – continuously)

Do not grieve the Spirit of God – do not put out the Spirit’s desires through disobedience; through His thoughts, words, and ideas. Remember, Rom. 3:10-12. No one is righteous, seeks God tries to understand, or seeks to be good. Any desires that align with these things is the Spirit – not the devil.

How do we apply these truths – practically? First, IDENTIFY the agreements you have made with the enemy. Second, AGREE with God and His Word. This is what confession of sin should be. Sin is agreements made with satan, and confession of sin is agreement with God and His Truth. This is followed by the third step, REPENTANCE. Repentance is where we change our thinking, activity, language, and lifestyle. True repentance involves no longer wavering between two opinions. Additionally, this is what the Bible describes as faith. Wavering between two opinions is unbelief. Fourth, ADDRESS THE STRONGHOLD, as a demonic strong man. For example, let’s say you cannot stop thinking about pornography, or fear, or anxiety. Once the thought begins you are powerless to resist it. So what do you do? What would you do if you could see a demon of fear, lust, pornography, or anxiety sitting on your chest and grabbing you by the throat?

Submit to God through surrender to His Lordship and specific confession of the sin. For example, let’s say it’s “fear.” Confession of sin is followed by addressing the demon sitting on your chest. “Fear” (or whatever the controlling sin is) I agree with you that I invited you into my life through___________. I invited you into my life but now I am inviting you to go. I am created in the image of God. With my freewill I invited you into my life and with my free will I am inviting you to go. With my freewill I can say, “Yes!” to God and with it I can say, “No!” Since God cannot violate my freewill neither can you. So, I’m serving you notice: “Fear” you have got to get out of my life, out of my spiritual house and temple. And one more thing. “Fear” I have been bought, purchased, and redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb – Jesus Christ of Nazareth. I don’t belong to you anymore. I belong to Jesus. Get out of my life and do not return! I do not want you. I don’t need you. I am temple for Jesus. You are not my friend – go to the feet of Jesus! NOW!

Last step: Begin thinking, talking, walking, and acting with and in the opposite spirit. In other words begin to practice what a follower of Jesus looks like who knows and believes, and trusts – that they are perfectly loved. Perfect love drives out fear. Thank the Lord for those things that are yours now by and through the Blood of Jesus, and by the Spirit of God. Begin talking like someone who knows they have been delivered. Begin acting, and walking like someone who is bold as a lion; is surrounded by angels; is washed in the Blood of the Lamb continuously – never stopping. Begin living like the fullness of the Godhead dwells within you. What does every knee have to do before Jesus? You are a child of the King, a new creation, seated in heavenly places with Jesus. Your name is written on His palms and His Book of Life.

“We leak!”

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James 4:7-8 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 

The Jewish month of Elul begins today, Monday, August 25 and extends to September, 23, 2025. What significance does that have for us as followers of Yeshua? Elul prepares the Jewish people for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah (Monday, September 22 – Wednesday, September 24, 2025 or according to God’s Calendar then year 5786). This new year is followed by a ten day period of prayer, self-examination and repentance. It is the custom that during the month of Elul, the celebrations of Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur that a shofar (ram’s horn) is blown indicating that it’s time for the spiritually complacent, those who have fallen asleep spiritually, are needing to wake up. Is this what Paul had in mind when he wrote: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”? (Eph. 5:14) Some may be tempted to say, Well that’s simply legalism; an Old Testament practice. Why do we need to seek God when we already have Him living in our hearts? Which, on the surface, appears to be a good question. Yet, they totally discount the New Testament Scripture that exhorts the same. It’s interesting how we have a selective process of reading Scripture. We often look for the things that support our opinions rather than allowing the truth to change us and lead us to change our thinking and way of living. Case in point? James 4:7-8 was written as an exhortation to the church; people that were followers of Jesus. What did James exhort them to do? Submit, and draw near to God, resist the devil, cleanse your heart, etc. Why would these people, who have Jesus living inside, are temples of the Spirit, have forgiveness of sins, and have been declared that they are not guilty, need to seek after God? For the same reason that “these” people have left Jesus outside of His church service – knocking trying to get in, have become lukewarm in their love and zeal for Jesus, and His Word, have become hard-hearted, and the list just keeps on giving. C.H. Spurgeon was once asked, Why do we need to keep asking to be filled with the Spirit? His response? “We leak!”

I guess a more pertinent question would be to ask, Do you believe Jesus is about to return at any time? Do you believe He will come and tabernacle with us? (indicating the time of year He is planning on returning – the Feast of Tabernacles) Your answers to these questions results in a follow up question: Do you desire to have Jesus say to you, Well done, My good and faithful servant? or Depart from Me I never knew you? Many would say, But I know Jesus. To which I would reply, Are you making Jesus known? Any of us who claim to know Jesus would be about the business of making Jesus known. Any one of us who knows Jesus would be demonstrating their love and gratitude through uncompromised obedience, submission, and surrender to His Spirit and Word. Any one of us who truly knows Jesus would be living a lifestyle of having their thinking, and lifestyles changed to conform more fully to His example and word.

Renewing our seeking after the Presence of Jesus calls us back to True Center of Who we have drifted from. In other words, We leak! Now the question becomes, How do you seek after Jesus? What does that look like in a follower of Jesus’ life?

Spiritual Limbo

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Obadiah 1:3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you dweller in the refuges of the rock [Petra, Edom’s capital], whose habitation is high, who says in his heart, Who can bring me down to the ground?

George Gordon Liddy, Watergate conspirator, was released from prison in 1977. Once he stated: “I have found within myself all I need and all I ever shall need. I am a man of great faith, but my faith is in George Gordon Liddy. I have never failed me.”  Statements and attitudes like his crack me up. It’s like the clever vacuum cleaner salesman who closed hundreds of sales with this line: “Let me show you something several of your neighbors said you couldn’t afford.” In truth you cannot afford to NOT humble yourself before the Lord. But what does that look like or better yet what doesn’t it look like? James 4:7 begins where we all have to come to an end: Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. You can’t resist the tempter whose fall from Grace began with I will. If you refuse to be submitted and surrendered to God in obedience then you can be assured that you are most definitely not walking in humility, and you most certainly will not be able to resist the devil. It’s interesting that a similar thought is found in 1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. Many a Christian has lost the battle of seeking to resist the devil while failing first to surrender and submit to God in humility. Another passage used quite often here in America is 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by My Name will humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways – then will I hear from Heaven…” True Biblical humility is accompanied by prayer that seeks the Face and Presence of God. True Biblical humility is accompanied by turning from wicked ways. Unfortunately this has been reduced to legalistic, moral formulas: “don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t chew, and don’t hang out with those who do.” Turning in humility to Jesus and His Word has a greater focus on what you Should Do than what you shouldn’t. Over the years we have learned ways to talk ourselves out of obedience to Jesus and His Word. For example, Jesus said, Go to the Nations and make disciples. I’ve have heard so many excuses for not obeying the Lord in this area that frankly amazes, and confounds me. (Paul called it the mystery of lawlessness – 2 Thess. 2:7) If I am truly humbling myself before the Lord I am going to seek to obey Him in every way that I am conscious and aware of.

Once I had someone state that they could attain God’s Perfection. To achieve this requires that you obey the Word of God completely in every way. (By the way: this is completely impossible. If it were possible we wouldn’t need Jesus – the only PERFECT sacrifice). Yet, although sinless perfection is impossible, we are not excused from seeking to obey Him in every way. This is called sanctification or set apartness. We are called to be set apart uniquely to God, or as Paul designates us: to be saints. To be sanctified, and saintly is to be holy. To be holy is to be uniquely different from everything that is considered normal, average, and expected. It is to be a cut above the rest. In other words, you stand out, and are distinct, and distinguished from others. Thus you could sum holiness up with another word, humility.

One more thought regarding humility: it is like the Limbo Dance originating in Trinidad, and Tobago. Just as the limbo bar is progressively lowered to the ground for its’ participants so humility grows progressively as you bend your soul before God’s Word, Spirit, and Grace. With each passing phase Jesus truly becomes your Petra – your unbending, and immovable rock – and to Him you can crawl and hide. As one of the smartest men in the Bible discovered and experienced: When I am weak then I am strong. (2 Cor. 12:10)

Draw from the lessons of nature found in some Eastern proverbs: ‘A tree that is unbending is easily broken’, or as the religious classic, the Tao Te Ching states: ‘The hard and strong will fall, the soft and weak will overcome.’ In a nutshell this is Jesus’ teaching on meekness which simply means power restrained like the bridling of a horse.

Time = Life

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Psalm 1:1-2 Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather.2 But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night.

Julia Neves, in a web article titled, The Top Ten Time Wasters and How to Avoid Them wrote: Time wasters, by definition, are activities or tasks that drain our valuable time without contributing meaningful returns to our productivity, effectiveness, or fulfillment. They represent the errands we run, the habits we engage in, or even the tasks we undertake that, despite consuming time, offer little to no substantial value. Michael Gerber once stated: Time is just another word for life. If time is just another word for life then how would you describe your life? Are you an investor in time and life or are you one who wastes the life you have been given?

In this Psalm those who delight in the Lord, in His teachings and instructions, do not waste their time – their life – walking, standing, and sitting – with mockers, or scorners. Mocking and scorning are seen as actions that are contrary to the character and will of God. The Topical Bible states: These terms refer to the act of ridiculing, deriding, or showing contempt towards others, and they are often associated with pride, arrogance, and a lack of respect for God and His commandments. In the Old Testament these characteristics are associated with the sinful, wicked, and foolish. Proverbs 9:7-8 states: “He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself; he who rebukes a wicked man taints himself. Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.” This passage underscores the futility of attempting to correct those who are entrenched in mockery, as they are resistant to wisdom and correction. The Psalms also address the issue of mockery, often in the context of the righteous being scorned by the wicked. We see this attitude emerging powerfully during Jesus’ five governmental trials of the night before the religious leaders, Pilate, and Herod. Jesus is scorned and mocked by the Romans soldiers, by the thieves on the cross, and by the spectators of His crucifixion. They scorned and mocked Him to the bitter, triumphant end. One writer stated that mockery and scorn are seen as manifestations of a heart that is hardened against God. They are often linked with pride, as those who mock others elevate themselves above them, failing to recognize their own need for grace and redemption. And there it is. Grace is the need of every blood washed saint of Jesus. Grace is the empowerment to do the will of God. Grace is the empowerment that exceeds do-it-your-self righteousness. 2 Peter 3:18 states: But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. James 4:6-10 echoes this by stating: But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

To grow in Grace is to grow in agreement and alignment with God’s Word and Truth. To grow in Grace is a daily surrender of every thought that comes from the Spirit of God, and every reminder from the Word of God. To grow in Grace is to do the opposite of Romans 3:10-12. It is to seek to be rightly related to God and others; it is to seek understanding of the Word; it is to seek to be connected to the manifest Presence of God; it is to seek to bear fruit and be teachable; it is to turn to God – in every way of obedience and faith; and it is to seek to be good. Mockers and scorners are resisted by God. Mockers and scorners are not teachable, nor humble, nor meek. They resist the Truth and in their resisting their resist Jesus Who is the Truth. With all of that in mind what are you investing your life in? Where are you spending your time and life? Are you growing in humility, meekness, and dependence on the Lord? Are you growing in His Grace and see its’ vital need? Mockers, and scorners put out the fires of His Grace and grieve the Spirit of God’s presence in their life. But those who delight in God and His instruction are constantly meditating in and on His Word.