Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” The corollary to truth setting us free is that lies will keep us captive. Lies and belief systems built around them are strongholds that push back against God’s truth. They may simply come from our intellect and the worldly perspectives we have been taught or they may have been established by intuitive conclusions we drew as a result of some hurtful experience. If these beliefs were created by experiences and reside deep in our hearts, they can become formidable strongholds because we are often unaware of those powerful influences. If the enemy works to maintain these false beliefs and assigns demonic spirits to reinforce the lies they become spiritual strongholds.
In 2 Corinthians 10, Paul tells us that our thought life is the real battleground for the believer. He tells us that strongholds exist within us that exalt themselves and argue against God’s truth. Paul writes that before we can walk in the freedom of Christ, these strongholds must be pulled down, but the dismantling of these fortresses can only be accomplished by divine weapons. The goal is to take every thought captive (conscious and subconscious), and surrender them to the truth of Jesus Christ. Jesus said that his words are spirit and they are life (See John 6:63). Aligning our beliefs with his thoughts gives us life.
Scripture asserts that we are body, soul, and spirit. It tells us over and over that the spiritual realm is where the greater realities reside. Paul tells us that our most profound struggles are not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces that come against us (See Eph. 6:12). He tells us that spiritual armor is essential to overcoming daily attacks of the enemy (See Eph. 6:11), and that divine weapons are needed to tear down false belief systems and bring our thought life into alignment with God’s truth (See 2 Cor. 10:3-5). Secular counseling, psychology, self-help books, and twelve-step programs cannot effectively reach these places because they don’t deal effectively with the spiritual realm. Without the divine weapons of prayer, healing from the Holy Spirit, hearing a fresh word form God, deliverance, etc. the best we can hope for is to manage the behaviors or emotions prompted by or core beliefs and demonic influence most of the time. Real freedom cannot be achieved through weapons or therapies of the world.
God uses many tools to transform us and make us into the image of his Son. But the greatest transformation occurs when Jesus heals our wounds from the past and the Holy Spirit aligns our core beliefs with God’s truth. This can occur in several ways, but the most powerful way is through a moment of revelation where God’s Spirit bears witness with our spirit about his truth. In such moments, the life-giving Word of God can replace a lie that has shaped our perspectives and decisions for years (See Rom. 8:16).
The truth is that every one of us carries some level of brokenness and some core belief(s) that are not perfectly aligned with the mind of Christ. Some lead us off course by a few degrees, while others have us sailing south instead of due north. The question is not if we carry wounds and brokenness—we do—but can we find healing and freedom from these and other things that keep us from the abundant life Jesus has promised?
The answer is “Yes!” in Jesus. He promises healing and has purchased it for you.
He (the Father) has sent me (Jesus) to heal the brokenhearted. (Luke 4:18, parenthesis added)
Surely, he has borne our grief and carried our sorrows . . he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, and by his stripes we are healed. (Isa. 53:4-6)
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Ps. 34:18)
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)
These scriptures tell us that God has a great heart and great compassion for broken people. In fact, he is close to those individuals in some way that he is not close to others. I think that simply means that his heart is especially responsive to those in pain and bondage. The greatest lie of the enemy is that God has no use for the broken and that he rejects them just like those who first wounded the brokenhearted. Broken people expect rejection and often judge themselves more than others judge them. Because of the stronghold of rejection within them, they project their own rejection onto others and even onto God. Having done that they don’t truly believe God loves them except in some abstract, general way. They have little faith that God will answer their prayers or that he has a great future in mind for them.
The truth is that God cares deeply for each of us but especially the brokenhearted and has purchased their healing with the blood of his Son. Jesus defined his ministry as preaching, healing broken hearts, and setting captives free (See Isa. 61:1-3). I know I have said that numerous times in this blog but I don’t know that it can be said too often.
God is providing healing through his church today. That healing grace is being dispensed through those that God has already healed and set free. Not every congregation knows how to use divine weapons to tear down these strongholds and not every congregation moves in the power of the Spirit and the exercise of spiritual gifts, but many do. If you are one of those who desperately need the healing touch of Jesus then find one of those churches. Ask God to lead you to the people he wants to use to dispense his grace in your life. Do not give up. Do not settle for a life of emotional pain. Do not buy the lie that God doesn’t care for you. Be aggressive in finding your healing. Jesus said that since the days of John the Baptist the kingdom of God has been forcefully advancing and forceful people are taking hold of it. Let me encourage you to be one of those forceful people.
Be blessed today.
