2 Corinthians 10:2-6
But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
We need to have a broader scope of strongholds than just our own mind.
Your mind is the arena of faith.
Ephesians 6:10-17
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
“Wiles of the devil” mentioned in the passage above are the enemy’s strategy and plans. We are taught in the word of all the parts of the armor of God. The sword, or the Word, is the only offensive part of armor. An offense helps you to attack or advance.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Christ gives us strength to all things through the anointing of his Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 10:27
And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
These anointings that are available to us are listed in Isaiah 11:2.
Isaiah 11:2
And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;
A stronghold is when a thought or idea is enforced. Recognize that someone who opposes you is likely a pawn in the enemies plan. The moment you try to fight in the flesh, you have already lost! Strongholds are destroyed by the Word. When you’re not getting the Word of God, you are not pulling down strongholds.
Zechariah 4:6
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
God has given us His Spirit and His sword to fight. The sword is His Word.
Jeremiah 1:7-9
But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord . Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
Our first response to any situation in life should be to speak the Word over our lives.
If you’re not getting the Word, you are a believer who is unarmed in a world where the enemy is trying to take you out. How can you give a word to the enemy if you don’t know the Word? The Word of God is the weapon!
There is a triune nature of God, creation, and man. The triune nature of God includes God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Nature is reflected in this same way through a first, second, and third heaven.
The first heaven is physical (earth) and reflects the physical nature of man and God. The second heaven (spirit realm) connects to heaven and earth. Daniel 10 speaks of spiritual warfare taking place in the second heaven. The second heaven is liken unto our mind or soul. Our flesh is not what’s stopping the Lord from doing a work our flesh, it’s our mind that is the hinderance. The third heaven is the actual Heaven where God the Father and Son are.
The triune nature of man consists of a spirit, soul, and a body (earth suit). Whichever has the most feeding and nourishing will bring the most influence to the flesh.
Your body connects you to the earth, your mind connects you to the second heaven, and your Spirit connects you to heaven.
In your soul you can both be in touch with the spirit, and the physical at the same time!
You’ll never have an assignment that will outlive your earth suit which you only need and use while on earth!
The resistance you feel in spiritual warfare is actual principalities not wanting to lose ground. Scripture tell us that we can pull down strongholds and cast down imaginations that rise against the knowledge of God. You can’t do it if you don’t have the knowledge of God.
Your own mind can lie to you based on what you’ve been feeding it. Don’t let your second heaven (mind) run wild.
Acts 19:15-16
And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Acts 19:19-20
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
In these verses, we see that the word of God prevailed but it can’t prevail if you don’t use it. Jesus is the word.
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
1 John 5:17
All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.