I have been studying the idea of strongholds the past several weeks. Inside this study there is an interesting promise. When we live and fight according to the spirit there is a promise we can look forward to: victory!
Look at the promise: “pulling down” – the word pulling down means to demolish, to cast down, to take down, to tear down walls or buildings.
It is the power of God who pulls down the strongholds! The structures that we have allowed the enemy to erect, God is able to pull them down. It carries on the military metaphor; Paul uses the idea that Jesus will destroy by force the strongholds in our lives! But here lies the problem: you can surrender your weapons of warfare to the enemy.
Paul uses this word “weapons” in the book of Romans – it is translated as instruments in Romans.
If Saul were here to testify tonight he would tell you that they removed his head with his own sword. He was into Witchcraft, and it is amazing how he surrendered so much ground, when he and such godly potential. He had godly influence, from Samuel and David... In his life, but he threw it all away.
Here is what Paul said in Romans. Romans 6:12. Do not let sin reign in your mortal bodies, so that you obey it's evil desires. V 13. Do not offer any part of your self to sin as an instrument of wickedness! Rather Paul said offer yourself to God as an instrument of righteousness!
I'm not to give myself, for any part of me: my eyes, my ears, or my heart, nor my mind, hands or feet! I am not to surrender my love, or affection.
Paul said do not present the members of your body to the enemy as weapons of unrighteousness. But instead I'm to present to God my life all of me to the Lord as instruments of righteousness to God.
So if you choose to give ground to the enemy you have given yourself to be used as an instrument of unrighteousness and to sin. But if you present yourself to God because you are alive from the dead, you can become the righteousness of God... Listen to Romans 6:19
Paul said you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever increasing wickedness.... But now- why know Paul? Because Christ has changed your story! Now, you offer yourself as slaves of righteousness leading to holiness!
No one just ever jumps into sin. Every time we sin we let in the influences and pull of more and more. If we nurse it, thesin will grow a foothold. The funny thing about sin is it takes more and more ground and begins to take control of us! No one says I want to be a drunk and ruin my life. No. It starts with the single beer, it starts with the thought that we are cool, or maybe we feel the pressure to be socially acceptable and sip on wine.
Lawlessness leads to more lawlessness. Holiness leads to holiness! Godliness is what God has called us to. We are to claim God’s promises. God’s truth will cast down the wrong thinking that has kept people from surrendering to God!
There are PRINCIPLES worth fighting for
Revelation 12:11. Talks about the blood of the lamb, and the word of their testimony. What is their testimony? They did not shrink from death!
What is the principle that he has given us here? It is the knowledge of God! You tear down strongholds through the knowledge of God.
And the knowledge of God will fortify you, strengthen you unto death!
Many today make the mistake of placing their own ideas, or desires above the revelation of God! Our human speculation has taken a front seat of prominence rather than the divine revelation of God. Our ideas have become more important us. If we are going to fight for the principles of God they must become important to us!
Paul is speaking of the battle of the mind. We are often held captive by and war against powers larger than ourselves.
Paul knew their fortresses well having lived most of his life before his conversion in one of them.
He was in a religious speculation that was contrary to the God of the Bible. However, on the Damascus Road his faulted fortress crumbled under the power of God. He was set free and lead captive to the Lord Jesus Christ...
God changed his story! Right after God brought conviction upon him he said Lord what would you have me do? He is now humble and obedient.
In Romans 6:16. Paul ask an important question... Do you not know to who you present yourselves to slaves?
Whatever you obey you are a slave to...
If To sin... Sin leads to death. If to obedience... Obedience leads to righteousness!
Whenever a person is saved, and surrendered to the Lord do you know what they do? They change masters.
It's easy to become a servant to sin. Lust has had its grip, homosexuality has had the grip, extramarital relationships has had its grip, fornication has had its grip, drunkenness has had its grip, gambling has had its grip, lying has had its grip, cheating and stealing has had its grip, filthy language has had its grip...
But just as much as we were addicted and enslaved to these things, we can change masters today: we can become a slave of righteousness!
I don't know if you've noticed this or not but a lot of our church members are not here consistently... The majority of our people do not come regularly. What is this about?
How many of you remember the Brylcreem? "A little dab will do ya!" We Baptists have taken up that motto! We get a little bit of a sermon, little praise music, and we think we are fine... we are not a slave of righteousness –
What are we a slave too... we are a slave to self, busy schedules, and the all mighty dollar. We do not want God to be the master, because we like to control our life! We want to slip in when we want to, when it pleases us!
You have to change masters!
The Person in whom victory rest
“to the obedience of Christ” – using God’s truth, believers smash enemy fortresses to the ground, march the prisoners out, and bring them into subjection (obedience) to the Lord Jesus Christ.
When Paul was converted, the rebellion of his sinful, proud heart was ended; the walls of his fortress crashed down in ruin, and Jesus conquered his heart.
His major concern first and foremost was the church’s obedience to the person of Jesus Christ! He wanted to see people set free!
Only then would he to speak to the disobedience of others; that is called the Gift of Exhortation. He preached for obedience rather than dealing first with the uncommitted.
I have been in ministry long enough to realize something. Do you know what I have realized? You preach on commitment guess who responds? The most committed!
I have never said this but sometimes I want to... Whenever I preach on commitment, it is the most committed who come and talk to me about being convicted. Sometimes I want to look at them and say "it wasn't you that I was talking to, would you go talk to the ones who were sitting around you... It was for them not for you."
But in a study like this the committed get more committed, while the uncommitted remain uncommitted. It is only by the power of God that the chain is broken... Maybe you will be the one today to have a changed story.
Be sure and join the study of strongholds!
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