He exalts Himself to show mercy...
And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.” (Isaiah 29:13-14).
“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit... And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth... (Is. 11:1,3-4a).
Our actions and the resulting fruit in our lives are the result of our heart, our beliefs and thoughts. Sometimes we can try to control our external behavior and feel completely helpless. Ignatius struggled with this in his walk of obedience. He knew what he was supposed to do but kept on sinning. In distress, he would confess over and over again his sin but he would return to it each time. Feeling distraught, he swore not to eat or drink until God freed him from his sin or he saw he was at death's door. Fortunately, one of his superiors stopped him after a week of fasting.
Dallas Willard notes that we can manage our feelings and attitudes, learning culturally acceptable and euphemistic ways to disguise them, but still living in the condition. For example, he says, “one can live in the underlying condition of hatred, contempt, hurry, or discouragement but not always have the accompanying feelings.” He notes the underlying conditions of our character must be addressed.
While we frequently wrestle with our actions and behaviors, they are most often only the symptom of deeper issues in our lives that need to be dealt with. When we cut off the root cause of our sin, we are set free in our behaviors.
In more than one place in Matthew, Jesus challenges believers to cut off anything in their lives that causes stumbling. He figuratively says in Matthew 5:30, “If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you...”
Life Application Bible Commentary notes about the verse that we sometimes tolerate sins in our lives that could eventually destroy us. They write that it is better to experience the pain of removal than allowing the sin to bring judgment and condemnation.
We need to be willing to honestly examine our lives in areas where there is repeated sin and be willing to address and root out the deeper heart issues that are resulting in our sin.
As a speaker noted at a training session this last weekend on cutting, the person has a purpose behind their behavior. All sin, while it may provide us some immediate release or benefit, is destructive behavior. And that destructive behavior has a purpose behind it. The key is not solely focusing on the cutting or other sinful behavior, but working to get to the purpose behind it. We need to ask, “What is this really about?”
Just as dealing with cutting, with spiritual strongholds, it helps to have someone who will non-judgmentally help you to get to the purpose without making judgments. Once the purpose is identified, one can bring that purpose to the light and examine and evaluate it.
In the evaluation, one can consider the negative consequences and work to replace behaviors with godly ones that meet the true need rather than the shadow. As our speaker on cutting noted, it helps to identify ones own true values and discover how the behaviors are hindering them from expressing their values. It also helps to brainstorm on alternative means of achieving the goal or meeting the underlying need(given it is appropriate) with less negative consequences.
As one article notes, “A stronghold is a faulty thinking pattern based on lies and deception.... so naturally the cure is to bring the truth in God's Word on the scene.” As 2 Cor. 10:4 notes, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds." And as the article writes, our primary weapon is truth, the word of God (Eph. 6:17). 1
Jesus told his disciples in John 8:31, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
For those who know Christ and desire to be free from any strongholds, like David, they are broken by their sin and quickly invite God into those dark places. David cries out in Psalm 51, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.”
For demonic strongholds, one might also want to consider fasting and prayer. When disciples asked Jesus why they could not drive out the demonic spirit from a young boy having seizures, Jesus noted that that kind could only be driven out by fasting and prayer (Mark 9:29).
However, even when someone does not know Christ, the truth dispels deception and lies. Therefore, “the more truth you bring into a situation, the more the darkness must flee.” 2 Unless someone, with a rebellious heart, refuses the light out of a desire to stay in the darkness.
Another article notes, “'the true light that gives light to every person' (Jn. 1:9) “is a light that brings us hope and the promise that darkness will soon be dispelled from our lives.” However, “like yeast in the dough, it works itself slowly through all creation. As the book of Proverbs notes, it is like “the first gleam of dawn, that shines ever brighter till the full light of day” (Prov. 4:18). The gleam of Christ will eventually fill all things. But before it does, the darkness must first be exposed. Its “deep shadows” must be fully brought to light. And this, it would seem, is what takes time.” 3
At times, one can be broken free from a stronghold suddenly and completely as what happened with Ignatius in my devotional reading. This has happened in my life in many occasions, most recently with a struggle with shame. God set me free suddenly and completely. There are many examples in the Bible of people being healed and set free suddenly. "And from that moment her daughter was well again" (Matthew 15:18).
"Suddenly can happen anytime."
However, other times in my life, such as with my struggle with fear, anger and substance abuse, it took many years of letting truth in and caring people walking along side of me to obtain freedom.
Transformation into Christlikeness is a lifetime process. Paul says in 2 Cor. 3:18, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes form the Lord who is the Spirit."
Strongholds are frequently rooted in our identity and our beliefs about Christ. We need to know who Christ is in our lives and know who we are to Him in order to grow to maturity.
N.T. Anderson writes, "Our identity in Jesus Christ is a fundamental truth that we believers need to understand, if we are to experience the promised freedom and grow to Christian maturity" He goes on to say, "Your understanding of who you are is the critical foundation for your belief structure and your behavior patterns as a Christian." 4
Our view of Christ and beliefs about Him impact the way we relate to Him and the world. N.T. Anderson writes that when our basic belief system about God and our self our shaky, our behavior system is also shaky. But when our relationship with God is based on truth, we will "have very little trouble working out the practical aspects of daily Christianity." He notes that "As long as you believe that God is your loving Father and you are His accepted child, your faith will permeate your daily experience." 5
When we see God rightly and can trust Him, we can "successfully combat temptations to be self serving." Ken Blanchard notes that we need to choose daily put our ego on the altar and exalt God only. We can only do this when we can trust that we can depend upon Him.
Also, sometimes part of our struggle with strongholds is that there can be ingrained habits from repeated behavior. As we choose a response pattern over and over again, it becomes more deeply ingrained into our lives.
Galatians 6:7-10 says, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith."
As one article notes about these verses, sowing to the flesh is a logical outflow of a short-sighted world view. Many people seek to experience pleasure and to avoid pain or suffering, for they view life only in terms of what is present and physical.
We need to begin to choose new behaviors and develop new habits, sowing into the formation of our character. One needs a longer range perception to make this choice of short-term suffering for a longer term gain of character.
As a boss at work, when I provide someone with corrective feedback, I do not expect perfect results immediately. What matters to me is that the person is moving in the right direction and making an honest effort towards changing. With time, resources and encouragement, I expect the person to eventually achieve successful results.
In the same way, in dealing with strongholds, we often change these behaviors by continued effort, sowing in the right direction. By soliciting assistance where needed, continually confessing sin and repenting, and laying down old behaviors, replacing them with new ones, we become free from strongholds.
Just as our sin and strongholds often bring destructive consequences to ourselves and/or our lives, God graciously longs to heal us and set us free from our sin. Isaiah says in Is. 30:18, “the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are those who wait for him.”
"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live an that you may Love the Lord your God, listen to his voice and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)
Lord, thank you that you make life available to each one of us. You are the only One who heals and sets us free - and you willingly do so! I am so incredibly grateful for all You have done in my life. I join Ignatious in praying “'Fill us, we pray [God], with your light and life that we may show forth your wondrous glory. Grant that your love may so fill our lives that we may count nothing too small to do for you, nothing too much to give and nothing to hard to hear.'(Prayer of Ignatious of Layola, in The New Book of Christian Prayers, Tony Castle, comp., pp. 153-154).” 7
1. http://www.greatbiblestudy.com/strongholds.php
2. http://www.greatbiblestudy.com/strongholds.php
3. http://imagodeicommunity.ca/weekly-meditations/bringing-the-darkness-to-light/
4. Anderson, Neil T. Victory over the Darkness, Study Guide. Regal Books, Ventura California. 1994.
5. Anderson, Neil T. Victory over the Darkness, Study Guide. Regal Books, Ventura California. 1994.
6. Blanchard, Ken and Hodges, Phil. Lead Like Jesus. Thomas Nelson, Nashville TN. 2008.
7. Bergan, Jacqueline Syurup and Schwan, Marie. Praying with Ignatius of Loyola. The Word Among Us Press. Ijamsville, Maryland. 1991.
“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit... And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth... (Is. 11:1,3-4a).
Our actions and the resulting fruit in our lives are the result of our heart, our beliefs and thoughts. Sometimes we can try to control our external behavior and feel completely helpless. Ignatius struggled with this in his walk of obedience. He knew what he was supposed to do but kept on sinning. In distress, he would confess over and over again his sin but he would return to it each time. Feeling distraught, he swore not to eat or drink until God freed him from his sin or he saw he was at death's door. Fortunately, one of his superiors stopped him after a week of fasting.
Paul said in Romans 7:14–25
“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Dallas Willard notes that we can manage our feelings and attitudes, learning culturally acceptable and euphemistic ways to disguise them, but still living in the condition. For example, he says, “one can live in the underlying condition of hatred, contempt, hurry, or discouragement but not always have the accompanying feelings.” He notes the underlying conditions of our character must be addressed.
While we frequently wrestle with our actions and behaviors, they are most often only the symptom of deeper issues in our lives that need to be dealt with. When we cut off the root cause of our sin, we are set free in our behaviors.
In more than one place in Matthew, Jesus challenges believers to cut off anything in their lives that causes stumbling. He figuratively says in Matthew 5:30, “If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you...”
Life Application Bible Commentary notes about the verse that we sometimes tolerate sins in our lives that could eventually destroy us. They write that it is better to experience the pain of removal than allowing the sin to bring judgment and condemnation.
We need to be willing to honestly examine our lives in areas where there is repeated sin and be willing to address and root out the deeper heart issues that are resulting in our sin.
As a speaker noted at a training session this last weekend on cutting, the person has a purpose behind their behavior. All sin, while it may provide us some immediate release or benefit, is destructive behavior. And that destructive behavior has a purpose behind it. The key is not solely focusing on the cutting or other sinful behavior, but working to get to the purpose behind it. We need to ask, “What is this really about?”
Just as dealing with cutting, with spiritual strongholds, it helps to have someone who will non-judgmentally help you to get to the purpose without making judgments. Once the purpose is identified, one can bring that purpose to the light and examine and evaluate it.
In the evaluation, one can consider the negative consequences and work to replace behaviors with godly ones that meet the true need rather than the shadow. As our speaker on cutting noted, it helps to identify ones own true values and discover how the behaviors are hindering them from expressing their values. It also helps to brainstorm on alternative means of achieving the goal or meeting the underlying need(given it is appropriate) with less negative consequences.
As one article notes, “A stronghold is a faulty thinking pattern based on lies and deception.... so naturally the cure is to bring the truth in God's Word on the scene.” As 2 Cor. 10:4 notes, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds." And as the article writes, our primary weapon is truth, the word of God (Eph. 6:17). 1
Jesus told his disciples in John 8:31, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
For those who know Christ and desire to be free from any strongholds, like David, they are broken by their sin and quickly invite God into those dark places. David cries out in Psalm 51, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.”
For demonic strongholds, one might also want to consider fasting and prayer. When disciples asked Jesus why they could not drive out the demonic spirit from a young boy having seizures, Jesus noted that that kind could only be driven out by fasting and prayer (Mark 9:29).
However, even when someone does not know Christ, the truth dispels deception and lies. Therefore, “the more truth you bring into a situation, the more the darkness must flee.” 2 Unless someone, with a rebellious heart, refuses the light out of a desire to stay in the darkness.
Is. 5:20 says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!”
Another article notes, “'the true light that gives light to every person' (Jn. 1:9) “is a light that brings us hope and the promise that darkness will soon be dispelled from our lives.” However, “like yeast in the dough, it works itself slowly through all creation. As the book of Proverbs notes, it is like “the first gleam of dawn, that shines ever brighter till the full light of day” (Prov. 4:18). The gleam of Christ will eventually fill all things. But before it does, the darkness must first be exposed. Its “deep shadows” must be fully brought to light. And this, it would seem, is what takes time.” 3
At times, one can be broken free from a stronghold suddenly and completely as what happened with Ignatius in my devotional reading. This has happened in my life in many occasions, most recently with a struggle with shame. God set me free suddenly and completely. There are many examples in the Bible of people being healed and set free suddenly. "And from that moment her daughter was well again" (Matthew 15:18).
"Suddenly can happen anytime."
However, other times in my life, such as with my struggle with fear, anger and substance abuse, it took many years of letting truth in and caring people walking along side of me to obtain freedom.
Transformation into Christlikeness is a lifetime process. Paul says in 2 Cor. 3:18, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes form the Lord who is the Spirit."
Strongholds are frequently rooted in our identity and our beliefs about Christ. We need to know who Christ is in our lives and know who we are to Him in order to grow to maturity.
N.T. Anderson writes, "Our identity in Jesus Christ is a fundamental truth that we believers need to understand, if we are to experience the promised freedom and grow to Christian maturity" He goes on to say, "Your understanding of who you are is the critical foundation for your belief structure and your behavior patterns as a Christian." 4
Our view of Christ and beliefs about Him impact the way we relate to Him and the world. N.T. Anderson writes that when our basic belief system about God and our self our shaky, our behavior system is also shaky. But when our relationship with God is based on truth, we will "have very little trouble working out the practical aspects of daily Christianity." He notes that "As long as you believe that God is your loving Father and you are His accepted child, your faith will permeate your daily experience." 5
When we see God rightly and can trust Him, we can "successfully combat temptations to be self serving." Ken Blanchard notes that we need to choose daily put our ego on the altar and exalt God only. We can only do this when we can trust that we can depend upon Him.
Also, sometimes part of our struggle with strongholds is that there can be ingrained habits from repeated behavior. As we choose a response pattern over and over again, it becomes more deeply ingrained into our lives.
Galatians 6:7-10 says, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith."
As one article notes about these verses, sowing to the flesh is a logical outflow of a short-sighted world view. Many people seek to experience pleasure and to avoid pain or suffering, for they view life only in terms of what is present and physical.
We need to begin to choose new behaviors and develop new habits, sowing into the formation of our character. One needs a longer range perception to make this choice of short-term suffering for a longer term gain of character.
Ralph Waldo Emerson:
Watch your thoughts; They become words. Watch your words; They become deeds. Watch your deeds; They become habits. Watch your habits; They become character. Character is everything.
As a boss at work, when I provide someone with corrective feedback, I do not expect perfect results immediately. What matters to me is that the person is moving in the right direction and making an honest effort towards changing. With time, resources and encouragement, I expect the person to eventually achieve successful results.
In the same way, in dealing with strongholds, we often change these behaviors by continued effort, sowing in the right direction. By soliciting assistance where needed, continually confessing sin and repenting, and laying down old behaviors, replacing them with new ones, we become free from strongholds.
Just as our sin and strongholds often bring destructive consequences to ourselves and/or our lives, God graciously longs to heal us and set us free from our sin. Isaiah says in Is. 30:18, “the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are those who wait for him.”
"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live an that you may Love the Lord your God, listen to his voice and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)
Lord, thank you that you make life available to each one of us. You are the only One who heals and sets us free - and you willingly do so! I am so incredibly grateful for all You have done in my life. I join Ignatious in praying “'Fill us, we pray [God], with your light and life that we may show forth your wondrous glory. Grant that your love may so fill our lives that we may count nothing too small to do for you, nothing too much to give and nothing to hard to hear.'(Prayer of Ignatious of Layola, in The New Book of Christian Prayers, Tony Castle, comp., pp. 153-154).” 7
1. http://www.greatbiblestudy.com/strongholds.php
2. http://www.greatbiblestudy.com/strongholds.php
3. http://imagodeicommunity.ca/weekly-meditations/bringing-the-darkness-to-light/
4. Anderson, Neil T. Victory over the Darkness, Study Guide. Regal Books, Ventura California. 1994.
5. Anderson, Neil T. Victory over the Darkness, Study Guide. Regal Books, Ventura California. 1994.
6. Blanchard, Ken and Hodges, Phil. Lead Like Jesus. Thomas Nelson, Nashville TN. 2008.
7. Bergan, Jacqueline Syurup and Schwan, Marie. Praying with Ignatius of Loyola. The Word Among Us Press. Ijamsville, Maryland. 1991.
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