Remember, the kingdom of God is about agreement. We either are in agreement with lies or we are in agreement with truth and truth does set us free! But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh (Galatians 5:16 NASB).
According to Paul’s letter to the Galatians, we are called to walk by the Spirit (to remember who we are and who He is) and that will empower us to not carry out the desires of the flesh. I appreciate Paul reminding us to walk by the Spirit, because he reminds us of an additional reality in the next two verses: we are in a battle.
For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law (Galatians 5:17-18 NASB).
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The flesh is in direct opposition to the things of the Spirit, the things of God. Remember the flesh is simply looking for life but does not know where to find it. Since we are led by the Spirit (remembering who we are to Him), then we will find life in that truth and there is no law that can help find life. The Law was never given by God to help us to find life, but to reveal and convict us of sin. Paul then describes the way those living according the flesh conduct themselves:
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21 NASB).
Paul then tells us “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:21 NASB). Wow! Is Paul serious? Does this mean that when I forget who I am and I function in the things of the flesh, such as idolatry, strife, jealousy, and outbursts of anger, I will not inherit the kingdom of God? Can I lose my salvation each time I sin and conduct myself according to the flesh?
Paul is communicating an eternal reality. Each time you attempt to get life out of dead things such as disputes, envying, drunkenness, and things like these, you are currently not walking in the Spirit. You are currently forgetting who you are, and you are not enjoying the freedom that Christ has given you. You are choosing to get your worth, value, and acceptance from things and people instead of from God. You have not suddenly lost your salvation, but you are not presently walking in the fruit of the Spirit; thus, you are not presently inheriting the kingdom of God. Paul then goes on to remind us of the fruit of the Spirit. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:22-24 NASB)
Paul tells us, “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires“ (Galatians 5:24 NIV). Since you have crucified the flesh, and since at one moment in time you were co-crucified with Christ (see Rom. 6:6), this makes you a saint who walks by the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is what you were destined for. It makes sense that someone as awesome as you are (because of Jesus) would experience the fruit of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and all of the fruit of the kingdom.
The efforts of the flesh, simply speaking, can never give you life, because they are dead. Conversely the fruit of the Spirit is an outgrowth of God reminding you that you are His.
Carefully consider Romans 8:14: “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (NASB). Paul is telling us that we are sons of God because we have been completely redeemed by God. Those that have been redeemed by God flow in the fruit of the Spirit. So keep remembering that you are His kid!
Where is the Gettysburg? Where is the battlefield? The battlefield is in the soul realm. The mind is the battlefield: the place where our fight is won or lost. The mind is the gateway to heaven and truth; and, it can also be the gateway to hell or lies.
Strongholds
Strongholds park themselves in the soul realm. Spiritually speaking, Paul defines strongholds as an “argument or high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” (1 Cor. 10:5 NKJV).
Note in the previous illustration that strongholds are not destroyed by outward changes. In other words, simply changing your actions or mustering a self-generated change of actions is nothing more than self-effort or your own works. This will have no eternal effect and transformation will not occur. God always works from the inside out. The tearing down of strongholds occurs when our spirit, the brand-new creation that God has established in you, releases victory into your soul.
A stronghold is a point of operation from where Satan can keep a believer or unbeliever captive or incapacitated. A stronghold is a habitual sin or area of your life that seems to be caught in a cycle of ungodliness. Strongholds introduce shame, especially in someone who does not experience God’s power to overcome the stronghold. Whether physical, emotional, psychological, or spiritual in origin, strongholds are real and dominate individuals. Strongholds are established on lies and they are strengthened solely by deception.
Signs of Strongholds
Compulsions, obsessions, fears, lusts, jealousies, violent tempers, and uncontrolled appetites of all kinds are often signs of a stronghold that is either being built or is firmly established in the soul. In most cases, the individual will recognize that something is out of control, but he or she will almost always say, “I’ve tried to control or stop that, but I can’t seem to get on top of it.”
Striking Down Strongholds
Your greatest weapons against the strongholds in your soul are intercessory worship, fasting, and exposing them to the truth! Let’s take a look at an episode in the life of King Jehoshaphat, King of Israel.
After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi) (2 Chronicles 20:1-2 NIV).
What did Jehoshaphat do? Like any of us, “Jehoshaphat feared” (2 Chron. 20:3 NKJV). But, his fear motivated him to seek the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to fast, worship, intercede, and proclaim the truth.
When we read Jehoshaphat’s prayer, it ends with these words, “We have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You” (2 Chron. 20:12 NKJV). Their eyes were solely on God, and they knew that there was nothing that they could do to defeat their enemies. I am convinced that God heard their cry as they interceded, worshipped, and proclaimed the theme and truth “Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever” (2 Chron. 20:21 NIV).
God sent Jahaziel, a prophet to King Jehoshaphat, to assure him of the Lord’s help. Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you, “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this vast armies, for the battle is not yours, but God’s (2 Chronicles 20:15 NKJV).
And then Jahaziel said:
You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you (2 Chronicles 20:17 NKJV).
The King and the people were singing and praising before they won the victory! They knew that their God was greater than their enemy! They accepted the reality that their God was mighty and they stood on the truth that Jahaziel proclaimed to them: the battle was not theirs, but it was God’s.
Then, we read how the enemies turned on each other and destroyed each other. King Jehoshaphat and his army did not have to lift a physical sword! The result? The fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel (2 Chronicles 20:29 NKJV).
Note what happened next, “Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around” (2 Chronicles 20:30 NKJV). God can deliver us from strongholds and give us peace and spiritual rest.
It’s Time to Ask God for Help!
I know that certain strongholds have haunted you for many years. It is now time to ask your God for help and agree with Him and His truth. It is okay if you are afraid (just like Jehoshaphat). As you begin to pray and ask Him for help, as you worship him and pronounce his truth, as you mediate on His attributes, and as you fast, He will deliver you. Deliverance is His very nature.
Remember this battle is not yours but God’s. He is simply asking you to cooperate with Him by remembering that you have the breastplate of righteousness (see Eph. 6:14) and that you are guarded on all sides with truth! You will begin to experience your faith. You will see God work in you and on your behalf. God will destroy the strongholds in your soul. It is time to stop being tormented by the flaming arrows of the Enemy.
Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:14-16 to “Stand firm” which means remembering to stand on the truth of God and what He has promised. Next it says, “having girded…having put on…having shod” (NKJV) The truths you stand on are already true about you. Paul is simply exhorting you to remember that you already have the victory. Finally, Paul tells you to “take up the shield of faith with which you will be able to stand” (NKJV). This is God’s promise. God will be able to deliver you from the strongholds in your soul realm! This means you are victorious!
Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:14-16 NASB).
Rising Above The Clouds
My good friends, Eddie and Chara Boasso, live in Kansas City, Missouri. Eddie is a part of the senior leadership at The International House of Prayer in Kansas City. He agrees that the battle is between truth and lies and shared a powerful story about the battle we are in at a conference we hosted at The Prayer House in Chico, California.
Eddie and Chara were leaving Kansas City International Airport. It was extremely rainy, and the sky was full of dark clouds and it looked very gloomy everywhere. As they boarded the plane, Eddie was beginning to feel the strain and oppression of the shadowy skies. As the plane began to take off, Eddie was discerning that the dark skies were a reflection of a heavy spiritual darkness over the city. He began to pray and ask for God’s help.
Just as Eddie began to pray for help and proclaim God’s goodness over Kansas City, the plane broke through the dark clouds. Instantly, there were clear blue skies as far as the eye could see. The sun was shining with crystal clarity and the turbulence that the plane was experiencing because of the storm clouds was gone. Eddie shared that God gave him great revelation at that moment. “It dawned on me that the sun was always shinning bright and sending forth it’s warmth.”
He added, “I had simply forgotten that the sun was always shinning. I was consumed with the misrepresentation the clouds were bringing. I was only looking at the natural and not gazing on the supernatural truth that the sun was always shinning.”
When we are focused on what we can see in the natural realm, we will succumb to lies and experience the depression and ravage of them. But, when our gaze is fixed on the always-shinning light of heaven, we will walk in the truth and experience the boldness and the strength of the light. So remember, the Son of God is always shinning. And therefore, so are you!
How Do You Remain in Me?
My spiritual daughter, Kari Adams, shared something with me once that has stuck with me. It may help you to remember who you are while in the process of God destroying strongholds and renewing your mind.
"How do you remain in me? By making yourself constantly aware of who I am and who you are in me. I am God. You are my kid. I am grace. You are full of my grace. I am your provider. You are my heir. I am sovereign. You are made righteous in my sight. I am Holy. You are blameless. I am love. You are loved. Stay in the truth. Never limit your perspective to yourself, but find yourself in me".
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