For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph.6:12)
Here is another revelation that you need to understand: we often misunderstand that just because we are Christians we are exempted from having strongholds. Strongholds are crippling powers or forces that keep us enslaved in the different areas of our lives. And strongholds are so deceptive that many of us not aware that we are a victims to these bondages.
However the key is to be able to identify and deal with them and come out of it. But unfortunately there are many still dwelling in this condition and yet unwilling to address it. I have listed a few strongholds that are common to most Christians:
Fear
Resentment
Bitterness
Un-forgiveness
Apathy
Unbelief
Depression
Anxiety
Luke-warmness
Sinful thoughts
Lust
Pride
Greed
Drugs
Alcohol
Pornography
DELIVERANCE AND EMOTIONAL HEALING
BROKEN HEART: In the Greek LANGUAGE, this broken heart is 2 words put together. It means to break in pieces, it’s like throwing a glass down which shatters into pieces. Unrecoverable. It’s a heart that has been broken and shattered. Sadly a lot of people today are victims of a shattered heart and they don’t know where to seek help for fixing their brokenness.
Jesus came to heal the broken-hearted and set the captives free.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm.147:3)
Many of us are ignorant that there is a supernatural God who can fix all our problems if we allow Him to do so. There is someone who can put every broken piece in order again. In the natural of course it may sound impossible! But to the one who paid the greatest price in human history to redeem us, nothing is impossible with Him because that’s the promise He gave us. Therefore, you don’t have to live with a broken heart anymore. Jesus’ heart was broken on the cross because of rejection! He took your rejection upon Himself and poured out His goodness unto you. He is the hope of your deliverance and breakthrough (Isaiah 53).
The one stronghold that comes many times in the life of people is the stronghold of REJECTION that takes place in us. Your heart can be broken over a relationship. Your heart can be broken over a friendship or your heart can be broken over a loss of a dear one who is close to you.
When our heart is broken over a particular episode then REJECTION comes in. I want you to be aware that we are vulnerable to rejection as human beings.
This is a theological truth that we are born rejected by God. Would you be surprised if I told you that? The reason is we are born with a sin nature. Adam’s nature. So basically we are born rejected and so WE ARE VERY EASILY REJECTED IN THIS LIFE. Much of what when we are growing up, fosters this wound of rejection.
MANIFESTATION OF REJECTION
1) Anger
People who foster a wound of rejection cannot CONTROL THEIR ANGER. People who have outburst of Anger actually have a spirit of rejection. They have rage in them and many times they can’t control their anger. They are very explosive and fierce. They will either hit the opponent or hit anything around. You will be surprised that people with anger and rage will demonstrate supernatural strength and that is a demonized spirit.
2 STRONGHOLD: Insecurity
People who constantly need attention. They need to be recognised. Fault finders. They always redirect everything said by anybody to be referring to them. A person with a spirit of insecurity will always pick on you. For example if you are preaching on the pulpit they will come after you and ask “why did you say something about me!” It’s a spirit of insecurity that you need to be set free from.
3 Pride
People who talk a lot, attention seekers. It’s all about them. They have to interfere and give their opinion on everything. They would dominate every conversation and meeting. Such people can be a real pain sometimes.
4 INDEPENDENCE
I can steer my boat on my own. I can make it by my own. I don’t need anybody’s help. It’s difficult to develop relationship with such people. They won’t listen to counsel. They will do whatever they want to no matter what it takes. They are normally unteachable. It’s a result of past rejection which develops such a spirit of stronghold of independence.
5 EASILY OFFENDED
There are people who take comments very personally. They are easily offended. You can’t joke with them. You got to be very careful with them. It’s just like walking on an egg shell when they are around you because it’s a very volatile and explosive situation. They would easily lose their mind and blow up. Someone has said something in the past that has wounded you and that wound can bleed any time. But here is the good news: Jesus can heal that wound permanently and it will not bleed again if you are willing to recognize your problem and go to Him for help.
6 INTROVERT:
Excessive Shyness or Loneliness : fear is a underlying factor.
Please be reminded I am not talking about personality. I am referring to the spirit of stronghold that takes over a person and manipulates and controls the person in bondage.
7 CONTROL & MANIPULATION
My personal experience.
Every person that I have met so far in my life at least the majority of them have a difficulty in control and manipulation. I am not talking about the world. I am talking about Christian believers and leaders. There is a stronghold and bondage in this area. This has obviously originated from a past spirit of rejection. Listen when you suffer from a spirit of rejection you have a spirit of manipulation because you have to control people around you and control their responses so that they don’t reject you.
The real reason is that you are so hurt because you have been rejected in the past. So you want to control them that they don’t reject you in the future.
Especially when you start to confront them they will abruptly interrupt and stop you by talking. They will try to attack you. They would refuse to identify their own problem by turning back at you.
They are so wounded that they will try to stop you, every time when you try to address their problem. They will never keep their mouth shut. These are people who need healing and it can only come about if they can humble themselves to say I have a need I need to be healed, please help me.
Here is another thing they would do. They will try to hurt others and at the same time they will “play pity.” They will tell a lot of pity party tales to gain your sympathy towards them. This is another way how they will manipulate you.
They will start to cry for everything practically. The moment you start confronting them they start crying.
They will dramatise they will say you are hurting me! Stop hurting me! They are crying to get to stop you from hurting the wounds of rejecting in them.
JESUS HEALS BROKEN HEART AND JESUS HEALS BRUISES
Luke 4:18: Jesus came to set at liberty them that are bruised. To set free people who are bruised. A bruise is an inward bleeding. It means a bruise can hold you in bondage. If Jesus says I came to set people that have been oppressed, hurt and crushed and bruised that means a bruise can hold you bondage.
When identifying your strongholds, survey or examine the attitudes of your heart. Every area in your thinking that is filled with hope in God is an area which has been liberated by Christ. Any system of thought that does not have hope, which feels hopelessness, is a stronghold, which must be pulled down. Which must be seriously addressed if you want to be liberated from this bondage.
The Sword of the Lord, the Word of God and Prayer are offensive weapons against the strongholds which Satan uses to keep people captive.
With these two weapons, we can take the offensive, rather than being defensive. We can pursue our strongholds, to pull them down. We need to enter the battle wearing our armor, prepared to assault the stronghold with our sword and prayer.
Note: Rev Dr Jai Kumar is an ordained & licensed minister of Covenant Ministries International N.J. USA. He is a mission minded pastor who carries an apostolic anointing who preaches and teaches an uncompromising gospel with boldness. A member of ECCM (Malaysia) Spiritual Adviser & overseer to various ministries and churches. An itinerant speaker. He is also the author of a book entitled, ‘God’s Time Clock.’ Currently he worships at C3 Subang.
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Rev Dr Jai Kumar
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