Overcoming Strongholds

For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.  Romans 7:15 NASB

Only spiritual weapons are divinely empowered for over throwing the fortresses of evil. There is a temptation to meet a challenge of one who is in the flesh, who is under the sway of the evil one, with fleshly weapons of human wisdom and strength but that is not where true victory lies.  

Acknowledge your weakness– If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.  Write it down and look at it through God’s Spirit.

Don’t view it from the aspect of the pleasure you derive but the problems it causes. 

Confess God’s truth for your life. (Write it down as well…even speak it.) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9 

Draw near to Godand He will draw near to you James 4:8a  - Any time I find myself- away from God I know who it was that moved.

I feared the presence oy father when I had done wrong.  Consequences were one thing but receiving his anger was another.  Therefore, I always tended to treat God the same way.

Parents and preachers have warned people that if they do wrong, “God is going to get you good!”so people flee from His presence when they need it most.  James calls those trapped in sin to come to the Father. 

• Repent…Grieve over your sin and the damage it has caused to your life and others.  
• Visualizeyour life alive to God and dead to sin.  
• Reclaimthe victory over sin in your life - especially in that area of constant defeat.
• Rebuildyour life - It is not enough just to overthrow it.  Temporary victory leaving no defense leads to hopelessness!!   Breaking an old habit without starting a new one is like weeding a garden but not planting anything in its place.  Empty ground grows weeds.

STEPS TO REBUILDING  

• Get a proper attitude toward sin.
• Surrender your complete life to God…area by area…emotions and actions.
• Close the door where Satan has been entering by declaring that desire dead.
• Study the Word of God about your weakness.  Every weakness is a violation of God’s character.  We sin when we have not sufficiently known God’s ability in that area.  For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12
• Be filled with God’s Spirit and let him control your will and emotions.

Scripture to Claim:
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  Galatians 5:16