Breaking Strongholds

Breaking Strongholds TODAY’S SCRIPTURE “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4, NKJV) TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria Scripture tells us that there is a battle going on in our minds. Our thoughts dictate our actions. That’s why the enemy will do everything he can to get you thinking in the wrong direction. Sometimes, it’s not our own thoughts that are holding us back; sometimes it’s that we’ve believed the negative things that other people have spoken. Those words are like seeds. If you dwell on them long enough, they’ll take root and become reality. In life, there will always be people telling you what cannot be done, speaking negative things. Too often we latch on to those negative words and develop what the scripture calls a “stronghold.” That’s a wrong thought or action that keeps us from God’s best. The way you break those negative strongholds is by rejecting the lie, forgiving the person, and embracing the truth of God’s Word. In other words, you have to choose to delete that negative file in your mind. Today, why don’t you take inventory of your thought life? Ask yourself, “Where did these thoughts come from? Do they line up with what God says about me?” Break the negative strongholds and embrace God’s truth so you can be all that God has called you to be! A PRAYER FOR TODAY Father, today I choose to reject negative thoughts. I choose to reject lies from the past. I break every stronghold through the power of Your Word and embrace Your truth which sets me free in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Aug 26, 2014 Let’s Deal with Your Fear of Honesty by Rick Warren “Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” (James 5:16 LB) If you want relief and release from the hurts, habits, and hang-ups in your life, you’re going to have to deal with the fear of honesty that you’ve got in your life. There are three common fears that Satan uses to keep you stuck in your rut and afraid to face the truth. The fear of your own emotions.You’re afraid that if you deal with that issue, memory, event, sin, abuse, accident, or hurt, that you will not be able to handle your emotions and the grief and the shame. You think you may just go crazy! If you’ve ever felt like that, relax. Every human being has had that fear. Everybody has felt at some time in their life that they were losing their mind. It’s not as big a deal as you think it is. In fact, only rational people have that fear. You are broken, but you are not crazy. You’re also in good company, because we’re all broken. We all have insecurities, fears, and habits we don’t like. The fear of how others will react.You’re afraid to be honest because you might be rejected or dismissed or abandoned. Others might think you’re less of a Christian. You’re afraid to be yourself, because you’re all you’ve got, and if people don’t like what they see, you’re in trouble. And, you’re afraid that others will try to fix you. You’ve got to get over that fear! The fear that being honest is useless. What will it do? What’s the point? Why tell anybody else about what you’re struggling with? You feel like you’ve been there before, and it didn’t help. But you didn’t go there! You haven’t ever really been totally honest, because if you had, you’d already be released. The Bible says,“Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (James 5:16 LB). When you can let go of your fears and admit your faults to other people, God has promised you the healing you’ve been looking for. Talk It Over How does knowing that other people have the same fears as you help you talk about those fears with someone else? What is it about yourself or your past that you want to keep hidden from others? How have you experienced healing through confession to God and by sharing your hurts and fears with others?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjEpB2ikkuE