How To Bind The Strong Man

Go your Bible ready and unearth how to overcome the Strongman.

Some people contacted me privately and said my article was not based on the completed piece of work of God through grace, but that I was advocating that people can only be saved through works.

These people are spiritually lazy. This has to be admitted and confronted considering if they had taken the time to read in context what I was maxim then get back and STUDY their Bibles, they would not argue against the discipline; in fact, they would have come up with more arguments FOR the topic and worked more on their salvation.

What does the Bible say about grace and works?

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Non of works, lest any man should boast." [Ephesians 2:8-9] and we see this written by the same author in Philippians ii:12 "Wherefore, my love, as ye take e'er obeyed, not every bit in my presence simply, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

Since you did nothing to redeem yourself from sin and could not have worked to please God enough to save yourself, what work are yous supposed to do to earn "your own salvation"?

In my previous article, I explained this quite clearly. You volition concur with me that the children of Israel did nada to go delivered from Arab republic of egypt, except put the Blood of the Lamb on their door-posts and lintels and then pack their bags and walk abroad from the state of their bondage.

But when they get to the Promised Land, they are the ones whom God gave the assignment of driving out the inhabitants of the country. While God promised to help them (Exodus 23:23), He also commissioned them to go the job washed (Numbers 33:52).

This is akin to your redemption from sin. Yous did null to get born of the Spirit except believe and accept Jesus every bit your Saviour. But afterward this, you have some work to do. It was your spirit that was born once more, not your soul (John 3:iii). Your soul needs to be redeemed besides and this comes from you through co-operating with God.

Someone wrote to me and complained, only "this is too much work!"

I replied and asked, is it:

as well much work to get rid of looking to lust?
also much work to become rid of devil-may-care living?
too much piece of work to forgive your offender?
too much work to stop existence covetous?
as well much work to stop cheating on your spouse?
too much piece of work to terminate depending on yourself?
too much work to stop causing partition amid brethren through slander?
besides much piece of work to stop lying?
too much work to end falsely accusing God (irreverence)?
too much work to end filthy advice and cussing?
likewise much work to exist submissive to authority?

You are supposed to work on these things yourself. God will not force you to stop looking at a woman's curves and committing fornication with her in your centre. God will not forcefully close your mouth from overeating and stuffing yourself to death. God will not slap your face up considering yous have bitterness towards your blood brother or sister. God volition non mucilage your mouth together to forbid y'all from slanders, and so forth.

God will not do all these for you; yous take to consciously practice these things yourself. Where you lot have unrepented lust in your life, you are to admit the trouble and ask Him to help you get rid of information technology. Where you have unforgiveness, you are to deliberately forgive through your obedience to His Give-and-take, "Only if ye do not forgive, neither will your Male parent which is in sky forgive your trespasses." (Mark 11:26)

Psychologists agree that a mutual gear up of thoughts practice form a conventionalities, a belief system creates a character and a combination of characters make the personality while a personality acts in sure ways.

But what happens when a person is constantly doing things that are against his will (Luke thirteen:11, Luke 8:43)? What if someone continues to have a personality who regularly sexually molesting her while comatose? What if someone keeps having alcohol problems unintentionally? What if a person tin't aid his eating habits and keeps eating at every opportunity and he'southward getting fatter and sickly?

Accept you seen or heard near those who are seriously overweight and completely bedridden? What well-nigh those who just tin't terminate wearing tattoos or undergoing cosmetic surgeries for every part of their torso? While these may be extremes, the lesser versions are in the same category, specially when it is against your volition. It is like a rape of your soul.

Sealed and Protected Houses
I desire to get a bit deeper on these things. This also deals with 1 of the most misused passages in the Bible: "For though we walk in the mankind, nosotros do not war subsequently the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are non carnal, simply mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every loftier matter that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" [2 Corinthians ten:3-5]

The perception of what this Scripture means is what most people build their faith and hope upon instead of the agreement. They desire to fight confronting the Princes of Persia and the Princes of Greece (Daniel ten:twenty), destroy spiritual wickedness in high places and have on the might of Satan and the hosts of darkness. Many take injured themselves and fabricated a shipwreck of their lives dabbling in things they practice not know nor sympathise (ane Timothy ane:eighteen-19 & two Peter 3:16).

What is this perception? It is perceived that the strongholds they need to pull downward are in some galaxy beyond the blue clouds. This is probably considering they read in Daniel where the Prince of Persia withstood Gabriel when he was sent to deliver a message to Daniel. This is far from the truth because you have to take what Paul was saying in context.

To understand in context, y'all demand to inquire and answer some questions from the Aforementioned Scripture in verse 5:

Where is your imagination exercised?
Where practice things exalt itself against the knowledge of God?
Where are your thoughts processed?

These things happen in your soul. I dealt with these in Spiritual Guerrilla Warfare . Your imaginations are exercised in your mind, your knowledge of God is challenged in and through your intellect while your thoughts are processed in emotions and mind.

2 Corinthians 10-4-Fighter

two Corinthians 10-4-five Spiritual Warrior

Poetry five is a continuation of poetry four and must be seen in the aforementioned context. Since this is the case, you demand to inquire another question: Where is the stronghold located?

Jesus answered this question. He said, "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry out places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out." [Luke 11:24]

The unclean spirit or demon that left a man was living in a business firm in that man. Then, that leads deeper into this affair to ask another question: Where is this house in the man who was the host?

Then you accept the Scriptures informing us: "Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise information technology up. Then said the Jews, 40 and six years was this temple in edifice, and wilt yard rear it up in three days? Simply he spake of the temple of his body." [John ii:19-21]

Two more questions and you lot will accept a clearer understanding of these questions and mystery that have been kept hugger-mugger from the foundations of the world (Romans sixteen:25-26). Where did the devil desire to rule but God said, "Impossible"?

"For thou hast said in thine center, I will ascend into sky, I will exalt my throne to a higher place the stars of God: I volition sit as well upon the mountain of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I volition ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." [Isaiah 14:14]

Final question: Where is the Kingdom of God?

"Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you lot." [Luke 17:21]

Let u.s.a. fill in the gaps of the jigsaw puzzle now.

God sits and reigns from His Temple in His Kingdom. In this heaven of God, He sits on a throne and is worshipped by glorious and powerful angels. Then Jesus comes and says, don't run helter-skelter looking for the kingdom of God, because it is formed within you.

Jesus as well says inside a human is a house, which tin be occupied by a demon and this demon is known as the potent man. When this strong man is in full control, the man, who is the host is imprisoned in his own house. A typical example of this is in the case of the Demoniac of Gadara (Luke 8:thirty). In fact, in 2 Samuel 22:45-46, David chosen them strangers!

The temple of God is within you and the demons seek to enthrone themselves in that location. This temple of God within yous has doors or gates for sections, simply equally the clarification of the tabernacle expressed at the time of Moses in the Old Attestation.

Then nosotros see God, through Jesus Christ, speaking and addressing a resistance: "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and exist ye elevator up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD potent and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Elevator up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the Rex of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of celebrity. Selah." [Psalms 24:7-ten]

Why is this?

It is agreed that you lot have some work to practise in getting rid of lusts, unforgiveness, covetousness, lying, slander, false accusation, blasphemy, filthy communication, lewdness, alcoholism, allure of evil or bad luck, and and then forth; terrible habits that are forming your personality. Just what happens when you try and try but keep declining and your life is similar ane endless roller-coaster?

Since y'all accept not lost complete control of yourself as in the case of the demoniac of Gadara, it tin can but mean one thing: you have a demon occupying the house within. This demon manifests itself by making you to uncontrollably eat or have illicit sex or see dreams/visions (simulated prophecies) or to have an infirmity (disease or inability), and and then forth.

The fact that you take tried to stop doing these things repeatedly means that yous are grappling with something much more than powerful than you can handle. It is overwhelming your ability of self-control, hence making yous lose control to practise those things you would not practice nether normal circumstances. Why is this? Information technology is considering the demon has you nether his control.

Jesus reveals, "When a strong human armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: Simply when a stronger than he shall come up upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils." [Luke xi:21-22]

You lot must take annotation that the strong human is not but living anywhere in the house only the palace, hence the gates and doors (Psalm 24:7). So the "stronger than he" who can overcome him has to overcome and seize the armour of the strong man for full victory.

This is what Paul meant past "pulling downwardly strongholds". Remember that we established that the imaginations, noesis and thoughts are expressed in the soul. This is where the stronghold is congenital as well. This is where your deliverance volition be decided, too.

You lot must be aware that a palace would not just be a lose place and the fact that the Lord reveals to us that the strong human is armed should give u.s. much farther insight. The palace has fences, is well-protected and that with reinforced secured doors!

In essence, if the palace is non taken and the strong man overthrown, y'all will not overcome that terrible habit. In truth, the demons are terrified of being ejected from their stronghold and will rather resist and fight than easily give up. This is considering, without a house, they are in torment. They need a host to alleviate their suffering or torment; they become tormented in the "dry places". These spirits walk and piece of work in children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2).

Mysterious Key
Simply, there is a mysterious key that can help unlock the gates of the palace and have on the strong homo. This is what is often missed from Paul's education on this subject. Without the utilize of this key, the potent man may be temporarily restricted in his activities, but he will remain firmly in control.

Jesus said, "Lift upwardly your heads, O ye gates; and exist ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of celebrity shall come up in." Before these gates and doors are opened for an assault on the strong man and his comrades, you lot must practice something. It is independent in the Discussion of God.

"And having in a readiness to revenge all defiance, when your obedience is fulfilled." [two Corinthians ten:6]

The presence of the demon in your soul is an deed of disobedience to God, only God has resource inside your grasp to avenge or judge this disobedience, YOUR obedience has to exist fulfilled first. But what are you to obey? Obey the Word of God. You are to examine yourself of any defiance to the Give-and-take of God (Psalms 26:2 and 1 Corinthians 11:28).

If you are sincere, the Holy Spirit will exist there to help y'all. He will reveal things in your life that you are doing, which may be acts of disobedience to God. Your obedience to the Give-and-take is the primal that unlocks the strong doors.

When you have repented of those things and your act of obedience is completed, that is, walking in obedience to God, then you are prepare to tear down the stronghold of the strong human and take back what belongs to you.

Even at this point, with the palace gates and doors firmly locked against you, you lot have get a huge threat to the strong man due to your obedience before God. Your obedience will turn y'all into a "stronger than he", lining y'all up in readiness to mount an assault with the assured victory.

Breaking Down The Ancient Doors
Now that you have strengthened yourself through submission in obeying God's Give-and-take, God volition now work in yous through the ability of His Word.

"Through thee will nosotros push down our enemies: through thy name will nosotros tread them under that rise up confronting u.s.a.." [Psalms 44:5]

"Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me. Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be agape out of their close places." [2 Samuel 22:45-46]

If you experience weak to go this done by yourself, then get a prayer partner whom you are sure is living right (y'all don't need a so-called pulpit superstar) and kicking the strangers out of the palace!

God expects you to stand strong and alpine and begin to make your declaration, like you read Him doing in Psalms 24 when He stood before ancient doors and gates. You cannot entertain fearfulness because fear has torment (one John four:18).

Declare boldly: "Lift up your heads, O ye gates [of my soul housing the demon of …. (name the problem e.g. animalism)]; and exist you lift up, you everlasting doors [of my soul housing the demon of …. (mention-the-problem)]; and the Rex of glory shall come in. I bind the spirit of lust (mention-the-trouble) with chains of iron and fetters of iron, according to the judgement written; I plead against you lot with pestilence and with the Blood of the Lamb and I rain upon yous and all the bands that are with you an overflowing pelting, and great hailstones, the Consuming Fire of the Holy Spirit and brimstone. Come up out! Get out of my life and return no more! I renounce all agreements with you, with Hell and with death. I declare that my soul is joined with the Spirit of Christ and I take become 1 with Christ! I believe, therefore, I declare boldly similar a king of beasts!"

This annunciation is a combination of different Scriptures: Psalms 24:vii, 149:8, Ezekiel 38:22, Hebrew 12:24, Romans 10:10, Proverbs 28:1. You can create your own with different Scripture combinations, in a way that addresses your item circumstance and is comfortable for you lot.

Occupy Till He Comes!
The King of glory to come is the Word of God. Do yous know what will happen when you boldly make declarations like this?

"Strangers shall fade abroad, and they shall exist agape out of their close places." [2 Samuel 22:46]

What is happening is that through God you lot are pushing downwards your enemies and through the say-so of His name you are treading them under that rising up confronting you (Psalms 44:5).

This is what it means to pull down a stronghold, cast down imaginations and every high affair that is exalting itself against the cognition of God in YOUR life. As y'all keep to alive in obedience to God, y'all will increasingly become a greater threat to the kingdom of darkness.

"Through God nosotros shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread downward our enemies." [Psalms threescore:12]

You must also remember that Jesus warned, "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry out places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my firm whence I came out." [Luke 11:24] You must watch and pray to prevent that principal spirit coming back.

Otherwise, "And when he (spirit of lust or that problem) comes, he finds it swept and in order. Then he goes, and takes with him vii other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell in that location: and the last state of that man is worse than the first." [Luke 11:25-26]

When yous have done this, and so yous are set to fight confronting the Princes of Persia and the Princes of Greece (Daniel 10:20). If not, yous are just wasting your time and energy and fighting as one chirapsia the air."