Picture by Pixabay

Navigating Strongholds

Hello Remnant

Let's talk about strongholds.

Everyone wants stability and safety, right? especially if you have a young family, but the speed at which world events are travelling right now makes it very difficult to make informed decisions. 

Most of these world events are shrouded in smoke and mirrors so it is very easy to find yourself wandering in the weeds losing your focus on where you want to be.

On top of that we are transitioning out of a religious narrative into Living waters, into a Kingdom mindset where clarity of purpose is freely given. 

The good news is if you are a Born Again you have a highly attuned friend that gives you an advantage over all of these potential obstacles.

I had the word Stronghold drop into my heart a while ago and I have been pondering on what it means. It turns out we are far more entangled in this web of deceit than we think.

A stronghold means " a place where a particular cause or belief is strongly defended or upheld ". From a Christian point of view, it is anything that stops us from moving through Christ into the Father's heart. 

Rest over tradition

The organisation and traditions of the old church wineskin played their part, one could even say ignorance protected us from doing more harm than good, but there is no escaping the push by the Holy Spirit for us to step into a new depth of maturity. 

What would you say if I told you that religion is riddled with strongholds and the Church age has kept us asleep.

Luke 23:50-56 for example shows us that what seems important isn't necessarily the right next step.

Look at verse 56 again. 

Notice the abrupt line that shows between traditional burial requirements and the law of rest. We all should understand by now that the law has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ so that is not the issue - the point of reference is the action of "rest" became more important.

Rest is relationship and relationship is rest. Deeper maturity is found here, not in service but intentionally surrendering to His presence. 

When you hold a heart standard of resting in Him you repel the next step type stronghold that says 'You should do this' which usually has nothing to do with trusting your path at His feet.

The need to 'do' something dissipates and a newfound freedom comes that allows you to hear the still small voice that much clearer. 

Resistance to change

Strongholds are responsible for standing in the way of all your breakthroughs and rewards. 

Beavers are a great example of what a stronghold can do to the Living waters that pour from God's throne towards you. They busily work away building 'their mindset', a place of security, not realising they are blocking the life of the river.

The first sign of a stronghold is the defence of the old way, a resistance to any kind of change that would upset the status quo. This is a self-protection that automatically kicks in to prevent us from slipping into the mysterious unknown.

We build strongholds around us every day to feel we are still in control of our lives. A religious spirit fits perfectly in this because it is a familiar, predictable and unchanging path that accommodates our need to be left to live in peace. 

But the times we find ourselves living in say....." This will not do "

Lead by the Spirit

If we want to be His then we must regain the nomad mentality of being led by the Holy Spirit over the need for camping which is not quite the same.

Camping is any self-reliant project that leads to fences, buildings and rules of conduct....metaphorically speaking.

To be led by the Spirit on the other hand puts the pen in God's hand to right your story and legacy. When to move, when to stay, what to lay hold of and what to let go all of which are designed to rebuild your life in His values - to ensure you of a lasting future in balance and harmony with Him.

When you defend and protect your own priorities you are holding onto things that will not serve you well in the next place, something you cannot take with you into the new lands ahead. 

This only leads to delay.

Intimacy and surrender are at odds with anything self-orientated and this is a stronghold. It's ok out of ignorance but to choose it over Spirit-led is rebellion. Education will profit you so far however there comes a point when the Spirit breaks into the heart and asks the question 

'Where do you stand?'

A Pharisee from the old wineskin can be convincing and their motives seem honourable but they have no intimacy behind closed doors and the Holy Spirit cannot partner with a valley of dry bones.

The anointing breaks the yoke

What is the answer? Anointing. You know them when you see them.

When you choose rest over tradition there is a separation of intent. 

For starters, there is a dramatic change in the frequency coming from your heart and all of the spirit realm can see it. Gratefulness, joy, peace and even contentment are a state of being and carry a frequency that changes your atmosphere in and around you.

Resting cultivates a peace that makes it easier to hear, see and know what the Spirit is saying and doing. You will find it easier to walk through the valleys and climb your mountains because the instructions will flow.

To live in rest draws you deeper into revelation, awe, wonder and the fear of God, something the world knows nothing of but soon will.

As much as we would like to believe that "to lose your life you'll find it" Matthew 16: 24-28   doesn't imply our participation there is still another question around the position of legitimacy.

Of ten virgins only half were taken, WHY? Can we use the word lukewarm?

The ultimate goal is to have God's favour and anointing to fulfil our destiny story, to be all we can be in Jesus Christ our example and none of this is found in the religious stronghold of comfortability.

Strongholds are subtle, they are cunningly crafted to delay your promise and they are hardwired in today's society to convince your head it's perfectly normal behaviour. 

But the waking hearts and minds know full well this is not a normal world we are living in right now. It's getting crazier by the day. 

Matthew 16: 24-28 will completely wreck your life in the most beautiful way and you can feel your path goes against the flow. 

Coming to Jesus is free, following costs you something, becoming like Him costs you everything and He is preparing a table before you in the presence of your enemies.

Thanks for listening