For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, (2 Corinthians 10:4 NKJV)
Lately, He's bringing to my remembrance hurtful, ugly things of the past. To which has brought me to question God. God, why are you bringing up my past when you've forgiven me and thrown those sins into the sea of forgetfulness? You see, it isn't the sin that He's bringing back to me, it's the nature of these sins...the strongholds that were built by the enemy. I am saved by grace and completely forgiven. He doesn't remember my sin. But as I have prayed for Him to search me, examine me, and totally cleanse me, and make me into His image, He is showing me strongholds that must be destroyed and eradicated from within me. As He brings these to my mind, I am being obedient, repenting, and taking back ground to remove these from my life.
You see when I was in sin, I allowed Satan access to thoughts, actions, emotions, every part of my being. Here's a great quote from A Mystery of Majesty by Dennis Jernigan: "The energies we expend in keeping our sins secret are the actual 'materials' of which a stronghold is made." But as God's Light is shining upon these areas of our heart and mind, these dark places must go. I want Christ's righteousness in every area where Satan once dwelt within me.
How am I doing it? Complete obedience and willingness to be broken and remade into Christ's image. If it doesn't totally line up with God and His Word, then I repent of it because anything against Christ is "anti-Christ."
I am realizing that some of the strongholds of my life are because of my childhood experiences and perceptions. God is continually showing me that what I "learned" through those experiences and how He was presented at times isn't necessarily what or who He is. He is showing me His truth and is revealing himself to me in such a greater dimension than I could ever imagine.
If it is a thought...I am taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). I am replacing the negative thoughts with positive, God-filled thoughts. Philippians 4:8 "Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things." I have also learned that how I think is how I'm going to be (Proverbs 23:7 As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.) If I think I'm defeated, then I am; However, if I think/know that I'm redeemed and can rejoice in God's freedom, then I am free!
As far as my actions, they were due to the negative influence of environments and people I called friends. As God began His transformation of my heart and life, I realized that these things were my stumbling blocks and would lead me back down the dark, miserable path of addiction and bondage of sin. So I prayed for God's strength to get me through the temptations and avoided these negative influences like the plague. (2 Peter 3:17-8 Beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.) (Matthew 26:44 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.) I have purposed in my heart that I will never go back into the misery I was in. I love my Savior too much.
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