FOR THOUGH WE LIVE IN THE WORLD, WE DO NOT WAGE WAR AS THE WORLD DOES.  THE WEAPONS WE FIGHT WITH ARE NOT THE WEAPONS OF THE WORLD. ON THE CONTRARY, THEY HAVE DIVINE POWER TO DEMOLISH STRONGHOLDS
(2 Corinthians 10:3-4).

I have noticed that sometimes it is easy to overcome the darkness that dwells in my mind. I find the negative, destructive belief from the father-of-lies that causes the darkness. I submit this belief to God’s Presence and Participation. God reveals His Truth to me…and the darkness flees.

However, there are times when I struggle…a lot.  I find an oppressing belief.  I surrender this belief to God, but there is no immediate Truth or deliverance. Something is missing.

You need to know that some oppressing beliefs that live in your mind are different than others.  They are stronger…fortified…unyielding. They have combined with other accusatory beliefs to form a stronghold. Abandonment combines with shame. Condemnation links with rejection. Abandonment connects with condemnation. Shame fuses with rejection. Understand that a stronghold serves as a fortified city for these accusatory beliefs to thrive and reproduce, so they may control your mind, rule your life, and break your heart, according to the purpose of the father-of-lies.

YOU NEED TO PERSEVERE SO THAT WHEN YOU HAVE DONE THE WILL OF GOD, YOU WILL RECEIVE WHAT HE HAS PROMISED
(Hebrews 10:36).

I bless you to persevere when you have negative, destructive beliefs from the father-of-lies that have fused together to form a stronghold in your heart and mind. Understand that perseverance is not a weapon of the world. On the contrary, it serves as a tool that allows God to come to your rescue and bring the fortified city to ruin—to destroy the purpose of the father-of-lies.

WITH A BLINDING FLASH HE DESTROYS THE STRONGHOLD AND BRINGS THE FORTIFIED CITY TO RUIN
(Amos 5:9).

Precious Child, to persevere means to endure without yielding…to bear patiently…to remain fixed in a state…to continue in My Presence, even when there is no immediate relief. It is about finding and surrendering to Me ALL the stubborn, oppressing beliefs from the father-of-lies that comprise the stronghold, again and again and again, until there is Truth and Light and Deliverance. 

What do you do with the strongholds in your life—the groups of negative, destructive beliefs from the father-of-lies that are fortified in your mind?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, may I learn not to wage war as the world does when darkness dwells in my mind, but to fight with the weapon You have given me—Perseverance in Your Presence. May I endure without yielding when I come across a stronghold of beliefs, set up against me by the father-of-lies, until You bring the fortified city to ruin…and deliver me.