Pulling down of strongholds?

I was recently reminded again how that a stronghold can really be … a stronghold.

It is no strange coincidence that Paul alerts (beseech) us that the purpose of our spiritual fight is for the pulling down of strongholds. 

Paul is specific.

The fight is not carnal.

It is spiritual.

Why?

Because the stronghold is established at a spiritual level. Yet, this is to our benefit, because we have the Holy Spirit of Jesus (the-mighty-through-God part) living inside of us.

But let’s understand a stronghold a little better then …

What is the stronghold?

Most doctrinal Christians will go to extreme lengths to defend their doctrine (or rather the rules and regulations of the institution they conform to) along with their own good works. These they will be quick to justify and communicate to you in some kind of testimony. Their doctrine and their own good works are always regarded much more important than testifying about the love and finished work of Christ.

The stronghold is the mindset that is established when people are made to believe something as a matter of principle (law or rules or prescripts), whether right or wrong, whether good or bad.

It is the doctrine of man. You must conform to the rules.

What if you talk about Grace?

As soon as you divert the conversation to the finished work of Jesus as the real and only valid testimony, a dark veil appears and the conversation comes to an abrupt end.

You have ventured outside of the rules and the brainwashed Christian returns to his or her stronghold.

But what exactly is this stronghold and why is it so strong?

Does Paul describe the stronghold?

2Co 10:3 - For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

2Co 10:4 - For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;

The Greek word that Paul uses for stronghold is ochyrōma. Thayer very effectively and accurately translates and describes the word as the arguments and reasonings by which a disputant endeavors to fortify his opinion and defend it against his opponent.

It is the ingrained dogma and beliefs, the teachings, convictions, the precepts, ideologies and requisite creed of an organization by which it stands or falls. It must be defended at all cost by its members.

How do we pull down strongholds?

When Paul talks about spiritual warfare in 2 Corinthians 10, he emphasizes in verse 5 what such spiritual warfare entails. He specifically says that it is the casting down of everything that exalts itself against the knowledge (intimacy) of God (Jesus), bringing everything into captivity to the obedience (compliance and submission) of Christ.

What is this?

It is simple. Your spiritual warfare is nothing but the appropriation of the great, immeasurable finished work of Christ.

Anything else is an exaltation against the finished work, saying that what Christ did was not enough.

No more to be said …

The finished work is the FINISHED WORK!