How To OVERCOME The STRONGHOLDS In Your Life

Happy Mother’s Day!

2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Selected Scriptures
By
D.Z. Cofield, Th.M., D. Min.
May 14, 2023

Responsive Reading – Galatians 5:16-25 (ESV)

Leader: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Congregation: For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are
against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to
do.

Leader: But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Congregation: Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,

Leader: idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,

Congregation: envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before,
that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Leader: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Congregation: gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Leader: And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Everyone: If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Intro:

Sun Tzu said if you know the enemy and know yourself in a hundred battles you will never be
in peril. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or
losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are certain in every battle
to be in peril.

TODAY I WANT TO TALK TO YOU FROM THE THOUGHT:

How To OVERCOME The STRONGHOLDS In Your Life

Colossians 1:13 (ESV) – He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the
kingdom of his beloved Son,

Galatians 1:4 (ESV) – who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age,
according to the will of our God and Father,

1. You need to realize you are in a SPIRITUAL battle EVERYDAY of your life with your
STRONGHOLDS.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (ESV) – For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to
the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy
strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God,
and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
Strongholds –

Ephesians 6:10-12 (ESV) – Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on
the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do
not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic
powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

A. You are in a spiritual battle with the devil.

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) – Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a
roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Devil –

B. You are in a spiritual battle with your FLESH.

Romans 7:21-25 (ESV) – So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22

For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war
against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24
Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through
Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve
the law of sin.

2. You need to realize you must depend upon the POWER of GOD to be VICTORIOUS over
your strongholds.

Romans 8:11 (ESV) – If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who
raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells
in you.

A. THE HOLY SPIRIT FIGHTS WITH YOU!

B. THE HOLY SPIRIT FIGHTS FOR YOU!

1 John 4:4 (ESV) – Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is
greater than he who is in the world.

3. You must CHOOSE to FIGHT to overcome the STRONGHOLDS in your life.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (ESV) – For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to
the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy
strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God,
and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Warfare –

A. Ask God to reveal the SIN that is at the root of your stronghold and CONFESS it.

1 John 1:8-10 (ESV) – If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

B. REPENT of the sinful acts and RELEASE the pain caused by sin.

Acts 3:19 (ESV) – Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

Hebrews 12:1 (ESV) – Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race
that is set before us,

C. Ask GOD to give you what you need to set you FREE from the POWER the
stronghold has over your life.

Galatians 5:16 (ESV) – But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV) – No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is
faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also
provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

James 5:16 (ESV) – Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you
may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

L.I.F.E. Group Questions

1. Do you know anyone who had an enemy they were unaware of? Explain
2. When did you realize you have an enemy and are in a spiritual battle everyday?
3. What’s the difference between a sin and a stronghold?
4. When was a time you were in a spiritual battle with the devil? Explain
5. When was a time you were in a spiritual battle with your flesh? Explain
6. Where do you see spiritual battles most in your life today?
7. What stronghold can you identify in your life?
8. How necessary is it for you to depend on the power of God for you to be victorious in your
spiritual battles?
9. What comfort do you find in knowing the Holy Ghost fights with and for you to help you
overcome your strongholds?
10. What does it mean to choose to fight to overcome the strongholds in your life?
11. Why is it important to repent of your sinful acts in order to break the power of your
strongholds?
12. Why is it important to release the sinful acts of others against you in order to break the power
of your strongholds?
13. What spiritual weapons are available to you?
14. How can you better utilize the spiritual weapons that are available to you?
15. What do you need to do to maintain your freedom in overcoming your stronghold once God
delivers you?