Dear Church,
Yesterday, after the sermon, a sister from our church shared a powerful testimony with me. I am always encouraged when I hear how God is using His Word to bring healing, freedom, and peace into people’s lives. In recent months, several people have shared stories of how God is deeply transforming them.
Remember, we had talked about strongholds. A stronghold is a deeply rooted lie, sinful pattern, fear, wound, attitude, or way of thinking that has been allowed to stand against the truth and freedom of Christ in our lives. This sister asked God to bring to her attention any strongholds operating in her life. The Holy Spirit, who “searches all things, even the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10), began revealing them to her. She identified twelve strongholds and wrote them down on a piece of paper. Some of them were areas she had not previously recognized as strongholds. Over the next several days, she began praying specifically over each one. She confessed what needed confessing, rejected the lies she had believed, and asked God to replace them with His truth. She testified that God began powerfully breaking the influence these strongholds had exercised over her life.
What a wonderful pattern for all of us! We can prayerfully ask: “Holy Spirit, search my heart. Reveal any lie, sinful pattern, fear, bitterness, unforgiveness, shame, pride, or deception that has become a stronghold in my life.” Then, as God brings things to our attention, we should not run from them, excuse them, or defend them. We bring them into the light. We confess what needs to be confessed, renounce the lies behind them, forgive where forgiveness is needed, and replace every lie with the truth of God’s Word.
Paul reminds us:
“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4–5)
Our weapons are not merely human effort, determination, or willpower. God has given us spiritual weapons with divine power to destroy strongholds. This week, take some quiet time before the Lord. Ask the Holy Spirit to search you. Write down what He brings to your attention and begin praying specifically over each area. Do not be discouraged by what is revealed. God does not expose things to condemn us. He brings them into the light so that He can heal us, free us, and lead us into greater obedience to Christ.
This Wednesday will also be our day of fasting and prayer. I encourage you to set aside time throughout the day to seek the Lord, pray over the areas He reveals, and ask Him to bring greater freedom into your life. Pray for our church as we embark on this new phase as Waypoint Community Church, for its launch, for God to shape us as a community of believers who are on fire for Jesus! Encourage your teenage children to fast and pray. We will conclude the day by gathering for an hour of prayer in the sanctuary at 6:00pm. Let us come together believing that God will meet us as we humble ourselves and seek Him.
Prayer:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart. Reveal anything in me that resists Your truth. By the power of Jesus Christ, tear down every stronghold, expose every lie, and help me take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Fill every area of my life with Your truth, Your Spirit, and Your freedom. Amen.”
Be encouraged,
Mathews
