Authentic Spirituality Confronts and Deals With Strongholds
Authentic spirituality confronts and deals with strongholds in the lives of people.
Matthew 12:29-30
Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
In Ephesians, Paul talks about principalities of the air, cosmic powers, spiritual forces (for evil) in heavenly places. He is talking about the realm of the spirit and how the spiritual realm is a reality, and has an influence on the every day life.
He goes on to talk about our victory, and how Christians have the armor and the ability to wage war.
Now, we know we win—we have read the last chapter—but there is still a war going on and a battle to fight.
Paul says something interesting in Ephesians 6:12 that our war is not against flesh and blood.
The implication is that, although it seems like we are fighting people, we are really fighting forces unseen. Forces that people have allowed to control their lives. Forces that people have allowed into their lives. Areas that people have never corrected or attended to. This means that we have to deal with spiritual forces on a personal level.
The other thought is that over certain areas, over certain cities or countries, there are spiritual forces at play that manifest in a cultural way. In Australia, Canberra is very liberal, Queensland is very lascivious and Sydney is very materialistic. Three different cities, three different characters, three different spiritual influences.
Here is one more thought: every generation has to deal with the Strongman of their times. They have to battle the forces that are arraigned against them in their generation.