Seeing Beyond the Walls

Yesterday, on my way back from work, I began to ponder and ask the Holy Spirit what I could share with you today. As I reflected, a simple yet profound phrase settled in my heart: “Casting down strongholds.”

Strongholds are not merely physical obstacles. In the spiritual realm, they are invisible walls, fences, and barricades that the enemy establishes to keep God’s children from walking fully in what the Lord has prepared for them. In Hebrew, the word for stronghold is batsaron, meaning a walled fortress. Stronghold is much more than a physical defense—it represents deeply entrenched spiritual and mental blockages that hinder our progress and access to God’s promises.

The Apostle Paul acknowledges the reality of the existence of these strongholds in:

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (KJV)

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God…”

A stronghold is essentially a lie that exalts itself above the truth of God. It often comes with circumstantial "evidence" that seems convincing, so convincing that even believers begin to accept it as truth. These are the moments when, no matter how hard you try, you feel like you’ve hit an invisible ceiling, you just can't break through. Despite your efforts, it feels like nothing is moving forward. Your thoughts begin to feel crowded with smallness, inadequacy, or a sense of hopelessness. That’s the strategy of the enemy: to make the lie feel more real than God’s truth and it is the truth that delivers, it is the truth that sets free.

John 8:32

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

The danger of strongholds lies in their subtlety. They are often formed through mental patterns and emotional responses, reinforced by past experiences, pain, fear, and at times, demonic influence. These strongholds operate beneath the surface, shaping our behavior and choices—even when they contradict truth.

I once observed a recurring response among a group of people—reactions not grounded in truth, but driven by fear, limitation, and spiritual manipulation. Upon closer reflection, it became clear that they were operating from a stronghold: a deeply embedded belief that, though seemingly supported by logic or experience, was ultimately a lie opposing the truth of God's Word.

Many people today are bound by long-standing ways of thinking—habits and patterns that have taken deep root in their minds. Even when they become aware that these ways are not in alignment with reality or Scripture, change feels almost impossible. The mind has been conditioned by the stronghold, and so they continue in the same pattern.

This is why Scripture urges us:

Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

How then do we confront these strongholds?

The answer is found in pursuing truth, truth revealed through Scripture and affirmed by the Holy Spirit. When we locate God’s Word concerning a specific area of struggle and commit to meditating on it, the stronghold begins to lose its grip. The more we resist the lie and embrace the truth, the more the enemy’s strategy crumbles.  Only through the continual renewing of our thoughts with God’s Word can we tear down these walls.

Think of the walls of Jericho. God instructed the Israelites to march around the wall, not with weapons, but with obedience and praise. And on the seventh day, the wall fell.

Joshua 6:20

“When the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.”

In the same way, we must surround our strongholds with God’s Word, prayer, obedience to instructions, and praise. It’s time to shift our focus from the barrier to the breakthrough, because truth always leads to freedom.

Friends, if you’re struggling in a specific area, search the Scriptures for what God has said about it. It may not fall overnight, but as you stay consistent in truth and prayer, you will see change.

And here’s the beautiful part: what once appeared to be an unbreakable wall will be revealed as small in light of God’s power. You’ll come to realize that even the stronghold had a purpose—it drew you deeper into God's Word, strengthened your faith, and brought you closer to Him.

In the end, the battle was not just to break the wall—it was to build you up in truth.

Stay Revived!

Spiritual Strategy: How to Stay One Step Ahead of Satan

 

It is in Satan’s strategy to always try. He knows he will ultimately fail, but he keeps testing us—watching for our reactions. When we respond the way he hopes, he uses that as an entry point to gain a foothold in our lives.

Scripture tells us, “Surely they shall gather…” (Isaiah 54:15). That means Satan and his agents will surely come against us. But the verse doesn’t end there—it continues, “…but not by Me; whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.” So even though he tries, every gathering that is not from the Lord will be scattered.

The devil is not omnipresent. What he does is set up structures and strategies that carry out his plans in his absence. That’s why he can seem to be in Mr. A’s house and Mr. B’s house at the same time—because of the systems he has in place.

But we serve a God who is the greatest strategist of all time. Just look at the lives of David and Joshua. Their God-given strategies always led them to victory in times of war.

So, what should we do when faced with repeated circles of demonic occurrences?

We must also build Godly strategies. We must be intentional—because as we grow spiritually, the enemy shifts his tactics to try to match our growth. He may come through familiar spirits, which often feel stronger than new ones, but they are not greater than our God, so the end point is same Failure.

The key is consistency:

• Be consistent in your prayer life.

• Walk and work in holiness.

• Renounce every ungodly altar and reject spiritual “toys” that seem harmless but are not of God.

• Continually pursue the Word of God. To live triumphantly, you must make God's word your favorite book.

Make it a habit to fan the flames of God’s presence in our lives. Read scripture daily. Pray. Obey every prompt from the Holy Spirit, because He never misleads. He doesn’t lie—not because He chooses not to, but because He is the Truth. There is no falsehood in Him.

Trust Him, and He will lead you into total deliverance.

Amen.

Stay revived!

God is Intentional.

How do you trade with a God who is intentional in every season and every point of His creatures’ existence? While God desires that we depend on Him for all our needs and allow Him shape our lives, He also wants us to ask deliberate questions and seek out His purpose for us.

That’s why He often places before us two parallels—two options. Though He gives us the freedom to choose, He lovingly beckons us to choose life. The all-seeing God already knows the end of every path we might take, yet He offers us the gift of choice.

It’s one thing to seek God’s counsel—are we truly willing to follow it?

When we let God plan our lives, He walks us through processes, stages, and seasons. But when we step outside His leading, we may face breaks. Still, the beauty of God is this: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). He meets us where we are and brings beauty even out of brokenness.

To walk with an intentional God, we must come with the right questions, posture, and intent. And when we grow weary, He has already made provision to strengthen us.

Even when we don’t have the answers or the right questions, if we submit our will to Him, He transforms our lives.

Go out today knowing God is fully invested in you. Man may judge you by your past choices, but when you come to God, He gives you new help and fresh mercy.

Stay Revived!

Fire built in a place of consistency.

Very recently, a close relative was microwaving when a cockroach suddenly ran out of the oven. It was unexpected, but it triggered a reflection: When we remain consistently on fire for the Lord, He causes the hidden things—things that shouldn't be within us—to be exposed and brought out.

In this moments  the Lord desires that we be honest with ourselves—honest enough to acknowledge what He reveals within us. But honesty alone is not enough; we must put strategies in place to ensure these things do not return and it is to be on fire always.

The fire of God represents many things. It can be:

• His Presence and His Glory – “The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire…” (Exodus 24:17); “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire…” (Deuteronomy 4:24).
• His Judgment and Vengeance – “The Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them” (Psalm 21:9); “Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them… the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy” (Zephaniah 1:18).

The presence of God brings liberty—a freedom that cannot be known unless it has been truly encountered. When people say, “There is light at the end of the tunnel,” it’s often a sign of recognizing God’s presence in situatons that seems dark and his glory in form of a light at the e d of the tunnel. When we draw nearer to Him, He begins to release His presence in portions, preparing us to eventually walk in His fullness.

Yes, we may not fully know God until we meet Him in eternity, but He longs to reveal deeper dimensions of His glory to those who sincerely desire His presence to lead and guide them.

The fire of the Lord manifests in different ways:

• It can instruct—like when Moses encountered the burning bush.
• It can guide—as it did for the Israelites on their way to the Promised Land.
• It can purify, consume, or judge—depending on what God desires to accomplish.

God is Sovereign. His fire, His presence, His instructions—they all work together. When we begin to recognize that in Him is the beginning, then we also understand that He is the Author of fire itself; its purpose, power, and purity.

The enemy fears a man or woman who carries this fire, because he knows it has the power to consume, expose, sort, and judge.

So friends, pray. Ask the Holy Spirit—the greatest strategist—to help you encounter and sustain a consistent flow of God's fire in your life.

Stay revived!