Pulling Down Satanic Strongholds

Chapter One: What is Satanic Stronghold?

- What is a Stronghold?

Sometime ago I was with a fellow pastor and a certain man ran in troubled. What is the matter, the Pastor asked? The man looked at me and was reluctant to speak or reveal his secret as he does not know me. The Pastor urged him to speak that I am a fellow Minister. This man was jailed abroad for drug related crime. While in prison he repented and promised God to serve him on return to our country if God delivers him. God did. He was an occult grand master and had followers. He even built a very big house or sanctum – a stronghold for the devil and his occult members. He had exotic cars etc. When he gave his life to Christ, he burnt this temple or sanctum down as it seemed it could not even be cleansed or of any use. He went to Bible College and graduated but after some time things got really rough and bad. Even his exotic car he wanted to sell at a giveaway ridiculous price refused to be sold. It was just like any item or possession from the occult life was cursed, useless now and these spiritual oppositions were impeding his progress. These are spiritual strongholds that need to be destroyed for him to progress even though he has given his life to Christ. Yes if any man is in Christ he is a new creation, old thing are passed away and all has become new. Yes morally he is a new creation but has to enforce this freedom legally by open renunciation and denunciation. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, Lazarus came forth still bound by grave cloths. Jesus did not untie him but commanded the people to loosen him and let him go (John 11:44). Amplified Bible says free him of the burial wrapping (grave cloths) and let him go.

- Someone said that if you cannot kneel before God, you cannot stand before the host of hell. In prayers your impotence is linked with the omnipotence of God.

- Generally speaking stronghold is defined as a strongly built place whether structural, spiritual, physical, military, family, national or natural strongholds. It is protective of something, someone or some place. A stronghold is built by a strongman to protect a strong room where the treasure is preserved.

A stronghold is a fort or fortress or fortification – a place of refuge or survival or domination by a certain group or idea. Fort is a fortified defensive structure stationed with troops or armed guards like in an army post. Fortress is a fortified place, a large and permanent fortification. It could be a town, a castle or a stronghold of defense and security. Physically or structurally a fort or fortress consist of walls (often double or of the casement variety) surrounding partially or completely a city and includes a citadel. These structures differ historically. Earlier they were built with mud walls but with casement during Solomon’s time. At some locations on some stone walls it has towers that act as security or defense cubicles for security in military stations.

Citadel is a natural city’s stronghold, tower, or fortification of a last resort where people sought safety during an attack. The citadel of Penuel was destroyed by Gideon after he captured two Midianite kings (Judges 8:17). The citadel of El-berith at Shechem was burned to the ground by Abimelech and his men (9:46-49). Abimelech was killed shortly thereafter when a woman in the citadel at Thebez dropped a millstone on his head and crushed his skull (verses 50-54). ‘So destroy a citadel and you have destroyed the people’s strength and protection so spiritually you destroy or pull down a satanic citadel and the enemy is handicapped. Capture a citadel and you have overthrown that stronghold. David conquered Jerusalem by capturing its citadel (2 Samuel 5:7-9; 1 Chronicles 11:5-8).

Spiritual Strongholds:

2 Cor. 10:4-5 (AMP)

For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [In as much as we] refute arguments and theories and