Strongholds of God or Satan?
I was pondering what to study in the Word this summer, since I'm not in any particular Bible studies, and the issue of fear came to my mind. My dog is so fearful. She notices every change in her environment, jumps at any new noises and tries to fight off the other dogs on our walks before they can get to her. As I struggled to figure out how to help her with her fears, I realized that I do the same things! I don't like to be out of control in my environment; strange noises, when I'm alone, cause me to freeze; and I try to avoid situations where, I think, I might be embarrassed or hurt whether physically or emotionally.
So as I pondered this problem, it made me consider how often I say to my dog, "It's OK, you're alright." Yet, I ignore that God has said this same thing to me over and over throughout my life. He's been my stronghold and high tower. He's lifted me up and kept me from being blown away by strong winds or rough waters. He's held onto me and helped me maneuver through numerous storms in my life. Why do I still have fear when I know, "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer."? For the same reason my dog still has fear, although we've never allowed anything to harm her or we've gotten care for her when she's been hurt. Beth Moore answers this question well in her study guide, Living Free on page 10:
"Satanic strongholds invade our lives whenever we allow something to appear bigger than God...Though we must deal with demonic strongholds, we can be encouraged when we remember that they are only lies and deceptions."
So as I pondered this problem, it made me consider how often I say to my dog, "It's OK, you're alright." Yet, I ignore that God has said this same thing to me over and over throughout my life. He's been my stronghold and high tower. He's lifted me up and kept me from being blown away by strong winds or rough waters. He's held onto me and helped me maneuver through numerous storms in my life. Why do I still have fear when I know, "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer."? For the same reason my dog still has fear, although we've never allowed anything to harm her or we've gotten care for her when she's been hurt. Beth Moore answers this question well in her study guide, Living Free on page 10:
"Satanic strongholds invade our lives whenever we allow something to appear bigger than God...Though we must deal with demonic strongholds, we can be encouraged when we remember that they are only lies and deceptions."
Damascus Gate in Jerusalem, part of an ancient wall used to protect the city.
Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation--The Lord is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?
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