Let's Talk About "Breaking Strongholds"

By Barry McLaughlin

Let's talk about Breaking Strongholds is a very in-depth, detailed writing (complete with prayers) that takes a person step by step through the process of deliverance. There is much a person needs to know and do in the name of Jesus Christ to be free from whatever oppresses them and this book teaches that well. This is a must read for anyone in need of deliverance and/or anyone studying to learn it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barry McLaughlin
• Release date: Aug 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9780992134402

Barry McLaughlin

Barry is and has been ministering in the area of Christian deliverance for the last 20 years. He loves to interact with people, to write and to mentor others in the area of spiritual warfare and deliverance. His writings all reflect his passion for being thorough in teaching others who they are in Christ and how they can take authority over the devil to move oppression off of their life. If you have any questions for Barry or want to contact him for any reason you can contact him by email at [e-mail]

Book preview

Let's talk about Breaking Strongholds

Barry McLaughlin

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2013 Barry McLaughlin

All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN 978-0-9921344-0-2

Published by Barry McLaughlin

www.freedomdeliverance.org

Cover Design by Author

Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com

Disclaimer

All the material contained in this book is provided for educational and informational purposes only. No responsibility can be taken for any results or outcomes resulting from the use/misuse of this material.

While every attempt has been made to provide information that is both accurate and effective, the author does not assume any responsibility for the use/misuse of this information.

Prologue

This is an in-depth and detailed writing I have put together; complete with several prayers, that will help even the newest of Christians to understand how to pull down whatever stronghold satan has built against them. I have put several step by step teachings into this writing covering several topics and which will help a Christian to better understand and effectively use spiritual warfare as a weapon against satan to tear his strongholds down. As they will also help a Christian to better realize what a stronghold is, how a stronghold gets set up in a person's life, how satan is able to keep a person bound (in fear, anxiety, unworthiness, guilt, rejection, lust, greed, bitterness, jealousy, un-forgiveness, etc.,) in those strongholds and how a person can pull down and be completely set free from their influence, bondage and oppression.

There is much a person needs to learn in that they can confidently call down the walls of a stronghold. For example: a person first needs to know their authority in Christ over the works of satan before satan will even consider giving up the stronghold he has acquired over them. Why? Because satan realizes that it is what a Christian knows about their authority in Christ over him, that empowers them. Many people in their sins and/or their oppressions do not realize the power they possess in Christ and so that ignorance becomes a major problem for that person who is seeking their deliverance. I believe there is enough information in this book to help a Christian to realize all of what they need to realize and which can lead them through the process of tearing down the most intricate of strongholds that may be against them.

Acknowledgments

I dedicate this book to God for delivering me from the anguish I had known, for showing me how real He is, for all of what He has taught me and for the privilege of helping others.

I also give special thanks to Sherry Benton for helping me proof-read this book and for making grammatical corrections to it.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chpt1—What is a Stronghold?

Chpt2—The basics of spiritual warfare

Chpt3—Stronghold of oppression

Chpt4—Spiritual Laws and legal rights

Chpt5—Strongholds and spirits

Chpt6—Let's talk more about an un-contended spirit

Chpt7—The Forgiveness Prayer

Chpt8—Let the warfare begin

Chpt9—Deliverance from Oppression Prayer

Chpt10—Recapping some points

Chpt11—Stronghold of sin

Chpt12—Beware of what you entertain!

Chpt13—How long do we warfare against a spirit?

Chpt14—We need to do our part so that God can do His!

Chpt15—The Bottom Line?

Chpt16—Ok, let's pull those strongholds down

Chpt17—Deliverance from sin Prayer

Chpt18—Recapping and adding some points

Chpt19—Stronghold of Ignorance, Falseness and/or Deception

Chpt20—Final thoughts and words

What is a Stronghold?

What are they? How are they built? How they oppress and keep a person in oppression. How we pull them down when we realize that a stronghold has been formed against us?

Also talked about in this Chapter, (The spiritual realm; how it affects us and how we affect it.) (Can satan bring harm or hardship to a person's life even after they have made the decision to become a Christian?)

What is a stronghold? Well, the word stronghold can be used in a variety of contexts and hold several definitions as to its meaning, but the most common definition used by a Christian, is anything that holds a person back from walking in the fullness of what God has intended for their life and anything that hinders their freedom to do so. But in regards to Christianity and the dynamics of how the spiritual realm works and affects our lives, it is much more than that.

stronghold -

1. A strongly fortified place; a fortress.

2. A place of security or refuge.

Funk & Wagnalls

Standard Desk Dictionary

Good strongholds and bad ones. This dictionary's definition tells us that a stronghold is a strongly fortified structure; a place of security, or refuge. It is a place that can either keep a person safe, or imprison them. That being the case we can determine that some strongholds are designed to benefit a person's life and keep a person safe while some strongholds are designed to suppress a person's freedom and create struggle and hardship for them.

In physical form a stronghold could be a castle, an army base, a prison, or a bomb shelter, etc., but as we will come to find out there are spiritual and emotional strongholds as well, which of course we will talk more about. There are strongholds that God rules over (the good ones) and strongholds that satan does (the bad ones), ones that oppress and ones that protect, ones we should be diligent to set up in our lives and ones we should be diligent to make sure we don't.

Here are two scriptures and two examples our bible gives, as to how good of a stronghold God can be for a person who is in need of protection from their enemies.

Psalms 18:2-3 NIV The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.

Psalms 37:39-40 NIV The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. 40 The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

From these scriptures we can determine that God can be a strong place of protection, (a positive stronghold), for those who will call out to Him and who will take refuge in Him. But with the help of Proverbs 18:10 we can determine that God being a stronghold (a safe place in times of trouble) is more a metaphor, (a figure of speech, or analogy) for God is not a physical building so how can we run into Him? But it is still a truth of how good of a protective covering God can be for those who learn to use God's covering of protection for their life.

Proverbs 18:10 KJV 10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

I know some Christians believe that once a person makes the decision to become a Christian, that a spiritual shield immediately lowers itself in place around that new believers life (without that Christian doing anything to attain that protection) and that satan can no longer oppress this person ever again, or in anyway, but that belief is absolutely false and only serves to disillusion a Christian when hardship does come their way.

Note: I want to testify that Yes, without any doubt God can be the "safest of a safe place" for a person when a storm, hardship, oppression, attack of the enemy, etc., comes their way, but I also want to clarify, (so that a Christian in need of God's protection will not become disillusioned), in order for God to keep a person safe, a person first needs to learn how to put themselves into that safe place with God under His protection. How do we do that? We will talk about that.

And the truth shall set you free. There are several factors involved, when determining just how safe a person will be when our enemy the devil rears his head against them and knowledge definitely ranks high on that list of factors. The knowledge to know how to keep our doors closed to satan, how to pray an effective covering of the blood of Jesus Christ over our home and family each day, how to use our authority in Christ in a powerful and effective way and most importantly how to surrender the weak areas of our lives over to God for healing, deliverance and resolve (so that satan cannot use our weaknesses against us) are key to our growth and our safety in God. There are other factors as well which again we will be talking much more about.

Proverbs 21:22 NIV 22 A wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.

In which they trust. Trust is a key word here, for it is what a person puts their trust in to protect, or save them, to meet their needs, or benefit their life is what will either become their stronghold, or their downfall. Some people trust in their good looks to meet their needs and some countries trust on their armies to keep them safe, but as we know, good looks fade and armies can be defeated.

We are living in a world that holds no guarantees because satan is in it and so many times our choices, for who, or what we put our trust in, will hugely determine our well-being. There are consequences for our decisions and as wise decisions can bring about good dividends to our lives and edify us, bad decisions can cause us much hardship and bring a person to ruin. Bad things happen to the just, as well as the unjust in this world (again because satan is in it) and is why a person would be wise to realize the importance of God, to put their trust in Him and to wrap themselves up in the knowledge of what He has to teach them, in that this knowledge can reward them with added years to their life and less oppression from our enemy the devil.

Psalms 111:10 NIV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

Proverbs 9:10-12 NIV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. 12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

Note: These scriptures say that we should fear the Lord, but I like to use the word respect, or trust instead of fear, for God does not want anyone to follow Him because they fear him, but rather because they trust who He is and respect Him for what He wants to accomplish for them. In accepting Him, God wants for us to realize that He is the best decision a person could ever make and God does not want to disappoint anyone for putting their trust in Him.

I had said that this world holds no guarantees and it is true. I am not trying to sell God short by saying this. I am just saying that each day is different and holds new challenges. No one is guaranteed that they won't get sick, suffer a hardship, lose a loved one, or be betrayed, etc., this day, or any day. This world does not hold those sort of guarantees as to what we might endure and how we might endure it. Why? Because this isn't heaven and there is a devil ruling over the darkness in this world, who has a vendetta against all mankind and who is out to create as much hardship as he can for us. This is exactly why we need to realize the greatness of God, anchor our self to that greatness and to learn all of what we can learn from what that greatness can offer us. That knowledge is very empowering to a Christian's life and can keep a person safe in spite of there being a satan in this world who has a vendetta against us.

But one thing I do know is that with God helping, our life will be a lot more edifying and manageable than what the devil would ever hope it to be. Satan is real and he isn't as toothless as some people think. A Christian needs to realize this and realize that his time isn't up yet. Jesus' death on the Cross was just the beginning to satan's demise, but satan isn't dead, or bound for an eternity yet, (that is still yet to happen) and until Christ's return, he is still a formidable foe robbing, destroying and oppressing souls away from God. This is why Peter warned Christians to be alert and on guard for the devil.

1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, (fight him) standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

This scripture shows us that shortly after Jesus' death, some of the brothers and sisters in Christ were suffering great hardships and it shows Peter reminding them of the enemy we have who is hell bent on destroying us (satan) and the need for us to remain diligent in standing firm against him.

I am sure Peter also encouraged them to examine themselves to see where they may have given satan the open door to attack, or oppress them and then encouraged them to close that door as soon as they realized what that open door was. For example: If they realize that they had been acting out of pride, to close those doors they would need to seek God's forgiveness for their haughtiness and to seek forgiveness from whomever they may have hurt in their pride, or if they realized that they hadn't been as prayerful lately, or as committed to their walk with the Lord, they would want to draw closer to God and be more prayerful for their needs and protection. As I am sure that Peter would also have reminded them to keep putting their trust in God and to keep putting the power of the blood of Jesus Christ against satan, in effectual prayer and warfare, until their attacks and hardships subsided.

The evidence that the disciples and believers of Christ were enduring hardship and that Peter recognized that it was coming from the devil, testifies that satan is real and that, if the opportunity presents itself, that he can cause a Christian a great deal of hardship, (spiritual, emotional and physical). It testifies that this is a real possibility and something a Christian needs to realize and take serious. These are the sort of things a Christian needs to learn more about (how satan causes hardship and how a person can protect them self from it) in that this awareness and new found knowledge will help keep their draw bridges closed and protected from satan.

This world holds no guarantees as to what we can expect to happen to us, for the good, or the bad, because satan is in it, but let me acknowledge that God does hold guarantees and honours His promises. God's promises are true and for those who know how to and will put their trust in Him, God can keep a person's life reasonably safe, stable and manageable, in spite of satan's menacing threats and persuasive influences in this world. I had said reasonably safe and not totally safe, because it is hard for anyone to make the claim that their life is totally protected from satan, or unaffected from his works, (especially when they are on the front lines of work for the Lord), for satan challenges everything that is good and righteous. But as I had said, a person who is surrendered to God and who abides by Christ's teachings will be a lot more protected than what the devil would be hoping.

I had emphasized that the brothers and sisters in Christ were suffering all kinds of hardship, after Jesus Christ's death, because there are people who believe that Jesus Christ's death on the cross destroyed the devil, or (as we had said), now prevents the devil from touching a believer's life and so feel they have nothing left to resist, or fight. This is false belief and a teaching that does more to discourage a believer from learning their authority in Christ and fighting the devil, than it does to encourage them to realize their need to. Satan still knows how to fight us, (how to manipulate people, places and situations for his purpose and how to lead people astray and put them in bondage) and so is a good reason why we should want to know how to fight him and why God would want us to.

Note: When I write, I like to touch on several topics to give greater insight to what I am writing about and in that it will help teach a new Christian more about Christianity and who they are in Christ, (what they should strive for, how the devil operates, how to take authority over him, what gives him legal rights, what they can expect to happen in their walk with the Lord and in their battles with the devil etc.). Every chance I get I also like to clarify, (from what I have learned over the years) what is good doctrine and what is false, in that a Christian will better be able to determine what is of God and what is not in that they won't easily get caught in one of satan's traps. Before I move more into the topic of strongholds I am going to talk more about the basics of Christianity and the basics of spiritual warfare to help lead us into the topic of strongholds.

The Spiritual Realm

Which brings us to the topic of the spiritual realm and how we as Christians need to better understand that realm in that we can better understand the things of God, including strongholds, for the types of strongholds we (as Christians) often refer to have spiritual roots that extend themselves into our physical/emotional lives.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NKJV 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, (physical, emotional and spiritual ones)

One thing a new Christian may not realize and an older one may sometimes forget is that there is another dimension to who we are and in which we need to know more about and to become better acquainted with, "our spiritual side". Even though we are born to a physical body we also have a spiritual component to us that is incorporated into the dynamics of how we are made and which works in conjunction with our flesh and our emotions.

James 2:26 NIV 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Another thing a Christian needs to realize, if we are going to have a more complete understanding for the things of God and who we are in Christ, is that there is a spiritual realm. A realm that 1- we cannot see with our physical eyes, but none the less a realm that is very much real. 2- a realm that has spiritual beings living there and spiritual laws, principalities and powers governing them. 3- a spiritual world of divine wonderment. 4- a realm that affects us, (because we are also part spirit) and a realm in which we can affect. 5- a realm that interjects itself into our life and a realm we can interject into, or interact with. 6- a realm that moves around us, that involves us and which can either edify us, or oppress us.

Even though we read about this spiritual realm in our bible, I don't think we fully grasp its existence. Why? For several reasons, but mostly because there is not enough good teaching, or focus given it as to how it fits into our life and contributes to either our well-being or demise. The world definitely doesn't give us a good and healthy understanding for its existence and/or role in our life and unfortunately our church (one church to another and one denomination to another) can sometimes shine a vague or contradicting light on it as well. There is not nearly enough good teachings being taught to us on how satan personally attacks us from this realm (our lives, homes and our families) and how we can quickly identify those attacks and turn them back onto the devil.

I am not speaking against our church, in saying this, but I am pointing out that not enough of our churches understand the spiritual battle that is being fought around us and what our role is in this fight. They don't teach enough on such things as how to bless our homes and why we need to, or don't teach enough on what each one of us is capable of doing through the power we have in Christ. They tell us that we have been given the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy, that we have the power to cast out demons, to heal the sick, to break curses, etc., but they don't go into enough detail to teach a Christian how to walk in that power and authority and how to do those miraculous things.

Scripture testifies that we are both physical and spiritual and that there is a spiritual realm. It gives us examples of how it interacts with us and how we can interact with it, how it influences us and we how can influence it, that it involves us and that we have a role in fighting the devil in this spiritual battle that rages around us. Scriptures also testifies that a believer has the ability to even do what Jesus did in way of healing the sick, casting out demons and walking with signs and wonders following them, for Jesus Himself said so.

Revelations 2:29 NIV He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says...

Ephesians 6:12-13 NIV For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Matthew 18:18 NIV "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

John 14:12 NIV I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Mark 16:17-18 NIV And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

The majority of what a person will come to understand about themself and learn about life (what their role and purpose is in this world, who they are, what they are to strive for, what their priorities should be), comes mostly from their physical interactions with this world, not their spiritual ones. Why? For this is mostly what a person is taught. Even though a majority of people in this world believe in a higher power and the existence of a spiritual realm, man still seems to give more credence to what they can see and touch than what they understand about the spiritual realm, to shape their lives by. It isn't until a person gets their eyes opened to the reality of this realm, (by being taught that reality, or having some experiences with it), that they will begin to ponder more its existence, how it operates, how it involves them, what they need to find out more about this realm and incorporate it into their life, etc.

Unfortunately though, too many people get their first introduction to the things of the spiritual realm through unreliable sources. Through the watching of television shows, movies and books that highlight the occult, witchcraft, astrology, spiritualism, psychics, mediums, séances, new age, science fiction, satanism, etc., (the darker side of the spiritual realm), rather than getting a good understanding for it through a reliable source (a good spirit filled and understanding church, Christian mentor, or parent). Also, because our culture gives it a lot of credibility and our entertainment media glamorizes it, a person will more easily want to accept it than reject it (ponder its existence, figure out where they fit in with it and give it a place in their life) especially, if no one has taught them the dangers of what these things can open them up to.

For example: When a television show hosts a medium, or a psychic communicating with spirits, or dead people, a person seeing this will feel this validates this medium as being real, because a major network is giving it a spot light and because the television audience seems to be absolutely enthralled with everything this medium is doing. For a person who is ignorant of its dangers and because it is being glamorized on one of the most easily accessible and highly popular methods of media we have, a person is now likely to give it credibility and open themself up to it. Yes these people are communicating with something, but they are not communicating with dearly departed loved ones, or good spirits, but they are being deceived to think they are.

There is a lot of ignorance and many stumbling blocks in this world that sabotages a person from realizing God and God's ability to edify and protect a person's life from satan's disdain and wrath for us. Why? Because we have a satan in this world that works hard to create that ignorance and those stumbling blocks. There are many false paths out there that a person can get misguided onto, by ignorance, and deception and many ways a person can get their eyes opened to believe the things they shouldn't and blinded from believing the things they should. There are many stumbling blocks that can cause a person to fall and many traps a person can get caught in to keep them out of their race to the finish line with God. One of the greatest basic understandings a new Christian needs to realize, in coming to the Lord, is that we have an enemy to the throne of God who has many ways in which to deceive a person away from God's truth and onto one of his false paths, if they are not aware that these false paths exist.

God has a path laid out for each one of us to take, (that He needs us to take), that will lead us to a greater awareness and knowledge of God, (to His plan