Overcoming Personal Strongholds: Spiritual Warfare In Modern Times For Messianic Believers
Introduction: Understanding Personal Strongholds
In spiritual warfare, one of the most significant and often overlooked battles is the fight against personal strongholds. These strongholds are deeply ingrained patterns of thinking, behavior, and sin that hold us captive, preventing us from fully experiencing the freedom and victory that God has promised His people. For Messianic Jewish believers, these strongholds may be rooted in cultural practices, historical trauma, or even misconceptions about the nature of God. They can affect every area of our lives, from our relationships and attitudes to our identity and faith.
Strongholds often form when we embrace lies or distortions of the truth, allowing them to take root in our hearts and minds. Over time, these false beliefs can become barriers that hinder our spiritual growth and intimacy with God. But the good news is that through the power of Yeshua’s blood, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and a deep commitment to Torah Law, we can break free from these strongholds and walk in the freedom that God intends for us.
Spiritual Warfare In Modern Times For Believers In Yeshua
1. Identifying Personal Strongholds: The Power of Lies
Personal strongholds often begin with lies—false beliefs that we accept and internalize as truth. These lies can take many forms: lies about our worth, our purpose, or our relationship with God. In the Tanakh, we see numerous examples of people who fell into the trap of believing lies and created strongholds that affected their lives.
In Genesis 3, we see the first stronghold that humanity faces: the lie that God is not good and that He is withholding something from Adam and Eve. The serpent tempted Eve by questioning God’s command and suggesting that they could be like God if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve believed this lie, and the consequences were disastrous.
> "Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Has God indeed said, "You shall not eat of every tree of the garden"?' And the woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, "You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die."'" (Genesis 3:1-3)
By believing the lie that God was withholding something good from her, Eve allowed the stronghold of distrust in God’s goodness to take root. This stronghold led to sin, separation from God, and the introduction of death into the world.
Similarly, personal strongholds can begin when we believe lies about ourselves or our circumstances. We may believe the lie that we are unworthy of God’s love, that we are doomed to failure, or that God is distant and unconcerned with our struggles. These lies can entrap us and hold us in bondage.
2. The Role of Torah in Breaking Strongholds
For Messianic Jewish believers, the Torah is the foundation of all truth. It is through the Torah that we come to know the character of God, His holiness, and His desire for our lives. When strongholds of lies begin to take root, returning to the Torah helps us realign our thoughts with God’s truth.
In Deuteronomy 30:11-14, God offers His people the choice of life or death, blessing or cursing, based on their obedience to His commandments:
> "For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it." (Deuteronomy 30:11-14)
God’s commandments are not distant or unattainable; they are near to us, and by following them, we can break free from the strongholds of sin and lies that hold us captive. The Torah serves as a guide, revealing God’s will and reminding us of His promises. By meditating on God’s Word and aligning our lives with His truth, we can dismantle the strongholds that have kept us in bondage.
The Torah also teaches us how to identify and reject falsehood. In Leviticus 19:11, God commands His people to avoid deception:
> "You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another." (Leviticus 19:11)
This commandment not only forbids literal theft and lying but also teaches us to reject any falsehood, including the lies that we may believe about ourselves, God, or the world around us. When we align ourselves with the truth of Torah, we expose the lies that support personal strongholds and begin the process of dismantling them.
3. Yeshua’s Blood: The Power to Break Strongholds
The blood of Yeshua is central to the breaking of personal strongholds. His death on the cross paid the penalty for sin, but it also broke the power of sin in our lives. Through His sacrifice, Yeshua defeated the spiritual forces of darkness and disarmed them (Colossians 2:15). His blood is a powerful weapon in our spiritual arsenal, giving us the authority to overcome the lies and deceptions that form the basis of personal strongholds.
In Zechariah 3:1-5, we see a powerful image of the spiritual cleansing that the blood of Yeshua provides. The high priest Joshua stands before God, clothed in filthy garments, symbolizing sin and impurity. However, God commands that his filthy garments be removed and replaced with pure, clean clothes. This represents the cleansing and renewal that comes through the blood of Yeshua.
> "Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, 'Take away the filthy garments from him.' And to him He said, 'See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.'" (Zechariah 3:4)
Just as Joshua was cleansed from his sin, so too, through the blood of Yeshua, we are cleansed and made righteous before God. His blood breaks the power of sin and removes the strongholds that have held us captive. When we come to the cross and claim the power of Yeshua’s blood, we are set free from the lies and deceptions that have bound us.
4. The Holy Spirit: Empowering Us to Live in Truth
The Holy Spirit is our guide, comforter, and source of power in the battle against personal strongholds. Yeshua promised that the Holy Spirit would lead us into all truth (John 16:13). The Spirit empowers us to live in alignment with God’s will and to walk in victory over sin.
In Ezekiel 36:26-27, God promises to give His people a new heart and a new spirit, one that will empower them to live according to His commands:
> "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
When we receive the Holy Spirit, we are given the power to resist the temptations that fuel strongholds and to live according to God’s truth. The Spirit helps us identify the lies that have kept us in bondage and empowers us to reject them. Through the Holy Spirit, we can renew our minds and experience true transformation (Romans 12:2).
5. Breaking Strongholds: Practical Steps for Messianic Believers
To overcome personal strongholds, Messianic Jewish believers must take intentional, practical steps. Here are some key actions to help break free from strongholds:
1. Repentance – Acknowledge the lies and sinful patterns in your life. Confess them to God and turn away from them, asking for His forgiveness and cleansing through the blood of Yeshua.
2. Meditation on Torah – Immerse yourself in the Scriptures, particularly the Torah, to renew your mind with God’s truth. Meditate on passages that speak to your identity in God and His promises for your life.
3. Prayer for the Holy Spirit’s Power – Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the strongholds in your life and empower you to overcome them. Pray for the Spirit’s guidance and strength to live according to God’s truth.
4. Declare the Victory of Yeshua’s Blood – Regularly declare the power of Yeshua’s blood over your life. Acknowledge that through His sacrifice, you are set free from the lies and strongholds that once held you captive.
5. Accountability – Surround yourself with fellow believers who will support and encourage you in your walk with God. Share your struggles and victories with trusted friends who can pray for you and help you stay on track.
Conclusion: Walking in Freedom
Overcoming personal strongholds is not a one-time event but a continual process of renewal and transformation. Through the power of Yeshua’s blood, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and a deep commitment to God’s truth in the Torah, we can break free from the lies and deceptions that hold us captive. As Messianic Jewish believers, we are called to live in the freedom
