“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does…The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”1“…Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power…For our struggle is not against flesh and blood. Still, against the rulers, against the authorities, against the power of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”2 Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them “that men ought always to pray and to faint.”3“Pray without ceasing.”4“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availed much.”5
A prevailing prayer life is a consistent, informed, and authoritative Spirit-led pattern of prayer that aligns with God’s will and His word. To prevail, you must persist in overcoming opposition and remain steadfast until complete victory is won. Prevailing prayer aims to overcome strongholds, imaginations, every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ, and remain steadfast until complete victory is secured. We are not fighting against human beings but against the rulers, the authorities, the power of this dark world, and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms that control sinners and the fallen world system.
In the Bible, strongholds are established systems of resistance to God’s truth, to the progress of Christ’s work on earth, and to the lives and progress of born-again Christians, and not primarily a physical battle. They are spiritual, mental, emotional, and cultural/societal strongholds. Spiritual strongholds are seen as a pattern of sin, bondage, and unbelief. Mental strongholds manifest themselves as lies, distorted identity, fear, and hopelessness. Emotional strongholds are seen as trauma-based reactions, bitterness, and shame. Cultural/societal strongholds are ideologies that oppose God’s word, Jesus Christ, and the body of Christ- the church. Indeed, strongholds are fortified lies or deceptions that exert control over lives, minds, families, communities, or nations.
What we must do includes being strong in the Lord and his mighty power, aligning our prayers with the word and will of God, praying without ceasing, and engaging in a prevailing prayer.
Follow us on our website, blog, social media platforms, and at conferences, seminars, workshops, community spiritual well-being events, as we use the truths rooted in the Word of God to empower you to engage in spiritual warfare to overcome strongholds.