The natural phenomenon by which physical bodies attract each other. Gravity gives weight to physical objects and causes them to fall back toward the ground when dropped. Gravity affects our lives in many ways. Just as the enemy’s influence is there trying to weigh us down spiritually, God’s power is present to help us counteract this negative downward drag which the enemy tries to exert us on.
Job 22:29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. Ephesians 2:5-7 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus
It takes force to rise and conquer gravity in order to able to stand and maintain normal posture. In the absence of gravity a body floats as seen in astronaut in space. Spiritual warfare is an integral aspect of our Christian walk, it is what helps us defy spiritual gravity. We Christians have to contend for our faith by resisting the gravity of satan’s schemes. Sin and the subtle ways of satan is the gravity that seeks to pull Christians down from the glorious life God wants us to live. God created a perfect world.
Genesis 1:31 [31] And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
God was satisfied with all He had created. This perfect work began to have defects when satan and his angels fell from grace and became responsible for compromising the perfect setting in the garden of Eden as told in Gen. 3:1-19
Isaiah gives an account of how satan fell from grace.
Isaiah 14:12-15 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! [13] For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: [14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. [15] Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Satan was proud and he selfishly desired to share God’s glory. This was responsible for him and his cohort being cast out and expelled from heaven. Jesus Christ exercised great authority when He cast demons out of people. The Power of God through the Holy Spirit is what enables this to happen. We are demanded to bind the ‘strongman’
Luke 11:21-22
[21] When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: [22] But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
Mark 3:27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
If you are unable to discern the existence and subtleties of demonic operations at work in the world today, it portends that there is a deficiency and you will become a victim of the strategic ways of satan.
Why do we need to contend?
a. Satan is destructive and deceptive
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Revelation 12:7-9 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, [8] And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. [9] And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
b. We have been given that authority
Luke 9:1-2
[1] Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. [2] And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
c. God hear us when we call.
Psalm 145:19-20 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. [20] The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.
Luke 10:17-20 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. [18] And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. [19] Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. [20] Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Strongholds
A strongly fortified defensive structure. A defensible place; a fortress, A major centre or area of predominance
There are physical strongholds just as there are spiritual strongholds. In the physical we have heard of great walls and city gates to protect cities, bunkers, underground tunnels and trenches during wars. Strongholds evolved as a result of the danger of cities being exposed to outsiders.
In some places even the walls around private homes will dwarf those around some prisons. Those from nations where most of us come from are aware of this. These walls give those who live within, a sense of security of some sort. In history, cities which began with well fortified walls of defence from external enemy armies found it easier to expand their territory. Moses knew the significance of assessing your enemy’s structures, geography and capacity. He knew the significance of strongholds in warfare.
Numbers 13:19 And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;
If the people were tent dwellers, they would have been very easy to take with minimal resistance and exertion.
A stronghold is any imagination or a thing that exalts itself over the knowledge and power of God. It can be a tool the enemy has engaged to bring limitation in one or more areas. A stronghold is formed when a distorted thought pattern overtakes God’s truth thus making a person believe a lie. This deception of satan sets the stage for the temptation that will pave way for the fall and control of that person. God does not want us to believe any lie but the truth He has given us through Christ.
Romans 8:5-7 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. [6] For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. [7] Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: [4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) [5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
- In the case of the others in Numbers 13, their minds were taken over by a minimalist assessment of the person of God. Their knowledge became distorted because of what they saw. Their distorted thought pattern infected a whole nation but for Caleb and Joshua. These are people who saw God do amazing miracles.
Numbers 13:31-33 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. [32] And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. [33] And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Numbers 14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
Numbers 13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
- Pride can be your own stronghold. You can think that you are probably the greatest thing that ever happened to mankind, that without you nothing will function, you are the one who holds the exclusive right to knowledge on all matters, some people will not exist in your absence.. This is a distorted view that is contrary to the knowledge of God. It can destroy if you do not step out of such a mindset. when such has become established it is only God who can break such a stronghold
- The word of God is a “fallacy and an old fairy tale”
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 KJV
[3] But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: [4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. - Fear. It is possibly one of the greatest weapons that has ever been used by satan. When fear builds its wall in the mind, only God’s power can destroy such a stronghold. I watched the video of a man, who was unable to go outside his doors for years due to the fear of people. Fear robs you of opportunities, irrespective of the basis of such fear. Fear is the root of a lot of problems… fear will make you lie, cheat, will make you succumb to threats,
- Security in wealth, partner, jobs, beauty, knowledge, or any of your endowments. Have these become things you idolise? Have they become things that gives you a true sense of security. You can believe that these things are the ultimate and then pursue it and give it all the attention at the expense of your relationship with God.
- Hatred: Acts of information we have through various sources or through personal experience can make one develop dislikes which could gradually grow into hatred when the enemy steps in to reinforce perceptions we had earlier.
Saul had a seething hatred for David - My body is my property, I can do whatever I like with it. The philosophy of the ‘liberated mind’. We know that the knowledge of God dictates that our bodies are the temples of God.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20
[18] Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. [19] What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? [20] For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Colossians 3:1-10 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. [2] Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. [3] For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. [5] Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: [6] For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: [7] In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. [8] But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. [9] Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; [10] And have put on the new man , which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
2 Corinthians 12:20-21 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: [21] And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
How can you prevent strongholds?
Proverbs 4:23
[23] Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Ephesians 6: 11-13 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having
How can we bring down these strongholds?
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: [4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Romans 13:12,14 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. [14] But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Ephesians 6:11-13 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [12] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places . [13] Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
What strongholds have become your fortresses? You do not have to think long, you know yourself. Present these unto the Lord and ask for help to defy these spiritual gravity. Victorious and fruitful Christian life is entirely based on a constant renewal of our minds and an absolute dependence on God.
Isaiah 10:27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
Isaiah 59:18-19 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. [19] So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.
Ask Holy Ghost to begin to burn down everyone of these walls now
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross and the presence of the Holy Spirit give us the enabling power to tear down strongholds and over satan’s spiritual gravity. knowledge revealed through God’s words remain our absolute ingredient for life, as we hear, understand and apply these, we shall see desired results. Defy spiritual gravity. Contend against the devil and all he employs to drag you down. Resist him and all he represents with your confidence on the victory Jesus Christ won on Calvary’s cross. You are more than conqueror. You have the victory