Going from strongholds to the one and only cornerstone!

I stand on the bank of a murky lake. The air is crisp. There is a slight mist and light clouds blanket a lake that is full of the unknown. Almost foreboding, scary. A lake that is waiting to swallow me up forever. It is so beautiful and alluring at the same time. I stand there, gazing at the mountains on the other side. A cross. The promise of one who loves me so much He came here to be tortured, die and rise again for my sins. I can go across the lake to Jesus but there is no straight shot. It is a journey. It is not easy. But He can remain my focus. There is a way. A path. It winds around the lake. There are rocks in some places, hills, smooth walking. Even places to sit and rest and enjoy the beauty around me. Places to simply worship and praise! I became discouraged as I stared longingly across the lake. It will take too long, to much work to get there, or at least that's what my human wordily, sinful nature argues. And as I glance at my feet I see a rope tied around both ankles which are attached to big bricks. Enter in my first stronghold. The ties that bind me to the world, to sin, to negative thinking that hold me down and threaten to drown me if I were to allow my sinful nature to win and jump into that lake where I will only sink to the bottom.

I have been struggling. The battle has been raging ever so much more the past few weeks. I know in my heart this means God is working on something. Sometimes it is so hard to remember this. A liberating fact! God is opening my eyes, making me aware of some of my strongholds. As I have finally obeyed and looked down at my feet and see that I am tied to my strongholds, I realize I must cut those ties. If I do, my Christian walk will not necessarily get easier, I will just suffer more joyously, if that makes any sense. I had to admit that these strongholds were real and the knots so tight there was no way I could cut the ties on my own. I have to see that pride is holding me down. My bricks. I cannot be so prideful that I am not willing to ask God for help and to go to those in our family of Christ for help. God uses them to clarify things at times. He uses their experiences to relate to me. At first, as I glance at my feet, I can't help feel the urge to jump into the lake. I was so tired. Another battle. Oh gosh. It would be easier to stop fighting. I felt so helpless and hopeless. God said no...you are not jumping in that lake. I have too many plans for you. Look at yourself. Then I will help you. It a painful process, just looking at myself. I didn't like a lot of what I saw. It is a process that has me clinging to my Redeemer all that much more. He probably has finger marks where I have clung to him so desperately.

I realized that I need His help. I went to Him humbly, I asked him to show me my strongholds. To cut the ties. To guide me. All the while the enemy gets angrier and angrier and begins throwing arrows at me from all directions. I cried out in desperation, as some arrows make huge dents and shake me to the very core even as I wear my armor. As I lost my footing some of the time. Each time my Father held my hand...He never let go. He tucked me under His protective wings and took some of the blows for me. He lifted me up each time I was knocked over. He also let me see the arrow so that I may recognize it next time. Let me tell you, some of those arrows are painful to look at because they drip with sugar. They appear harmless, yet they are the most deadly. They are aimed for the jugular.

God starts whispering His promises in my ear. He tells me, go to my Word! This is your sword. My Word will cut the ties. My Word will shred the rope so that it is no longer usable. My Word will sour the sugar. I prayed. I sat quietly in my living room with two of my bibles, a notebook, a pen, and a cup of coffee. And the verses kept coming. Verses that pointed to not a stronghold, but a cornerstone. A rock. A savior. JESUS CHRIST! Verses that told me what to do in battle, prepare for battle, a reminder of who IS victorious. As I begin to look at these verses and read them aloud, I realize that strongholds are a weapon of the enemy. He uses them to hit the jugular, to take us out of the game. To leave us lame in our witness for Jesus. He uses strongholds to steal, kill, and destroy. If we are not prepared and are afraid to face the truth he may get in a hit or two. Until God comes and holds tight to us and gives us His sword. But we must get into His Word. We must read it.

I turn to Isaiah 61:1 and realize that "The Lord is upon me...". He whispers His word in my ear. He promises me that He is not only going to heal my wounds but He is going to set me free! This alone makes me stand up a little straighter. God loves me so much no matter what I have done, He still wants to set me free!

2 Chronicles 20:15-19: I get chills as I read these verses. How liberating it is to realize that this battle is not mine! It is God's! All I need to do is stand firm and praise Him as I watch Him fight on my behalf! He loves me that much!

Jeremiah 46:3-4, 10 and Ephesians 6:10-18: He tells me that although I need not to fight, I must still prepare as if I were going to fight. Be prepared and stand firm. And remember that this is a spiritual battle. I do not fight flesh and blood, but the powers of the darkness. If I remind myself of this each time someone hurts me, it makes it so much easier to forgive and cut the tie of bitterness and anger. All God wants is for us to turn to Him, be prepared with His full armor and stand firm in our faith in Him. He has already won! Amen to that!!!

Ephesians 5:15: I also must keep my eyes open and be aware of my surroundings so that I may see those arrows way before they get near me. So I may hold up the shield of faith and ward them off.

Then God whispers in my ear again with promises that this battle is not in vain. That He does have a plan for me. Jeremiah 29:11-13, but I must seek Him. Matthew 6:33. He promises me that He will cause all things to work together for good for those who love God. Romans 8:28. I can take the huge battle of strongholds and God can use me to help someone with some of the same strongholds. It makes rejoice in my trials. It makes them worth all the pain. I realize that they are not in vain because they can be used to relate to the lost, or used as a balm to heal someone who is broken.

God reminds me who the victor is with a loud shout so the enemy hears as well! He sends me to Revelation 20:7-10. I read aloud these verses. I remind satan he is thrown into the lake of fire forever and ever. Amen to that! Jesus is the victor! He is a mighty warrior fighting for the love of His life. His bride. His people.

Jesus replaces my stronghold. He is my rock, my cornerstone, my foundation. God reinforces this amazing promise throughout His Word. Here are a few He sent me to this morning.

Zechariah 10:4
Isaiah 28:16
Ephesians 2:19-21
1 Peter 2:4-6
Psalm 118:14
Psalm 118:22 and this one is repeated in the New testament as well: Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10-11, Luke 20:17, and Acts 4:11


All I can say is wow! Jesus is the cornerstone of my faith. It is on Him I build my life. It breaks my heart to know He was once rejected. He above all people knows what rejection feels like. He can relate to me. I ask God to cut my ties to worldly strongholds so that I may truly focus on Him. So that there is nothing shadowing my walk with Him. It is a painful process, a purification process really. It is no easy task to stand firm and stare at oneself in the mirror. To see the blemishes that need to be removed. It is an inner battle. A battle that will grow me closer to the Lord.

I realize that as the strongholds are removed, a new, clean, pure brick of strength will replace it with Jesus as the foundation. The very cornerstone of my life here on earth and eternally. I ask Him to hold me while I cry, to never let go of my hand as He at times needs to surgically remove rotten branches from this tree. It is a lifelong process of revelation, seeing, removing, healing, rebuilding with the proper tools. I praise God for his unconditional love! That He is willing to take the time to meticulously set this captive free!!!

Praise God!!!