The mind is the battlefield of the believer. Freedom is like a coin with two sides. The first side of freedom is deliverance, which is where demons are cast out. The second side is demolishing strongholds, in which strongholds are cast down.

Jesus Christ mentioned the two sides of freedom in John 8:36 and 32. Verse 36 refers to deliverance, while verse 32 describes the process of breaking down strongholds with the truth of God’s Word. While anointing drives out demons, the truth breaks down strongholds in our minds.

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free… Those whom the Son sets free are free indeed.”

John 8:32, 36

Breaking Down Mental Strongholds

Strongholds are built over time and get destroyed over time. It is not the presence of truth but the knowledge of truth that sets us free. It is a process and takes intentional effort. Deliverance unties your hands so you can fight back against the darkness and tear down the strongholds they have built in your mind.

We always want things quickly but God is a God of processes. He could have made creation in one day, in one moment but He chose to take a seven day process. Through the process that we go through in life, we become different people – we become who God wants us to be.

A Demon and a Stronghold

The difference between a demon and a stronghold is that a demon is an entity, a strong man, while a stronghold is a house of thoughts. To put it another way, a stronghold is a house of thoughts where demons live.

“…how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man?“

Matthew 12:29

If you only work towards casting out the strong man but do nothing about tearing down his house, you have not received full freedom.

Have The Mind Of Christ

There are three mindsets:

• Slave – this is where you are in Egypt
• Survivor – this is where you are in the wilderness
• Soldier – this is where you are in the promised land

“Now these are the nations which the Lord left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan (this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it).”

Judges 3:1-2

There are things we can be delivered from but there are things in life we need to grow through and become a soldier of Christ. Here are four ways we can grow through our situation as soldiers of Christ:

• Recognize your enemy and face him.
• Seek Jesus more than your freedom.
• Let the Holy Spirit cleanse you through His presence and His Word.
• Endure suffering.

“Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”

2 Timothy 2:3

The person you become through the process is far more valuable than the breakthrough you are seeking.

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