Beware of a False Sense of Security
By Ashley Moore
"For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." - 2 Corinthians 10:4, ESV
Has anything traumatic ever happened to you? Did something scary or difficult cause you to vow never to allow anyone to hurt you like that again? Maybe like me, someone who was supposed to be there for you bailed when things got hard, leaving you to believe you were worthless. Did watching your single parent work multiple jobs to support your family leave you feeling overprotective of your budget and bank account? Or perhaps you live with crippling anxiety, the fear that even when things are going well, something bad is bound to happen. I've lived most of my life struggling through scenarios like these, thinking I needed to build walls to protect myself from pain. When we believe these lies or partial truths at best, we risk imprisoning ourselves behind walls, we mistakenly believe are keeping us safe.
"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" - Psalm 27:1, ESV
How the Enemy Imprisons Us
The patterns of thought listed above all have little lies attached to them.
- Everyone has abandoned me: so God will too.
- No one loves me: I am worthless.
- I can only count on myself: no one will take care of me.
The enemy whispers these lies to us early in life, and over time they begin to tint the way we think. We find ourselves repeatedly thinking about the things happening in our lives, reinforcing the lie deep in our minds. Eventually, the lie becomes our truth and transforms the way we think and act. The Bible calls this a stronghold. This negative pattern of thinking becomes a prison, literally. The word for stronghold here is a fortress, but not the good kind. Think about being imprisoned in a castle. And while that may soothe our need to feel safe, we're being imprisoned in the enemy's camp!
The Better Stronghold
But there is another place in Scripture where the same word, stronghold, is used. But this time, it is used to describe the Lord. The word is a Hebrew word, and it means something slightly different. The word used in Psalm 27:1 means a place of safety and refuge. Think about a harbor where ships can come to wait out the perilous wind and waves of a storm. Or a strong piece of armor like a helmet. This word means a defensive fortress that serves as protection and safety for those who take refuge behind its walls.
So, the enemy is preying on our human need for protection by giving us counterfeit walls of security that imprison us. They keep us distanced from God's people and in bondage to half-truths about our identity. But the Lord is our better stronghold. He gives us His Word to remind us of who we truly are, and it has the power to tear down these false strongholds of Satan. He is the place we can find protection but remains completely free to love well and live without fear. We can't deny that living in a broken world comes with risk because we have most likely experienced some painful event. But we can't let our need for safety cause us to retreat into enemy imprisonment out of fear. Instead, let's run to the better stronghold. The Lord will protect us, remind us of who we truly are, and empower us to tear down strongholds and lies that keep us trapped.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Look at the list of lies listed above and write down the ones that resonate with you. Then, search the Scriptures for what God's Word says about you. Finally, memorize a verse to remind yourself of the truth often.
Further Reading:
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Related Resource: How Habit Stacking Will Help You Discipline Your Mind, Body, & Spirit
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