Battling the Stronghold

Written By Betty Predmore

2 CORINTHIANS 10: 1-18

(September 8)

Have you ever been in a battle against a stronghold in your life? There are many things that can catch us up in their tangled web and keep us bound to something sinful. Addiction, anger, gossip, fear ... and so many more, keep us caught in a trap and a cycle that we can't seem to break free from.

But there is ALWAYS a way out. The battle is never really ours to fight, it belongs to the Lord.

The Battle Belongs to the Lord (Maranatha!)

In heavenly armour we'll enter the land
The battle belongs to the Lord
No weapon that's fashioned against us shall stand
The battle belongs to the Lord

We sing glory and honor
Power and strength to the Lord
We sing glory and honor
Power and strength to the Lord

The power of darkness comes in like a flood
The battle belongs to the Lord
He's raised up a standard, the power of His blood
The battle belongs to the Lord

And we sing glory and honor
Power and strength to the Lord
And we sing glory and honor
Power and strength to the Lord

When your enemy presses in hard, do not fear
The battle belongs to the Lord
Take courage my friend, your redemption is near
The battle belongs to the Lord

We sing glory and honor
Power and strength to the Lord
We sing glory and honor
Power and strength to the Lord

It is only by our strength through him that we can fight the battles of life. He is our armour and our guiding light. It helps greatly to know this and trust in it as life doles out its battles.

Paul's concern for the Corinthians was that they would be fooled by on the so-called "ministers of Christ" that had come to the area with their credentials and letters of recommendation, calling themselves "super apostles."

These men were very persuasive with their education, credentials, social status, and persuasive talk. But they were phonies, who opposed Paul, sought monetary gain, and indulged in lewd acts. Paul is urging the believers to evaluate these men, not in view of the world, but in view of their spiritual wisdom and knowledge.

These "super-apostles" (I wonder if they wore capes like Superman) were hoping to turn the church in Corinth against Paul. Perhaps they wanted all that money that was heading to Jerusalem for themselves. They claimed authority over the church, exalting themselves and taking all the credit for the growth there.

Paul wanted the church to know that such self-commendation was not Christlike in any way. He reminds them that he and his fellow leaders never took any credit or boasted of anything outside the realm of what they were doing for God, and that it was God who was given credit, not them.

It is his hope that they will break this stronghold of being fooled by these apostles, and that their faith would grow. Paul is wanting them to get in a more secure position with their faith, so that he can move on to other unchurched areas and preach.

There were actually TWO strongholds going on here ... the apostles were caught in the stronghold of self-centeredness and self-commendation. The believers were caught in the trap of trickery by these imitators.

What battles do you face every day? What strongholds have their arms locked around you?

Remember, the best way to fight the battle is on your knees with the strength of the Lord.

Betty Predmore

Betty Predmore is a writer, blogger, speaker and ministry leaders. She is the founder of Mom-Sense, Inc., a ministry designed for mentorship, connection and service to women of all life circumstances. Through this ministry, women are encouraged and supported with scripture and life application. Mom-Sense helps women overcome life struggles through small group classes with biblical curriculum, individual counseling, bible studies, and other areas of support.

Betty also directs the Imperial Valley Life Center, which is a non-profit faith-based pro life women’s resource center. She has a passion for saving the unborn and supporting mothers through pregnancy and motherhood.

Betty loves to speak at events, sharing the love of Jesus with other women. She does this through practical life application mingled with God’s word, and sprinkled with humor. Having experienced a broken home, divorce, abuse, grief, single motherhood, blended families, and adoption, she uses the broken places and movement of God in her own life to share His word in an inspiring way. She enjoys sharing her blogs on social media as a way of reaching out on a broader spectrum. Betty has many speaking topics which can be found on her website: www.bettypredmore.com

As an author, she has had the opportunity to impact women and reach deep into their hearts with her words of inspiration and encouragement. Through Pondering Virtue and Whispered Grace, she has created wonderful tools for the woman who is seeking direction in her spiritual walk.

Betty serves on the writing team of A Wife Like Me, and is also a contributor to Moms Encouraging Moms and Gift of Thorns. Her blogs have appeared in several magazine publications throughout the years including Southern Faith Magazine, Purposeful Life, and Aspiring Woman Magazine.

While Betty thrives on her ministry opportunities, her greatest blessings come from being a wife to Jim and a mama to their wonderful collection of children, who bring joy, laughter, and an occasional tear to her days.


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