Stronghold...

There are two different concepts when looking at the word stronghold.

One concept or idea of the word stronghold is a gripping negative effect upon one’s life, where the stronghold keeps them at bay or in a stuck position being led by slow notions of a defect or defeat in their lives, the stronghold that is upon them keeps them from moving forward and keeps them from going in a way that would lead them into a more positive solution.

The other concept is a stronghold to embrace and hold close for us to grip with all our might so we are held onto by a positive motion upon our lives, with our stronghold on God. As David speaks about God being his stronghold, he accepts God completely and entirely for meeting his needs. All through Psalm 18 David explains how God has been his stronghold, in many times David faced trouble and was faced with many battles small and big, David held true to his stronghold instead of allowing what he was facing to become a stronghold that would grip him to his death, he focused on God and God being his stronghold got him through every battle David ever faced.

Psalm 18:1-3 NIV. 1 I love you, O Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise and I am saved from my enemies.

Yes, we face battles every-day to make the right decisions and choices for our lives, but if and when we allow the stronghold to run our lives, we are allowing the enemy to gain access where he doesn’t belong, and then he will start to ruin our lives.

Instead let’s focus on all the Mighty Power our Lord has as a stronghold to help us in every time of trouble, and keep moving forward focusing on the Lord as our Rock, always and forever, for we serve a never-failing God, whom loves us tenderly and won’t allow us to fall.

(Please read all of Psalm 18:1-50)

Psalm 18:16-20 NIV. 16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. 18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. 19 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

I have learned over the years that allowing a stronghold to take over your life can become daunting the consequence of death can stare you right in the face and mine was nearing that end…more than once.

In my younger self I never knew the Lord, I heard of Him from a far distance but never invited Him into to my heart to become my personal Savior, and back then never knew how. (I did however pray to the Lord whom I never knew and wrote poetry about Him too).

I did reckless things in my youth, I was lost and broken, even into the start of my adult years I was following a sinful path that should have got me into more trouble than it did, but I believe now looking back on all I have been through God was truly looking out for me. I have been through many obstacles in life and suicide had been one that kept creeping in from time to time.

Writing and sharing with you today pretty much sums it up, God’s hand has been upon my life always, even in those moments where I believed I was nothing and going to take my life He was there with me, I just had to find Him, He was always there waiting for me and He was just what I was missing. In this case this stronghold was one I couldn’t find strength on my own and instead of it being a stronghold I held onto God for it was a stronghold where it gripped my life and the enemy was trying to take me out.

You see God has a plan for each and every one of us and they are all very good purposeful plans we all have a design God created each person to carry out and all we need to do is obey. God is a good God never forcing or controlling you, He may convict you of something you need to change or fix but he will never force you or make you feel less then, He may want you to make the repair so you can be made well and continue on the right track. He will never condemn you that’s what the enemy does. When I struggled with my life being un-valuable the enemy started to push me over my breaking point that’s why it got as far as it did to make me think I was nothing feeling inadequate and condemned made me want to end my life, but when I had invited God into my life it began to have meaning and purpose, I was no longer nothing I had become a most prized possession being chosen by God made me alive and everything I lacked I found in Him, accepting Jesus saved my life in so many ways.

When those thoughts come in now, I cast them off and realign with what God has to say, the TRUTH…that my life matters, has purpose, I am who He says I am, and I am His daughter, accepted, chosen, and loved beyond measure. And YOU ARE TOO.

Lord, I thank You for Your hand upon my life, I thank You for all the times where I felt like giving up and You held me even when I never knew it was You, I am here today because You never gave up on me and allowed me to not give up on myself either. I Pray Lord that those who have fallen into this stronghold that this pattern is released in Your name, and they are claimed by You Lord, that You become their stronghold in times of trouble instead of allowing the stronghold to grip them, they grip You as their stronghold and You become their Rock and Salvation. I love You Lord and am so deeply grateful for Your precious Word that keeps me upright and keeps me moving forward. I pray also that Your people look to You always, because You are so, so, good. In Jesus name Amen.

Psalm 18:32 NIV. It is God whom arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.