Tearing down strongholds of the mind

In the Christian life we face at least three challenges: the sin that lives in us, our fallen nature; the devil, our adversary; and the world system. None of them is about people; they are about systems and a spiritual war. Here I want to deal with the first: the fight against our fallen nature, which shows up in the strongholds of the mind.

The base text is 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. Paul says that, though we live as humans, we don't fight with human weapons, but with weapons that have divine power to demolish strongholds, tear down false arguments and arrogant opinions, and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Just as the psalmist prayed "Search me, God" (Ps 139:23), God calls us to reflect on what lives in our minds.

1. Aligned thoughts produce aligned behavior

We are often taught to put our behavior in order: don't do this, don't do that. That is good and right. But we give little importance to putting our thoughts in order.

Aligned thoughts bring aligned behavior.
Aligned behavior doesn't necessarily bring aligned thoughts.
The Lord works from the inside out.

2. How a stronghold is built

No one builds a fortress to look pretty. A fortress exists to protect. Mental strongholds are systems we ourselves create to protect us from pain, fear and wounds. Paul describes their structure, and an analogy helps it stick:

Rebellious thought: the stone.
Arrogant opinion: the mortar.
False argument: the wall.
Stronghold: the finished building.

Paul goes from the stronghold to the thought. Let's go the other way, because every stronghold begins with a single stone.

2.1 It all starts with a thought

No thought is neutral. It comes either from God and His Word, or from our fallen nature, or from the flaming arrows of the evil one (Eph 6:16), or from the world system. The devil doesn't know your thoughts, but he knows your behavior and prowls around looking for someone to devour (1 Pet 5:8). That's why we need the helmet of salvation (Eph 6:17).

Sometimes the thought is born from something real: someone lied to you, betrayed you, hurt you. We don't deny what happened, but we need to deal with our reaction. Two people lied to you and right away the conclusion comes: "I don't trust anyone anymore." There it is: two stones, a bit of mortar, and the wall has begun.

And don't think only about sexual temptation. How many envious, proud and selfish thoughts pass through our minds without being dealt with? They come back because they weren't rebuked. There are thoughts you need to rebuke out loud, in Jesus' name. It isn't thought against thought: it's word against thought.

2.2 The world system also plants stones

Just open social media and you'll see a flood of ideas about what we should do, have or be, with no support in the Word. It gets in, you think and rethink it, you start to feel it, and it turns into resentment. That's why we need to guard our eyes and ears.

3. Rebellious thoughts must be captured

Paul's language is the language of war. God is on our side, but that doesn't take us out of the fight. Rebellious thoughts aren't handled by being nice to yourself: they need to be captured and brought into submission.

We are suspicious of others, but hardly suspicious of ourselves. Peter, with good intentions, tried to stop Jesus from going to the cross and heard: "Get behind me, Satan!" (Matt 16:23). Our thoughts also need discernment. We have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16).

3.1 Bring your thoughts to Jesus

Searching your thoughts means putting them in the light of the Word and handing them to Jesus in prayer. "But He already knows." Yes, but prayer is relationship. We cast all our anxiety on Him because He cares for us (1 Pet 5:7).

Confess item by item, not in bulk: name the envy, the lie, what you saw and what you said.
Go into your room and close the door (Matt 6:6): it's you, your thoughts and God.
What is exposed to the Lord gets dealt with. What stays hidden in the mind is not submitted to Christ.

4. Arrogant opinions produce false arguments

Stubbornness is the arrogant opinion of someone who never questions anything they think. The Bible calls it being stiff-necked, as Stephen charged in Acts 7:51. That mortar binds thoughts together and creates sophistry: false truths that look like truth.

A lie is easy to spot. Sophistry is worse, because it looks true. The Pharisees declared "Corban" the money that should have supported their father and mother (Mark 7:11). It looked like devotion, but it was disobedience. The greedy person says he's just "thrifty" and is preparing for the lean years that never come. These are strongholds that look like virtue, built to justify sin.

5. The finished stronghold and its price

A stronghold is a belief system that answers without thinking. "I don't do that." Why? "Because I got hurt once." A business that failed, an abusive relationship, and the conclusion is never to try again.

The problem is that as long as the strongholds are standing, you won't experience God's will. They have already decided what you will or won't accept. And the protection ends up leading to rebellion: God says A, and you do B, something that may even be good, just so you don't have to face what hurts.

6. Only spiritual weapons tear down strongholds

Therapy calls it a belief system, coaching calls it a mindset, neuroscience calls it a habit. Don't stop your therapy, but understand this: reframing or reprogramming a stronghold is not tearing it down. Spiritual strongholds require spiritual weapons: the Word of God and the power of God.

And no stronghold falls overnight. It is a daily process of reading the Word, prayer and confession, in which the Lord keeps working in your mind and heart.

Conclusion

Every stronghold starts with a stone, and every stone can be captured before it becomes a wall. The Lord wants to shine light on your heart to begin that process today. Pour out before Him what is in your mind, your sins and the desires of your heart, and let Him work in you from the inside out.

What stronghold in your mind has been keeping you from obeying what God is asking of you?