Drive Them Out!

Man's influence can be such a stronghold. But thank God that...

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

DRIVE THEM OUT!
In Numbers 33:51-55 the children of Israel were told that once they passed over Jordan into the Land of Canaan, they were to drive out all the inhabitants. And if they didn't, those which they allowed to remain would be "pricks in their eyes" and "thorns in their sides" and would vex (afflict, bind, distress) them. Sounds pretty painful, doesn't it? There before them was Jericho, a fortified walled city, shut up tight. But God told them the city was theirs and for them to go and possess it!

Most of us may have finally "crossed over" but now we must face the "giants". Here we stand now before "our jericho" and we find "enemies" that are still living in our "land". We have simply learned to live with certain characteristics, or situations because we've never found a way to permanently drive them out of our lives. But just like God did for the Israelites, He will give us the strategy needed to tear down the walls (strongholds, habits, fleshly desires, wrong influences) that shouldn't be there. He will reveal them to us.

In 2 Corinthians 10:4,5 we read that our weapons of our warfare are not carnal but MIGHTY THROUGH GOD to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

The Bible says we are dead to sin (strongholds, habits, fleshly desires, wrong influences) and if these continue to remain after God has revealed them to us, it is not because we do not have the power to be free of them. We have the power to be rid of them!! The problem is, we have allowed them to remain in our life. We have chosen not to use "the weapons that are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." Those not driven out, hinder us from fully possessing and enjoying abundant life. Ask God to reveal your strongholds, and wrong influences, and He will give you the strategy to separate yourself from them, tear down the stronghold, escape them and be free from them forever.

He desires that you be free, because He loves you!

Connie J. Schmoll