It is evidenced by what we trust in when problems come up. It is very easy to think of an individual or a repeated problem with hopelessness and blame it on the lack of character in the individual which is basically declaring, “FATHER, this one is out of your reach.”
What happens when I do that? I create a stronghold of thinking that removes me from being a part of a redemptive solution. It is because when I have characterized that individual and in that particular place, I have fallen into a trap of believing things that are unredeemable.
Our lifestyle reflects this mindset. We have failed to understand the goodness of GOD and HIS redemptive ability and desire for every person’s life. This is reflected in our thinking that we have a problem and don’t believe FATHER will fix it. Our overwhelming problem is not above FATHER’S willingness to resolve it on our behalf. That is Who HE is!
It is written by The Holy Spirit in Nahum chapter 1:
7 The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.
In this passage, a stronghold is the revelation of the goodness of GOD. The word stronghold means: place or means of safety, protection, refuge. This is our tower of strength; it is where we hide ourselves.
David recorded by The Holy Spirit in Psalm chapter 32:
7 Lord, You are my secret hiding place, protecting me from these troubles, surrounding me with songs of gladness! Your joyous Shouts of rescue release my breakthrough. Pause in His Presence
8-9 I hear the Lord saying, “I will stay close to you, instructing and guiding you along the pathway for your life. I will advise you along the way and lead you forth with My Eyes as your guide. So don’t make it difficult; don’t be stubborn when I take you where you’ve not been before. Don’t make me tug you and pull you along. Just come with me!”
10 So my conclusion is this: Many are the sorrows and frustrations of those who don’t come clean with God. But when you trust in the Lord for forgiveness, His wraparound Love will surround you.
11 So celebrate the goodness of God! He shows this kindness to everyone who is his. Go ahead—shout for joy, all you upright ones who want to please Him!
David had to encourage himself in his times of trouble. He was forsaken by everyone around him, friends and foes alike. There were times when he was all alone in a cave. His trust in GOD was what provided him with a place of safety, a refuge.
Our lifestyle is fueled by our thought life. It is to be focused on finding the lie and removing it because HE says take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2nd Corinthians chapter 10:
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
A thought pattern is not transformed until I am seeing a situation through the Eyes of Jesus and thinking the redemptive solutions that He’s thinking. Until then, I am still in that place of need, I’m not in the place of bringing change.
There is a stronghold of THE LORD and there is a stronghold of the adversary.
THE LORD is good, and HE is a stronghold to those who trust HIM.
If I have more input from social media than I do from the Word of GOD, my discouragement is self-inflicted. It is a calculated decision to find myself thinking that a person will never change or a situation is unresolvable.
At what point do I stop the lie? Am I building a hiding place for the demonic and allowing the stronghold of the enemy to prevail? If so, I am helping to fulfill the very lie I’ve come to believe.
Our approach to a problem reflects what we truly believe in. Are we taking every though captive to the obedience of Christ?