Conquering the Stronghold of Busyness

Have you ever noticed how much we pride ourselves on our busyness? It gives us a great feeling of importance to be occupied and preoccupied all the time, going here and there, doing this and that for whatever we insist is important, or whatever we anguish over as a life or death situation. In fact, the opposite is a life or death situation.

Our life does not depend on being busy, but on listening to our Lord and on loving our Lord. After all, we have been given salvation by grace and not of our own accord. We are now, not our own, we are bought for a price so precious that there is not ever enough money to earn it. So what is your busyness about?

English: Jesus at the house of Mary and Martha (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The enemy does not want us to spend time with the Lord, in prayer, in quiet gratitude, or in doing anything that gives us peace and connection with God. After all, if we stood still a moment reflecting on the Lord’s goodness and omnipotence or reading the Lord’s will in scripture we might even hear from him, right?

Luke 10:38-42 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

The enemy of our peace is Satan and part of his tactics are to keep us so busy that we have no time for God. Even when we’re doing work glorifying to him we have no time to stop and consult him. Yes, the enemy loves a busy person–a person too busy to consult, love, or admire and worship our dear Lord.

How can we accomplish what we feel called to do without being too busy and without inviting a stronghold of busyness to take the place of God?

5 Biblical steps in overcoming the stronghold of busyness:
1. Stop everything now. There is no time like the present to stop, pray, and worship him.

Psalm 46:10 Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth!

2. Pursue his presence often and without reservation. When we make a daily habit of taking the time to know him, worship him, be humble in his presence, and enjoy his words and promises, we gain peace, direction, guidance, and strength.

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Proverbs 3:3-6 Do not let mercy and truth leave you. Fasten them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart. ⁴ Then you will find favor and much success in the sight of God and humanity. ⁵ Trust the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths smooth.

3. Evaluate the importance of his life and will. His will is not your will and your will is not his will. After all who can understand the mind of God.

Romans 11:34 ³⁴ For who has known the mind of the Lord and who has understood His thoughts, or who has [ever] been His counselor?

Psalm 119:11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

4. Depend on God and him alone. He is our provider, the author of our peace, and the author and finisher of our faith.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

1 Corinthians 14:33 ³³ For He [Who is the source of their prophesying] is not a God of confusion and disorder but of peace and order. As [is the practice] in all the churches of the saints (God’s people),

5. Rest in him at all times. Never face a problem alone (without giving it to him in prayer) and never allow a deadline to stress you out so much that it takes your mind off him. When you place your hands in his, he will take care of you.

Hebrews 4:9-11 Therefore, a time of rest and worship exists for God’s people. ¹⁰ Those who entered his place of rest also rested from their work as God did from his.¹¹ So we must make every effort to enter that place of rest. Then no one will be lost by following the example of those who refused to obey.

Written by Christian author, Pola Muzyka.

Conquering the Stronghold of Distress

Have you ever wondered why distress never seems to leave us even though we pray for healing, blessings, peace, and well-being?

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 John 1:2

We need to check our thoughts, deeds, and words quickly at the door. What is occupying our time, our money, and our attention? What words are we speaking? Have we been spending more time thinking about or giving room to curses over ourselves or our family than to believing God for blessings, guidance, help, and healing? A simple threat might be spoken with good intentions, but a threat spoken over us even by our own mouths can set a chain reaction in motion for distress and eventual destruction. In other words, we could possibly bring on our own distress just by concentrating on what MIGHT go wrong. How you say?

When we speak words of defeat or fearful, in effect, words of destruction over ourselves or our children, we are speaking curses. (Anything that goes against the word of God and His will for us.) Curses cause fear and distress. When distress takes over, it builds a stronghold and invites other strongholds. Strongholds of pain, sickness, fear, worry, and many others soon join it.

Thinking we are doing well we may say, “My son/daughter will never amount to anything.” Our intent may be to have them prove us wrong. In effect, we have just set their lives up for a spirit of distress to enter and if this continues they will eventually begin to believe those words. Every day we are capable of speaking curses out of our mouths that can lead to a life of hardship, failure, and defeat for us or others.

In your own hands through your own words.

Have you ever owned a sickness? A stupid habit? A dumbness? A bad attitude? It has become a way of life and part of our personality to simply say, “my cold”, “my troubles”, “I’m always doing that”, “I’m all thumbs”, “you’re not gonna get me to change now”, and so forth. When we own a problem we invite that problem to linger, or worse, to stay indefinitely.

Does that problem really belong to us or to the enemy? How can we change the way we think and act so that we see and experience the good and the blessings more than the problems?

Luke 21:34 But take heed to yourselves and be on your guard, lest your hearts be overburdened and depressed (weighed down) with the giddiness and headache and nausea of self-indulgence, drunkenness, and worldly worries and cares pertaining to [the business of] this life, and [lest] that day come upon you suddenly like a trap or a noose;

Which master are you serving?

5 Biblical truths to overcome the spirit of distress:
1. Give your life over to God. DO NOT rebel against what he tells you to do.

Luke 11:28 Jesus replied, “Rather, how blessed are those who hear and obey God’s word.”

2. Read the word of God (the will of God) and follow his instructions. The word of God is the will of God.

Ephesians 2:1-3 You were once dead because of your failures and sins. ² You followed the ways of this present world and its spiritual ruler. This ruler continues to work in people who refuse to obey God. ³ All of us once lived among these people and followed the desires of our corrupt nature. We did what our corrupt desires and thoughts wanted us to do. So, because of our nature, we deserved God’s anger just like everyone else.

3. Do not give in to thoughts of destruction, sickness or failure.

Psalm 77:11-13 I will remember the deeds of the Lord. I will remember your ancient miracles. ¹² I will reflect on all your actions and think about what you have done. ¹³ O God, your ways are holy! What god is as great as our God?

4. Keep a distance from anyone who is feeding you bad thoughts.

Romans 13:10 Love never does anything that is harmful to a neighbor. Therefore, love fulfills Moses’ Teachings.

5. Watch your words. Be careful of the words that come out of your mouth. This may take some time, but it is well worth the effort.

Matthew 12:37 By your words you will be declared innocent, or by your words, you will be declared guilty.”

Written by Christian author, Pola Muzyka.

Free from the Stronghold of Panic

Panic is the epitome of fear. Fear taken to the extreme surprises its victims with an attack of panic that appears life-threatening. When a stronghold of panic is present the fearful extremes can repeat in panic attacks for days, months, and even years.

Words, places, people, and certain days can trigger the panic attack. Usually, its catalyst is an old fear that has never been resolved or released to the Lord. That's your hot button.

Panic-attack (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you’ve ever had a panic attack you felt your heart racing and you might have even seen it pounding in your chest raising and lowering rapidly to the pace of the accelerated pounding. You have a hard time breathing, your head is spinning, and overall you feel as if you are going to die.

Even though you think you’re sure you are having a heart attack take heed and take heart, you are just a victim of panic. (At these times, try: breathing in a paper lunch bag slowly, relaxing your shoulders and back, walking slowly while concentrating on your breathing, stretching your arms, legs, and even body.)

That doesn’t mean the extreme emotional response that caused the panic won’t create a problem in your body, it just means that you should be able to seek out and resolve the trigger before panic can affect your health. As with all other strongholds, the enemy is working behind the scenes to disable and disarm you. Temporary solutions mean either medication or counseling. The only real solution is in Christ for complete deliverance.

John 10:10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

When we allow the stronghold of panic to remain it invites other strongholds and itself could have been invited by a stronghold such as bitterness, unforgiveness, guilt, fear, anger, rage, and so forth. It’s hard to say how panic took root but the roots of panic usually lie inside of our thoughts, memories, circumstances or imaginings apart from God.

5 Biblical tips to overcome a stronghold of panic.
1. First and foremost, trust God. A mind stayed on God and his promises will never drift into the what-ifs of fear.

Psalm 53:5 There they are—panic-stricken— but there was no reason to panic, because God has scattered the bones of those who set up camp against you. You put them to shame. After all, God has rejected them.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts andplans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts andplansfor welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

2. Know Jesus as your Lord and Savior. He came so that we may have life and have it more abundantly. 1 Thessalonians 4:1

Mark 16:6 The young man said to them, “Don’t panic! You’re looking for Jesus from Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been brought back to life. He’s not here. Look at the place where they laid him.

3. Allow God’s words to wash over you. The more time you spend in the word and getting to know the real Christ, the less panic, fear, and all other strongholds will have control over your life.

Proverbs 1:23-28 ²³ If you will turn (repent) and give heed to my reproof, behold, I [Wisdom] will pour out my spirit upon you, I will make my words known to you. ²⁴ Because I have called and you have refused [to answer], have stretched out my hand and no man has heeded it,²⁵ And you treated as nothing all my counsel and would accept none of my reproof, ²⁶ I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when the thing comes that shall cause you terror and panic—²⁷ When your panic comes as a storm and desolation and your calamity comes on as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. ²⁸ Then will they call upon me [Wisdom] but I will not answer; they will seek me early and diligently but they will not find me.

Psalm 51:7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean [ceremonially]; wash me, and I shall [in reality] be whiter than snow.

4. Turn your thoughts to thoughts of love, peace, forgiveness, and purity.

Philippians 4:8 For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].

5. Follow Christ and rest in knowing that He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]

Written by Christian author, Pola Muzyka.

Stronghold of Stinginess

Stinginess like pettiness depletes the host of whatever it is withholding. A stingy person is unwilling or shows an unwillingness to share with others. A stronghold of stinginess sets in when the fear of poverty increases–unfortunately, this same stronghold perpetuates poverty and the resultant fear.

If a stronghold of poverty or fear didn’t come before stinginess became an issue, it invites the stronghold of poverty and of course many other strongholds along with it, depending on the measure of stinginess–think, Ebenezer Scrooge. In the story of Scrooge, Ebenezer Scrooge became shut off to the world, fearful, and petty in all he did.

Proverbs 11:24 There is that scatters, and yet increases, and there is that withhold more than is meet, but it tends to poverty.

Where does this stronghold come from?
Like most other strongholds stinginess begins in our thoughts. Fear is a great contributor to this thought process but selfishness is not far behind. Fear of losing, of not having enough, of going without, of getting too close–in short, any number of thoughts can trigger the thought to withhold something that should be given.

What can be done to keep this stronghold from setting in? 

5 Biblical tips to overcome or obliterate a stronghold of stinginess:

1. Learn God’s will for provisions in your life and His direction. 

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Proverbs 28:27 Whoever gives to the poor lacks nothing. Whoever ignores the poor receives many curses.

2. Trust the Lord to keep His promises for your obedience.

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

3. Cast away any fear that might lead you to believe anything other than what God has said. Be patient.

Proverbs 28:22 He that hastens to be rich has an evil eye and considers not that poverty shall come upon him.

4. Give generously when you have the opportunity and ability to give.

2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

5. Love. Keep your thoughts free from anything that would cause you not to withhold love.

Matthew 22:36-40 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Written by Christian author, Pola Muzyka