How to overthrow a stronghold

In prayer, God gives common people the opportunity to have uncommon results.  

In Matthew 10:1, Jesus is transferring His unrestricted power to His disciples over demons, darkness, and sickness.  

Think of authority like this.  You already have power in your house; however, it's up to you to turn it on.  

We already have power in Jesus's name; however, it's up to us to turn it on.   

We must learn to take Jesus at His word and release His power as instructed.   

In Acts 3:1-8, we see Peter and John releasing Jesus's power through their faith in His name. 

Acts 3:1-8 New King James Version (NKJV)

3 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 

2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 

4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 

6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 

7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 

8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.

Here are some points that we can learn from this story. 

1. We don't fight spiritual darkness with earthly weapons.  

We must fight in prayer.  

Prayer is not only communion with God, but also confrontation with the enemy. 

2 Corinthians 10:3-5  (NKJV)

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 

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, 

Strongholds keep us from seeing the power in Jesus's name.  

A stronghold is a lie that gains momentum.  

2. Jesus's name can do anything that Jesus can do.  

Jesus has transferred His power to us, His followers. We must transfer our faith in our stronghold to faith in the power of Jesus's name to conquer it.  

Starve your faith in your stronghold by feeding your faith in Jesus and His name by mediating upon the power of Jesus as revealed in the Word of God (Romans 10:17). 

After you've immersed your thoughts with the power of God in Jesus's name, it will overflow into your everyday speech.   

Matthew 12:34B New King James Version (NKJV)

34 For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.   

Now you're ready to talk to your stronghold about the power in Jesus's name.  Command your stronghold to leave in Jesus's name. 

Philippians 2:9-11  (NKJV)

9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When the strongholds of your mind goes down, the windows of your heart open up.  

Jesus's name is more powerful than any stronghold that the enemy can throw against us. 

Excerpts from notes taken from Brandon Isbell, Church of the Highlands, Opelika Campus.