From Footholds to Strongholds

Ephesians 4:26-27 NLT – 26 And "don't sin by letting anger control you." Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

1.     What you tolerate can begin to control you.

3 Dangers of Footholds:

• Bitterness?

Hebrews 12:15 ESV – 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

• Anger?

James 1:19-20 ESV – 19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

• Backbiting/Gossiping?

Ephesians 4:31-32 NKJV – 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

2.     What you entertain can begin to influence you.

• The enemy doesn’t need us to openly reject Christ if he can persuade us to live in continual agreement with something contrary to Christ!

3.     Strongholds are confronted with the truth God’s Word.

2Corinthians 10:3-5 ESV – 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

• 3 Actions we must do:

-       Identify the Lie:

-       Confront the Lie with Truth:

-       Bring the thought under Christ’s Authority:

• We need to stop trying to manage what God is telling us to confront!

Psalm 139:23-24 NLT – 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.