Breaking Down Strongholds by Ann Elaine Broughton

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4 NIV).

Do you have strongholds in your life that need conquered? Are there habits, addictions, sin that have made you a victim? I have an addiction to sugar that is really bad, especially since yeast has a foothold in my whole body and it affects my health. I need to completely not eat any sugar, wheat or goodies. That is so hard when the yeast inside me is craving it like crazy. I found an excerpt in the Bible that is helping me. It is about David and how he had to overcome a lot of odds to conquer Jerusalem. It was quite a large task, since the people there told him that there was no way he could do it. But that didn’t stop him. He took his soldiers and conquered a very large stronghold. “The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David” (2 Samuel 5:6-7 NIV).
I love this passage because of the word “nevertheless”. The Jebusites had ridiculed him but nevertheless David took the city because he knew his power came from the Lord.
You see the power that we have in the Holy Spirit is our weapon to demolish our strongholds. What we cannot accomplish in taking control of our weaknesses, the Holy Spirit can give us the strength and courage to say no. It is so easy to get caught into a trap of lacking self control and feeling awful afterwards. But instead, we must remember that we have divine strength inside of us and we “can do all things through Christ” (Phillipians 4:13).
So if you are battling a stronghold remember the word “nevertheless” and how David conquered his enemies with the Lord’s strength. I know this word is going to help me as I struggle with something that could ruin my health. May God bless you as you continue to strive to please the Lord in every aspect of your life.
Dear Lord,
I know that I have the Holy Spirit within me. Help me as I continue struggling to conquer a stronghold that is unhealthy. Help me to be strong in your strength and believe that I can take down this stronghold in your strength.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Dealing With Obsessions By Ann Elaine Broughton

“We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5 NIV).

What do you find yourself thinking about the most? Remember the Lord knows your thoughts. “You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar” (Psalm 139:2 NIV). I believe we forget that our thoughts are being measured by the Lord every moment. If you are obsessing over something that is not good for you the Lord knows it. You might think that it is hidden and that it is fine to do something in private because nobody knows it. But God does know it. It can also be obsessing about a person that either you love or you hate.
I was in a Bible study by Beth Moore about Esther and there was a chapter on Haman and how he hated the Jews so badly that he made it an obsession. He hated a Jewish man called Mordecai the most. He was Esther’s uncle. He went out of his way to try to kill him. He even made a gallows to hang him on, but as it turned out Haman ended up hanging from that gallows. You see if you have an obsession about someone you end up hurting yourself in the end. That obsession takes over your life so much that happiness can never be found.
In the study Esther, It’s Tough Being A Woman, Beth says “that a person becomes a snare to us any time he or she consumes an excessive and unhealthy space in our thoughts, whether negative or positive. The individual may be someone:
• We are attracted to or feel threatened or defeated by.
• Whose approval eludes us or whose happiness consumes us.
• Whom we adore, despise, or, far more complexly, both.
The people who have become our biggest snares to us are the ones about whom we’re most prone to say, “I never act this way with anyone else” (p. 121-122).
I don’t know if you are struggling with this, but I do know that we have a wonderful Savior who does know and will help you overcome an obsession. Just lay it at His feet and ask Him to help you guard your thoughts. Pray for help to heal the brokenness inside you that is leading to your obsession. He will give you peace in this area if you willingly offer it up to Him.
Dear Lord,
Help me to guard my thoughts so that they are pleasing to you. If I am obsessing over anything or anyone more that I should, please help me to stop it. I lay my burdens down at your feet and believe that you will change my heart so that I seek only what will make you happy.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Put Your Faith Into Practice by Ann Elaine Broughton

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24 NIV).

Are you putting into practice what you believe in regards to God’s word? Have you even taken time to read His word often so you know what God wants you to do? Jesus spoke the above words in a form of a parable so the people could understand what he meant about living a life that was pleasing to God. It is easy to sit in church, listen to a sermon, sing praise songs, attend Bible studies, but it you don’t put into practice all that you read and hear then it is meaningless in God’s eyes. You must put into practice everything you learn so that others will see what a difference Christ can make in a life.
The parable above relates to the man who built his house on the rock and when the rain came and the winds blew and beat against the house it didn’t fall. This means as your faith grows and you actually put into practice what you hear in sermons and read in the Bible, you will be able to withstand all of the troubles that come your way in life. But if you just go to church believing that is all you have to do for the Lord, then when the storms of life come, your faith will waver because you haven’t made the true commitment to the Lord that He requires. He goes on to say this: “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:26-27 NIV).
There have been several times in my life when the storms have battered me, but since I believe in my Savior and have faith in Him beyond what I can even describe to you, I was able to withstand the storm. I prayed and cried out to Him and He gave me peace right in the middle of that tremendous storm. It is a peace that only He can give.
Don’t be like the foolish man. Be sure that you are living a life that is pleasing to God every day. Be in constant communication with Him so that when the storms do come you will know that peace that only He can give too.
Dear Lord,
Help me to live my life every day in a manner that is pleasing to you.
I want to be like the man who built his home on the rock so that when the storms of life come, I will be safe and secure in your love.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Take Time to Pray by Ann Elaine Broughton

“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Mark 6:31
"After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. Mark 6:46

Jesus knew that He needed to have time with God in order to do His will. He was constantly being inundated by people who wanted to be healed. He was surrounded by crowds most of the time so getting alone with God was a precious time to Him. He needed time alone and often went to the mountain for peace and prayer. We too should take his example to heart. I have a tendency to pray on the run, which I believe isn't all that bad, but I also believe that the Lord requires us to seek time alone with Him where there are no distractions. We need to set aside a time each day that all we do is pray and be still before the Lord. The closest I feel to God is when I just sit still in a quiet place and pray to Him from my heart without worrying about anything else. I would urge you to find a quiet place and pick a time in the day when there are no distractions and pray to the Lord. Then quiet your soul and find His peace flow through you. The peace that passeth understanding that only Christ can give. Jesus found it on that mountain and tells us all that we too can find it. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you, I do not give to you as the world gives." John 14:27
Dear Lord,
Help us to seek you without distractions. Help us to be alone with you so that we can feel your peace, a peace that only you can give. It is this way that we can really serve you effectively because those around us will see your peace and know that it comes for you. This world can be so filled with worries, duties, and responsibilities. We know that if we aren't grounded in your love we can never do what is expected of us in the right kind of spirit. Thank you for the promise that you will be with us if we pray. Thank you for your peace.
In Jesus' name,
Amen