A spiritual stronghold is a mindset impregnated with hopelessness that causes us to accept as unchangeable something that we know is contrary to the will of God.
~Unknown
Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.
~John 5:2-9
Oh beloved, it is true. We’ve all got problems. We don’t really find it hard to accept that there is a loving G_d. Oh, we posit philosophical arguments, but we know deep down that the problem of evil is indeed solvable through the power of The Gospel. What some of us find hard – really hard – is to accept the G_d loves US (like YOU).
However, the Word is exceedingly clear. G_d loves you. He loves you cosmically, personally, heroically, virtuously, brother-like, consumingly, father-like, romantically, friend-like, intimately, and relentlessly. i’m not even gonna quote you a verse. it’s the whole Book friend! (note: One of the latest works on this issue is Francis Chan’s book, Crazy Love. Read it reader. Seriously.)
Author Larry Crabb once spoke at a conference i attended. He very clearly showed how Scripture tells us: “You’re a mess!” AND “God is Crazy About You!” The first part is easy for us to accept. The second, though, not-so-much.
Beloved. It is true. G_d loves you so very much.
The question is really: Do you want it? Will you accept it? ‘Cause just as deep down inside we know that if we let Him Love us, EVERYTHING is gonna change.
Do you want your life to actually get better? Do you really want to be healed?
Oh beloved! Let Him!!! He is so wonderful. He is Love. He is Life. Let Him have His way. Let Him breakdown the strongholds in your life!
