Apostles Pull Down Strongholds Casting down imaginations [Gk: Computation, i.e. (figuratively) reasoning (conscience, conceit):--imagination, thought], and every high thing [Gk: An elevated place or thing, high thing] that exalteth itself [Gk: To raise up:--exalt self, poise lift up] against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity [Gk: To make captive:--lead away captive, bring into captivity] every thought [Gk: A perception, i.e. purpose, or (implication) the intellect, disposition, itself:--device, mind, thought] to the obedience [Gk: Attentive hearkening, i.e. (implication) compliance or submission:--obedience, (make) obedient, obey, obeying] of Christ. (2nd Corinthians 10:5). The word imaginations is the Greek word logismos meaning reasoning. It refers to arguments in the minds of men which keep them from the truth. The teaching and preaching of apostles destroys and demolishes these arguments. The Twentieth Century New Testament says, We are engaged in confuting arguments and pulling down every barrier raised against the knowledge of God. These arguments are called strongholds which apostolic ministry pulls down. They are demonic strongholds that keep people believing lies and hinder them from receiving the truth. They are like castles and fortresses that are designed to keep the prisoner in, and the truth out. - Apostle John Eckhardt Continuing of of Apostle Eckhardts thought ... Satan is the god of this world (1 Cor. 4:4). Satan possesses ALL the kingdoms of the world (Matt. 4:8-9). Satan appears to the heads of his nations as an angel of light (1 Cor. 11:12). It was Satan who appealed to the heaven of Eve’s mind. It was Satan that caused the people to build a tower that would reach MAN’S concept of heaven. And THEY said, Go to, let US build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let US make US a name, lest WE be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. (Genesis 11:4). The heaven of the minds of those conceiving of such lofty things. It was Satan who caused the king of Babylon to be lifted up in his own heaven, his own mind. Listen to his own words: At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake, and said, is not this GREAT BABYLON, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of MY power, and for the honor of MY MAJESTY? (Daniel 4:30). The king of Babylon had a dream, and in the dream his kingdom was likened to a tree: The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached into HEAVEN… (Dan. 4:11). The kingdom of Babylon didn’t grow into GOD’S heaven, that’s for sure. No, Daniel identifies who the tree represents: The tree that you saw… It is YOU, O king, that are grown and become strong: for your greatness is grown, and reached unto HEAVEN… (Dan. 4:20a & 22). The king of Babylon reached the same heaven that the city of Capernaum reached: And thou Capernaum, which art exalted to HEAVEN, shall be thrust down to hell [hades/death/the grave] (Luke 10:15). Sinful Capernaum was never exalted to GOD’S heaven, but to their OWN HEAVEN, the heaven of their own minds. Their city never left the surface of the earth, but IN THEIR MINDS they thought they had reached heaven. Now then, with this in mind, let us move ahead two verses and see how all these Scriptures tie in and harmonize together. Verse 17-18: And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the DEVILS are subject unto us through your name. And he said unto them, [I know] I BEHELD Satan as lightning fall from heaven [when and as it was happening through the commands of His disciples]. Christ’s disciples were filled with JOY over the power that Jesus had given them so that even spirits were subject to them. Jesus had just said that He would thrust Capernaum down from THEIR HEAVEN, their high place in their own mind. Next the disciples report back that they were able to cast down spirits (demons) from men’s minds, from their own heavens. They were excited to tell Jesus what they had done. They had the power to cast down DEMONS from men’s heavens, from out of their MINDS. And Jesus answered them back by saying, YES, I KNOW, I BEHELD Satan (prince of the devils and demons), fall from the heaven of men’s minds while you were doing it! And then even Jesus rejoiced (Verse 21). Next we must understand that demons are FALSE DOCTRINES -- doctrines of demons Paul calls them. So anything that would influence us to believe in, follow, or be persuaded by any such things are demons influences. God has a heaven. It is a SPIRIT REALM. It is where God lives and has His Being. Men too have a heaven. It is likewise, the REALM where they live and have their being—they spiritually live in their own minds, their own heavens. Notice Proverbs 23:7, For as he THINKS in his heart, SO IS HE. The ‘heart’ is the innermost seat of our deepest emotions, but it is accessed through the MIND. It is what one thinks that determines what one is. When the king of Babylon THOUGHT that he had ascended into heaven in his mind, then that is where HE WAS, so IS he. But ... BUT, it was man’s heaven and not God’s. No ‘man,’ no ‘carnal man’ has ever ascended into God’s heaven of spirit, And NO MAN has ascended up to heaven [God’s heaven], but He [Jesus] that came down from heaven [God’s heaven], even the Son of man [Jesus] WHICH IS IN HEAVEN [in Gods heaven right at the very time He was speaking these words] (John 3:13). Jesus could live on earth and in heaven at the same time! But carnal men live in the heaven of their minds all the time. Man’s heaven is a place of spiritual delusion; whereas God’s heaven is a place of spiritual enlightenment. And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the EARTH [of man] and the HEAVEN [of man] fled away; and there was found NO PLACE FOR THEM … And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. And I saw a NEW heaven and a NEW earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (Rev. 20:11, 16 & 21:1). It would be mind-boggling enough to think that the entire UNIVERSE could flee away, but it would be quite another to then suggest that, there was found NO PLACE FOR THEM. That would be absurd if taken literally. ALL THESE THINGS ARE SPIRITUAL! In the white throne judgment there will be no more a place for the flesh, for the carnal mind, for man’s heaven. There will truly be no place found for them. They will be annihilated in God’s CONSUMING FIRE (Heb. 12:29 & 1 Cor. 3:15)! Once these strongholds are demolished, people can then see and receive the truth. Apostolic ministry has an anointing to demolish these strongholds.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 22:53:12 +0000
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