Think Again!

Chapter 11: 3-D Forging: Demolish, Detain, Defend • 99

Defending Against Disobedience in the Future Just because you demolish strongholds of the past and detain lies of the present, it won’t stop the devil from coming back with lies he used in the past. Because enemies will return, you must defend against vanquished foes. You need to be “ ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete ” (2 Cor. 10.6). When your obedience has been complete (you demolished past strongholds), you need to expect disobedience to come back and try to rule again. Don’t be caught off guard. You may think you have gained control over some stronghold, only to see it re-appear again some time later. The enemy doesn’t like to give up ground and will try win it back. You have to keep taking those thoughts captive when they re-appear and not let the toxic tree take root again. In the forging of metal, a metallurgist cannot leave parts alone and assume they will function without on-going maintenance. Without regular attention, metal parts fail when subjected to repeated use in a corrosive environment. In the same way, the adversary will not stay static. He will try to revisit areas where he once had stronghold. He will try to mount a return attack at a future time. Where you once gained victory over a stronghold, you will need to be ready to defend against return invasions. Consider the example of Jesus’s temptation. He was victorious over Satan by taking thoughts captive. He countered toxic lies with life-giving truth. But at the end of Jesus temptation, Luke 4.13 says, “The devil departed from Jesus until an opportune time .” If the evil one would look for a later opportunity to tempt our Lord Jesus, you can expect him to do the same to you. Be ready to defend against future attack.