Fence Posts and Strongholds

Last weekend, I (along with some help from my sons) spent several hours replacing 2 fence posts that had blown down in the winds that hit the week after Christmas. This is after having to replace 3 others this summer. All of them suffered from the same problem–they were set in concrete by the company that initially installed the fence.

I used to think that it makes perfect sense to set wooden fence posts in concrete…that is, until I had to replace one. What happens is that over time, the wood that sits within the concrete gets wet and begins to deteriorate. Eventually a strong wind or someone leaning on it causes the wood to snap, and you are left with the unenviable job of having to  dig out the concrete in order to replace the post. Not fun.

For each post, we spent hours with a chisel and a concrete breaking rod I borrowed from a neighbor, trying to break the concrete slab, piece by piece in order to get it out of the ground. (Most of the posts were not in a place where we could back up a truck and try to pull it out–so we were left chiseling.)

As I was working on digging out these posts, I realized that this same sort of thing often happens in our spiritual lives…with lies we believe. These lies may be a response to a hurt or to a critical statement someone makes to us as a child. In that moment, we start to believe something that isn’t true…about us or about God. And that lie gets set in concrete in our soul.

The Bible has a word for this. It calls it a “stronghold.” Paul talks about it in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” This word refers to a fortress, a castle that is not easily penetrated. It speaks of a way of thinking that has been set in concrete. It has become such a strong influence but we hardly even know its there. It’s a lie we are believing.

God has been uncovering all sorts of these lies in my own soul within the past several months. For instance, I have long believed that I have to perform well in order for anyone to like me or to want to be with me. Notice what is at the root of this lie–a self hatred that is masked by drivenness and striving.

Now this lie has all sorts of corollaries that will manifest themselves in my life.  Recently I realized that I have believed that as a leader, I have to try and make sure that everyone is pleased with decisions I make. Talk about an instant pathway to stress and discouragement.

These lies are like background music in our lives, constantly playing so we don’t even notice it consciously. But the impact is huge. We end up carrying a weight of ‘ought to’s’ and “shoulds’ that are like a slow leak in our soul. It robs us of joy, of sleep, or deep relationships.

In my next post, I will talk about how we break these lies. But before we go there, I think it would be well worth your time to go before the Lord and to ask Him, what lies am I believing–about You, about me? One great place to begin looking for these strongholds is in those areas of negative emotions in our lives–fear, insecurity, stress, anger, discouragement. In those areas, prayerfully ask God, what is at the root of this emotion? What am I believing when these emotions begin to surface?

Happy digging!

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