Helping People Stand Firm

When people go through The Steps To Freedom In Christ, they are taking hold of the freedom that is theirs by right as a child of God.

Freedom to follow Christ without the domination of sin and Satan is the right of every believer (Romans 6-8; Colossians 1, 2) and can be obtained relatively quickly.

Maturity on the other hand is a process of growth that takes time.

One of the key things people will come out of The Steps To Freedom with is an understanding of the lies that they have been predisposed to believe because of past experiences. It is a "truth encounter". Just becoming aware of them is not enough, however. According to the Bible, Christians are transformed by the renewing of their mind (Romans 12:2).

They need actively to choose the truth (even when it doesn’t feel true) so the third component of the Freedom In Christ approach is equipping people to stand firm in the freedom that they have won by renewing their minds. The strategies to do this are outlined in Session 10 of the Freedom In Christ Discipleship Course. For your interest, we have set out one of them, which we call “stronghold-busting”, below.

Stronghold-busting

1. Determine the lie
2. Find as many bible verses as you can that state the truth and write them down
3. Write a prayer/declaration (“I renounce the lie that… I announce the truth that...”)
4.  Read the bible verses and say the prayer/declaration every day for 40 days (psychologists tell us that is takes six weeks or so to form or break a habit – ie change your way of thinking – and, once you have resolved personal and spiritual conflicts, strongholds are just habitual ways of thinking).

Example:
The lie: that overeating brings lasting comfort.

Proverbs 25:28: Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.

Galatians 5:16: So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Galatians 5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Psalm 63:4-5:I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

Psalm 119:76: May your unfailing love be my comfort.

Lord, I renounce the lie that overeating brings lasting comfort. I announce the truth that you are the God of all comfort and that your unfailing love is my only legitimate and real comfort. I affirm that I now live by the Spirit and do not have to gratify the desires of the flesh. Whenever I feel in need of comfort, instead of turning to foods I choose to praise you and be satisfied as with the richest of foods. Fill me afresh with your Holy Spirit and live through me as I grow in self-control. Amen.

Read the Bible verses and say the prayer every day for 40 days.