Scripture assures us that who the Son sets free is free indeed. It is only by the power and the shed blood of Christ that we can ever experience true freedom. In a recent message, Lana Savchuk discussed what it means to receive this freedom in Christ from mental turmoil and strongholds.
“You can have God’s Word, but if you don’t apply it, if you don’t speak it, if you don’t receive it, if you don’t read it, you will not be set free,” Savchuk says. “As we get to know Him, He’s the One that breaks down and helps us to receive that freedom.”
Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!
Savchuk explains how there’s a difference between demons and a stronghold, and what it means to be free from them.
“A stronghold is a house of thoughts,” Savchuk says. “Basically, it’s a house where demons like to live. You remove the house, you break down the house and demons [have] nowhere to go.”
She explains that demons find their way in quickly and leave quickly, but that strongholds do not work in this same manner.
“Strongholds are built over time, and they get destroyed, broken down over time,” Savchuk says. “And the devil, he lives in those strongholds.”
Savchuk says that there are three different types of mentalities that we can live by: a victim mentality, a survivor mentality and a soldier mentality of sonship. She notes that while people even go from the victim to the survivor mentality, it takes real work to finally have that sonship mentality, knowing who we fully are in Christ.
To order Kenza Haddock’s new book, “The Three Enemies of Your Mental Health,” visit Amazon.com.
So, how do we break the strongholds on our mental wellbeing?
“Don’t wait for your circumstances to change before you start changing your mind,” Savchuk says.
She also warns Christians to stop believing that we have no power over our thoughts.
“We can control our thoughts if we direct our mind and our thoughts toward the things [of God], toward the Word of God and toward what God is telling us to think on.”
This goes into the reality that we should be careful of what we feed our mind with the things that we watch, listen to and the conversations and activities that we are a part of. One key point we should remember is to confess what you believe and know to be true, not what your emotions are saying.
“Resist negative thoughts and assist positive thoughts,” Savchuk says.
“Celebrate the process. It’s going to take time to see the change. Every little step matters, and we need to be happy.”
Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom, and in Him we can experience the fullness of joy.
Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!
Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
