The class continues to grow! Last night was week four and the class has more than doubled. We are just about at capacity. The Lord's presence was so tangible last night beginning with worship, during the lesson and during the anointing service. We are working on breaking free and uprooting destructive habit structures and thought patterns. Wow! The men are starting to understand that God is God, but He is also Father to them. This is foreign to many of them because many have been rejected by their earthly fathers or have never met him, but God is coming in an healing them and beginning to build and establish a new relationship with these guys. It is so amazing to see how they are so free during worship. They dance, shout, jump, cry, laugh and begin to overflow onto each other. It is an amazing sight.
Some of the truths the men have learned so far:
- Cycles of bondage and strongholds begin with a wound, progresses to a stronghold, sin and disobedience, darkness and eventually demonic oppression.
- A wound is just a deficit of love.
- A stronghold is a fortress of thought. It in of itself is not demonic, but provides a way for demons to enter. "Habit - an act repeated so often that it has become involuntary. There is no new decision of mind each time the act is performed."
- Habits are both relational and behavioral, and they affect EVERY relationship we have.
- Sin and disobedience is how we get our "love need" met with we do not allow God to meet that need for us.
- Darkness is not an absence of light, but a sensual love of self, a lack of revelation.
- Demons inhabit darkness.
- 1. Strongholds produce negative thoughts within us that block us from receiving or giving love.
- 2. Strongholds restrict our knowledge of God and His love.
- 3. Strongholds give us tunnel-vision, so we don't clearly see right from wrong.
- 4. Strongholds shape our value systems and distort our relationships in how we value and treat other people.
- 5. Strongholds make straight-thinking difficult, by guarding our weak spots with false feelings and emotions.
- 6. Strongholds constantly send negative messages to our mind, will, and emotions.
EVERYONE needs praise and affirmation. A need is something that, if unmet, makes a person sick. But, if met, makes a person well. And, when we get well, we can help meet the needs of others.
Each wound and criticism acts like individual building blocks of the fortresses (strongholds) in our lives. They can cause us to draw negative conclusions on how we relate to people and, ultimately, cause us to do what we do NOT want to do.
Hallelujah! The men are learning why they do what they don't want to do and how to do what they want to do.
Please remember us in your prayers...
Please pray about supporting Smashing Pillars International financially. Ask Holy Spirit if He would have you give or partner with us, and whatever He tells you to do...do that.
Smashing Pillars International is registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All gifts are taxed deductible. You will receive a statement of giving at the end of the year for your records.
Visit us at www.smashingpillarsinternational.org or you may give at http://www.smashingpillarsinternational.org/online-giving.html.
You may also mail in your gift to:
Smashing Pillars International
14403 Walters Rd. #681601
Houston, Texas 77014
Receive this blessing:
May the Lord bless you and keep you;
May the Lord make His face shine upon you;
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you;
And give you peace.
Shalom Shalom!
Samuel
