If you’ve ever felt stuck in the same cycle, same thoughts, same habits, same struggles—you might be dealing with a stronghold, and most people don’t even realize it. A stronghold is anything that has been built up in your life that keeps you stuck. It’s a fortified mindset, habit, or influence that resists change. And here’s the danger—if you’re not moving forward, you’re losing ground. Thankfully, God has already given us a blueprint. Seven steps contained in Deuteronomy chapter seven that, when applied & not just heard, leads to total freedom & deliverance. Walk with me as we break them down together.
STEP ONE: “TEAR DOWN THEIR ALTARS”
An altar can be defined as a place to lift-up, elevate, or exalt a thing. When it comes to strongholds this can literally keep you stuck for the rest of your natural life. The principle conveyed here is this: Stop elevating what’s hurting you! If it feeds the problem, remove it. This can be social media scrolling for that distraction—junk food if weight loss is your target—shopping apps if you’re looking to control spending. Bottom line, if it triggers anxiety, distractions, or bad habits it has to go.
STEP TWO: “SMASH TO PIECES THEIR PILLARS”
Pillars are exceedingly strong support structures that are designed to prevent something from collapsing or falling. They are literally what helps to keep a stronghold active by making it difficult to remove it, even if you’ve identified it. They are often represented by: thinking patterns, habits, & practices that are actively supporting the problem. Self-Examination & Self-Awareness is key here so you will need to ask yourself three questions:
- What is your desired outcome?
- What are you doing right now that’s contrary to that outcome?
- What can you do instead that will move you closer to that outcome?
The key point is simple: If it doesn’t align with your future it doesn’t belong in your present.
STEP THREE: “CUT DOWN THEIR IMAGES & SYMBOLS”
I know this one may sound really simplistic but believe me when I say it is often one of the most active strongholds in a person’s life. Which means it can represent the stronghold people often spend the most time entertaining. The underlying message here this: “remove anything from your life that represents the issue you’re trying to get rid of”. Now that sounds fine and dandy, but what exactly is it that makes this stronghold so much more impactful than the others? Symbols and images are different from pillars. Where pillars are internal, symbols and images are external & tangible. Having them around you will only serve as a reminder & a reinforcement of what you need to be delivered from. It forces you into a never-ending cycle that is powered by one simple truth—The stronghold you keep seeing is the stronghold you keep feeding.
STEP FOUR: “BURN THEM IN THE FIRE”
Alright, first off everyone put down their torches, lighters, and flamethrowers🤣. This does not necessarily have to be literal—although it can be as long as it’s within a controlled situation. The true principle here is this: “Total Separation”. Basically, any method you choose that guarantees no access. No backup plan. Execute a hard cutoff and never reattach. Now, you may be thinking why seven steps because number four sounds like the end game. That may be the case when it comes to the world’s way of thinking, but remember, we’re talking about the Most High here. God’s not just interested in you becoming free, He means for you to stay free. Which brings us to number five.
STEP FIVE: “DISCERNMENT”
Discernment is the ability to assess the true nature of a situation or thing. It is absolutely imperative that you learn to recognize what is beneficial and what is not. What is a blessing versus what is a curse. What is from God verses what is from Satan. What good does it do to free yourself from one trap just to willingly enter into another? Without discernment you inevitably function as one who jumps in the river just to escape the rain completely ignoring that they’re getting wet either way. So, what’s the underlying principle here: “Freedom means mothing if you walk right back into bondage”.
STEP SIX: “KNOW & SEEK GOD”
Ok let’s get some clarity here. While I fully believe in being “inclusive” one would be hard-pressed not to know that I am a professing Believer so although not trying to exclude anyone the next two steps will only apply to those who believe in the Most High God as I do. However, even if you don’t seek out The Father you should at least be seeking to know that which is higher than you—even if it’s just a mentor, role model, or leader in your life. What you are searching for here is: “the voice of the one who possesses more wisdom than you”. Just because you have been freed from a stronghold does not mean you are fully capable of recognizing when you’re about to faced with another. As for the “Believer” the principle is this: “the better you know His voice, the less likely you are to follow the wrong one”. Remember—His sheep knows His voice, and a stranger they will Not follow. This is where wisdom comes in, and wisdom requires instruction. Which brings us to our final step.
STEP SEVEN: “OBEDIENCE”
When it comes to instruction, I do believe that the whole world would agree that “obedience” is the capstone of them all. This is where everything comes together as the foundational part of this process. Obedience is the only element that will guarantee you get free and STAY free! Why? Remember when I stated earlier that most are rarely aware that they are caught in a stronghold, this means the absence of truth. Which is ignorance. From there you will need to accumulate truth. Which means you must gather not just information, but correct information and that requires—wait for it—someone who knows more than you. Whether you read it, hear it, or see it illustrated by a mentor you must be willing to adhere to what you are learning and put it to use. Because hearing is only the first part of obedience. Freedom only comes from what you actually apply to your life.
IN CONCLUSION
This process doesn’t just free you, it positions you to stay free. If this article has helped or added value to you, please share it with someone who needs it. This process and others are outlined throughout the Word of God. The specific steps in this process are outlined in Deuteronomy 7:1-11. And remember, if you don’t know the answers, you just haven’t asked the right questions. So, get curious!
Stay Blessed!
The Curious Believer 