Mark 5:6-13.
6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, \”What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.\”
8 For He said to him, \”Come out of the man, unclean spirit!\” 9 Then He asked him, \”What is your name?\”
And he answered, saying, \”My name is Legion; for we are many.\” 10 Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.
11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. 12So all the demons begged Him, saying, \”Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.\” 13 And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.
Evil spirit like to remain in a place where they have established stronghold. The Bible gave us an example of how evil spirit operated in the life of a person whom they inhabited in, as was seen in our text in the gospel according to saint mark 5:6-13.
Those evil spirit did not want to leave their locality where they had established a stronghold as such begged that their lives be saved by relocating them to the herds of swine which was granted them.
Ordinary dictionary meaning of a stronghold is a place that has been fortified so as to protect it against attack. Or a place where a particular cause or belief is strongly defended or uphold.
Psalm 9:9 defines a stronghold as a defensive structure, that\’s why it says \”The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Apostle Paul in the new testament see a stronghold as a defense mechanism that must be destroyed by using the weapon of warfare which is not of the flesh but has divine powers that can pull down every stronghold.
5 and we tear down every proud idea that raises itself against the knowledge of God. We also capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ\”. (2corinthians 10:3-5)
Pulling down of stronghold is not a physical warfare, it is by exercising some spiritual strategies by putting on all the weapons of defense which is better explained in Ephesians 6:14-17
14 Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,
15 And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace. [Isa. 52:7.]
16 Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].
17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.
Since we derives our powers from God alone, it means our plan should be to demolish every spiritual stronghold.
and we tear down every proud idea that raises itself against the knowledge of God. We also capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ\” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).
Therefore, our battles are not planned or fought according to the way this world fight by employing earthly strategies Our weapons are not physical, for our warfare is spiritual in nature rather than using the physical weapons we know like Guns, Bow and Arrows etc we resought to depending on the full armor of God which is our defense to pull down every stronghold.
Our strength is in the Lord and He will help us to the pulling down of strongholds in Jesus name 🙏. Do Not Be Affraid for God Almighty is on your side. ✍️ Blessing I N Onugha.