The Lord spoke to Hannah a little while ago about fasting for seven days beginning on the 1st of March 2024. Initially, I was preparing to fast with her as a show of support, much like the Jews fasted for Queen Esther in preparation for her life or death appeal to the king (see the book of Esther), but the Lord began speaking to me about fasting for a different reason. A few days later, He revealed that He wanted me to break down some strongholds in my life. I was to fast for the seven days, only having one meal in the morning, and spending some time in the word and prayer on specific areas that He would show me.
Previously, God had spoken to me and told me that demons inhabit strongholds within us and those strongholds can be likened to the large mud mounds that are built by ants (termites). Their mounds are made of mud and dung and saliva and they can grow quite large over time. When we kick-out a demon we also need to break down its stronghold so it doesn’t have a place to return to within us. The picture the Lord gave me was that when we fast, he puts a spiritual ‘sledgehammer’ in our hands, and we can use it to break down those strongholds much quicker and easier. The notes below are a record of the strongholds the Lord led me to break down each day of the fast.
Day 1: The Stronghold of Pride
My prayer today is that absolutely no pride remains within me. I believe the spirit of pride has already been expelled, but now I need to break down its stronghold. This stronghold has been like a pillar in my thinking, and it has had too much influence over my decisions and responses. It has continued to reveal itself in the words that come from my mouth, and it needs to be destroyed. Today I take a sledgehammer to this stronghold of pride in my life, and smash it down through your word, prayer and fasting. I see it begin to break and crumble in chunks as I swing the hammer. It is reduced to a stump on the ground, so I take the hammer and vertically lift and drop it onto the remaining base, pounding its foundation to dust.
My prayer:
“Lord, with your help, I break apart the stronghold of pride within me. I totally destroy it in the name of Jesus. I want no part of pride to remain, no influence over my thinking, my ideas, my decisions and my responses to you and others. I renounce all pride and ask for your forgiveness for allowing the spirit of pride access in my heart. I allowed it to build a tall tower and stronghold over time and it gained far too much ground in my life. I repent today for all the words I spoke and the thoughts I entertained, that came from pride. I turn away from it and declare its influence to be ended today!”
“Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: Though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”
Proverbs 16v5 (KJV)
“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
1 Peter 5v5-7 (ESV)
Later in the day as Hannah and I were praying together, the Lord revealed to me that there are three pillars of pride. These pillars are supporting and upholding pride within me and need to be broken down individually so that pride can be fully dealt with. They are:
- The pride of knowledge
- The pride of vanity
- The pride of ability
Day 2: The Stronghold of Pride of Knowledge
My prayer:
“Lord, today I come to you to break down the stronghold, that pillar of pride, relating to knowledge. I confess, I have been prideful in my own intellect. I have given my mind too much say in my life and I have pridefully considered myself wise in my own eyes. As your word says, you have made the foolish things to shame the wise, and now I acknowledge that I am ashamed of my worldly wisdom. The wisdom I thought I had turns out to be foolishness, and the light of knowledge I have taken pride in is really just darkness.
Open the eyes of my understanding Lord so that knowledge may be subservient to understanding. And may the understanding I receive come directly from you Lord. Today I cast aside all worldly knowledge—that is all knowledge not from you. I now regard worldly knowledge as garbage and I pray you would help me to dispose of it today.
I humble myself before you Lord, so that my mind may no longer dream up lofty ideas, or exalt itself in any way. I submit my mind to you Lord, please forgive and restore me in this so that I may not sin against you.
Lord, may my thoughts be your thoughts, and my ideas your ideas. I leave behind all human reasoning and pride in logical thinking. I renounce my pride in problem solving, and today I commit to submitting to you in all these things. I will allow you to solve the problems I face in this life and I will come to you first and foremost as you are my Master and my Teacher.”
“Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.”
Psalm 25v4-5 (ESV)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.”
Proverbs 3v5-8 (ESV)
“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.”
Romans 12v16 (ESV)
Day 3: The Stronghold of Control and Witchcraft
Hannah had a word for me by the Holy Spirit while she was up early this morning, and she humbly approached me about a spirit of control which is surfacing in me from time to time. While I didn’t immediately connect with this word in my mind, I acknowledged in my heart that it was true. I am compelled by the Lord to deal with every unclean thing within me, and to break down their strongholds in my life. I believe this particular spirit has been obscuring my sight and trying to block me from seeing it. Because of my lack of insight in this, and because I sincerely want it to be broken, I asked Hannah to pray for me.
After her prayer, I also felt to pray and renounce and repent. I sensed the Holy Spirit at work in us and I shed some tears during our prayer. This is my prayer today:
“Lord, I renounce every agreement with the spirit of control and the witchcraft of manipulation, domination and intimidation. I repent for giving the devil a foothold in my life by allowing this spirit in through my own sin and my family line. I also repent on behalf of my family and ancestors for biting into bitterness and giving a home to this spirit. I break this agreement, I turn my back on it completely and repent before you Lord. I do this in the power of the blood of Jesus shed for me.
I also break down the stronghold of manipulation in my life with the sledgehammer of fasting you have given me. I break off the top of the column, smash in the sides and pound its foundation to dust today. Thank you for your deliverance Lord, I trust in you in faith that this spirit and its stronghold is now expelled and completely destroyed today! Help me to live in truth and victory in this area from this day forward.”
While there are many references in the word of God about witchcraft (manipulation, intimidation and domination), I was led instead to scriptures relating to its more noticeable effects–such as, anger, falsehood, bitterness, slander and malice.
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”
James 1v19-21 (ESV)
“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbour, for we are all members of one another.”
Ephesians 4v25 (ESV)
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Ephesians 4v31-32 (ESV)
Day 4: The Stronghold of False Religion
I was expecting to be breaking down the stronghold of The Pride of Vanity today, but the Holy Spirit had other ideas and we found ourselves breaking the stronghold of False Religion. Hannah noticed an aspect of my physical health had changed recently and she was expressing concern over that. When she asked me if I had noticed the same, I responded overly defensively and shrugged it off. Thankfully, Hannah was all over this and our ensuing discussion led me to admit I was struggling with seeking the Lord for healing as I felt selfish pursuing it with Him all the time. I felt that admitting there may be something else wrong with me, was just adding yet another item to my list of infirmities.
Her counsel was valuable to encourage me that the Lord wants us to pursue Him for everything we need, including healing. She began praying for me and as she did, she felt the Holy Spirit lead her to rip the cloak of guilt and shame off from me and cast it away. That cloak of guilt and shame is the cloak of false religion, a stronghold that was built up within me since very young. It led me to believe that I was being selfish for pursuing anything good from the Lord, like healing. Even though I knew in my mind that wasn’t true, it’s sometimes difficult to overcome the wrong beliefs that had formed in my heart over the many years of hearing false teachings in the church. That’s why the stronghold of false religion needs to be broken down.
My prayer:
“In Jesus’ name, I break down the stronghold of false religion. I take the sledgehammer of fasting given to me by the Lord Jesus to smash that mud column to pieces. That sledgehammer is the sword of the spirit, the word of God, mighty for the breaking down of strongholds. Today, I renounce all the false teaching, the clever lies and deception used by the devil and outworked through the false church. The lies that made me believe Jesus doesn’t love me personally, or care about my personal situation, or that I am being selfish by pursuing Him for personal healing or breakthrough. I break down those lies by faith in the word of God. I declare that He does love me! He is my Redeemer, my Healer, my Saviour and King! I forgive those pastors and leaders that, like the Pharisees, were living in falsehood and had become tools in the devils hands. I forgive them and bless them in Jesus’ name. That stronghold of false religion, false belief, lies and deception is broken today in Jesus’ name. I break it down and pound it to dust today and sweep it away by the power of the Holy Spirit within me! Thank you Jesus! All my praise is given to you! All glory and honour belongs to you!”
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8v35-39 (ESV)
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10v3-5 (ESV)
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Ephesians 6v13-17 (ESV)
Day 5: The Stronghold of Pride of Vanity
My prayer:
“Lord today I come before you in worship. I lay down my vanity before you and declare that I don’t want it any more. I have carried the burden of vanity for too long, ever since my youth when I took my eyes off your glory and began to be fixated on myself. I gave in to the lie that my appearance was of great importance, and I allowed the enemy to distract me through trying to improve it and spending so much time and effort on it.
I gave way too much attention to my hair and pushed myself to workout so I could be more muscular. It was all vanity, born from a great dislike of my natural self. That dislike turned into pride as I began receiving attention from others. I received compliments on my height, my hair and my physique, the three areas I had been struggling with. I was drawn in to self-improvement and self-effort as a way of achieving acceptance in the world. I now realise I was looking for affirmation in the wrong place and I should have looked to you alone Lord God for my acceptance and affirmation. I should have cast my cares on you, because you care for me.
I repent for wishing you had made me differently, I was wrong—I should not have held that view. While I don’t think that way anymore, I want to rid my life of any residual stronghold that vanity has left within me. May all vanity be destroyed in my mind and heart today! I also include the vanity of giving too much credit to appearances in general—in myself, other people, even cars and other innate objects. It’s all vanity, totally pointless in the weight of eternity, and a complete distraction from your amazing glory and majesty.
Lord, I acknowledge the pride of my vanity and I now completely destroy its stronghold before you. I renounce all pride in my appearance—my hair, my height and my physique. I renounce all pride in the importance of appearances and being noticed by others. May the dust of vanity’s destruction be swept out of my life by your Holy Spirit today. Thank you Lord Jesus!”
“…he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.”
Isaiah 53v2b (ESV)
Appearances are so deceiving and misleading! Lord I renounce caring about appearances from this time on!
“…For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16v7b (ESV)
May the only mirror I look intently into be the word of God. May I only see what the Lord sees in its reflection of my heart.
“Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.”
Psalm 119v37 (ESV)
“For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendour and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.”
Psalm 96v5-6 (ESV)
Day 6: The Stronghold of Pride of Ability
A word of the Lord came to me in the night, “Deal with the desire for recognition from people from your past. Acknowledge and repent, discard the desire.”
I also felt that I needed to recognise that, “He gives seed to the sower.” Both the seed and the harvest are from the Lord. Any ability and skill I have is from the Lord, I have created nothing in my own strength. He has given me all that I have.
My prayer:
“Lord, thank you for revealing to me last night about my desire for recognition. This really fits into the category of The Pride of Ability that you spoke to me about last Friday. Today I acknowledge that I have had a desire for recognition. When I have worked in what I thought was my own skill and ability, I have imagined receiving acclaim, and being praised for that work by others. People from my past that have either diminished me in some way, or that I have seen operating out of pride themselves. I admit I have dreamed of leaving them speechless as a form of retribution and justification, and sought admiration from those people. I have held a desire to be admired and to be recognised for having contributed something of great value.
Lord, today I repent for this attitude and for having pride in my own abilities or even my potential ability that was actually a gift from you anyway. There was nothing of me in it, it has all been a gift from you—you give the seed to the sower. Everything I have is really from you, and you deserve all of the praise and glory for it! Lord, I don’t want to have anything of my own effort, ability and skill any more. I only want what you give to me, and I want my heart to remain in the state of knowing that it came directly from you. I entirely relinquish the desire for recognition in my own abilities.
Lord, I ask that you change my heart so I can cast-off all desire for admiration and recognition, and do away with all pride in personal abilities. I now discard all desire to be recognised. I will wait for you Lord to direct my paths, for you to give me the seed to sow, and I will praise and worship you alone for the fruit that comes from your seed.
I break down that pillar of pride, the pride of ability. This is the big one, the strong pillar that has been wider and stronger than the others, and today I smash it right through the middle with your sledgehammer of fasting, the sword of the spirit, the word of God. Be broken entirely you stronghold of pride and be swept away from my mind and heart today! In Jesus’ name I declare victory over every stronghold of pride!”
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Galatians 1v10 (ESV)
May I never again look for the approval of man, may I only look for your approval Lord so I can be closer to you and serve Jesus more!
“He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.”
2 Corinthians 9v10 (ESV)
May I always recognise that all the seed comes from you! And may that seed be increased as I step aside and simply obey you in the sowing of it.
Day 7: The Stronghold of Slumber
Last night I woke and visited the bathroom, and when I returned to bed I checked my phone and it was exactly 3:44am. I climbed back into bed instead of staying up for a while to check-in with the Lord. I didn’t end up sleeping very well anyway, and after a few hours of dozing and pondering about this, I felt the Lord gave me the last stronghold to deal with today during this seven day fast—the stronghold of slumber.
This has been a stronghold in my life from quite young. I have often had trouble getting out of bed in the morning and have been a regular over-sleeper. As a child, I used to lay in bed until the last possible moment to get ready for school as it was a place of comfort for me. Sleep became a refuge for me, particularly if I was dealing with challenging situations or things I had a lack of desire or care for. I believe that sleep and slumber built a stronghold in my life because of this. It has continued with me for much of my adult life.
On this last day of this particular fast, the Lord woke Hannah at exactly 7:44am and told her to get up to be with Him, and He told her to get me up too. She said the Lord told her, “You need to be dressed and battle-ready.” I am reminded, in chatting with Hannah this morning, that the whole reason this fast came about was based on the story of Esther in chapters 8 and 9, where the Jews were given decrees to defend themselves and even to kill their enemies on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar (which corresponds to the 7th of March, which is today, the final day of our fast. See Esther 8v12 NLT). We were fasting in preparation for what the Lord wants to do in our own times, beginning today, and then beyond. This stronghold of slumber and sleep and even tiredness has been robbing me of experiencing the fullness of the Lord’s will in my life and in His kingdom. The Lord is calling me to break down this stronghold today.
My prayer:
“Lord, thank you for speaking to me this morning about the stronghold of slumber. I recognise that I have been affected by this for most of my life. Tiredness, oversleeping and slumbering in bed, wasting time and missing out on all that you want to say and do.
Lord, I acknowledge that I allowed this stronghold to be built up in me since I was young. Preferring to hide myself and sleep away the days, seeking comfort and a false sense of peace, instead of facing my fears and the challenging circumstances. Desire for slumber has robbed from me too many valuable moments and from hearing from you in a deeper way.
I repent now Lord for allowing this stronghold to become established in my life. I repent for making excuses about this my whole life too—I used to use it as a joke as to why I had grown so tall. I repent for dismissing the truth of this problem in this way. I repent for being a sluggard and for not taking this seriously.
Today, I renounce the belief that I need a greater amount of sleep than others, and that I can’t change this. I renounce all tiredness, dullness and indifference, and for seeking comfort, peace and rest from sleep. True comfort, peace and rest are only found in you. As my soul finds rest in you, my body will surely follow suit.
I now understand the insatiable desire for sleep has become a significant distraction that is affecting me physically, emotionally, relationally and spiritually. I hand over this desire to you Lord, and I break down its stronghold in my heart today. May it be completely destroyed and swept away as I give over all my desire and my will into submission to you today. In Jesus’ wonderful and holy name I ask this, amen!”
“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
Proverbs 6v6-11 (ESV)
Interesting that the Lord gave me a picture of strongholds being like the ant mounds, and here He is using the ant again (in the scripture above) to show how to be alert and diligent and not giving over to slumber.
“I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
Proverbs 24v30-34 (ESV)
Interesting to note is that the stone wall is broken down for the person who loves sleep. The stone wall is supposed to keep out the little foxes—those demons—who will spoil the vine.
“Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
Mark 13v35-37 (ESV)
Lord, may I stay awake. I now know that any desire for physical comfort and rest in slumber, will dull my spiritual readiness for your return. May I cast away all such desire and remain fully awake and alert to you.