This list is NOT exhaustive, so you may encounter a stronghold or symptoms that aren’t listed.
You can recognize that a stronghold exists when any of the symptoms produced by that spirit are HABITUALLY PRESENT.
HEAVINESS
Depression
Despair
Self-pity
Loneliness
Unconfessed Sin
Suicidal Thoughts
HEAV’INESS, n. hev’iness. Weight; ponderousness; gravity; the quality of being heavy; as the heaviness of a body.
1. Sadness; sorrow; dejection of mind; depression of spirits.
Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop. Prov.12.
Ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season ye are in heaviness, through manifold temptations. 1 Pet.1.
2. Sluggishness; torpidness; dullness of spirit; languidness; languor; lassitude.
What means this heaviness that hangs upon me?
3. Weight; burden; oppression; as, the heaviness of taxes.
4. That which it requires great strength to move or overcome; that which creates labor and difficulty; as the heaviness of a draught.
5. Thickness; moistness; deepness; as the heaviness of ground or soil.
6. Thickness; moistness; as of air.
Isaiah 61:3To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
THE EFFECT OF A SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS
- It darkens our countenance: Our hearts are down cast. This spirit brings a “heaviness” over us..
- It dims our vision, robs our hope. The room may actually look darker.
- It brings a heavy, oppressive feeling. It quenches our faith.
- It may come over many at once , like a plague. It can be like a cloud, hanging over a place.
- It causes us to isolate, it steals our love, makes us feel alone.
The major source for the stronghold of heaviness to
be prolonged, unresolved, bitterness. The longer you remain bitter, the heavier
your heart becomes.
The spirit of heaviness can grow to almost intolerable oppression if you
don’t rid yourself of the root of bitterness. Heaviness will drive you into emotional
and physical ISOLATION. And, isolated people are easier for Satan to deceive.
Satan has his best recruits in Christians who are plagued by a stronghold of
Heaviness. They’ve SHUT OUT the loving voice of the Holy Spirit and lack the
love and joy He would produce in them.
Things are getting tough out there, and this is something I’ve had to do even knowing the things, being discussed on this blog and elsewhere…Whenever you may feel downcast, overwhelmed, and Satan is trying to burden you, or your own personal world is in chaos, step back and take time to pray to God for comfort but also praise Him in your turmoil. This is an important part of spiritual warfare, to step back and praise God, even in the worse of trouble. When one is very sick, facing extreme problems or even feeling overwhelmed by the evil of this world, nothing will bring more happiness then taking time to praise God. When even in the most severe crises, it is imperative that Christians do this, especially as things worsen in this world. One’s trust in the Lord will also be built up by doing this, and your relationship with Him will grow. Love this phrase, “THE GARMENT OF PRAISE FOR THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS….”
Phillippians 4:4Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
A strong reminder in the Bible is when Paul and Silas even praised God from a prison cell! Reading this, I realized they weren’t just throw into a concrete room on some straw, they had even their feet locked up in stocks! It’s amazing to see what happened when they lifted up there praises.
Acts 16:16And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
19And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
22And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
Amen!!
Turn your sorrow into praise! We serve an awesome Lord!
Related articles
- Strongholds Part 2 – The stronghold of Deceit (alookintomymind.wordpress.com)
- Stronghold Part 3 – The stronghold of bitterness. (alookintomymind.wordpress.com)
- Strongholds pt.1 (alookintomymind.wordpress.com)
Life's Little Slices 
Facebook does not allow me to share because they are claiming abusive . Great article just wish I could of shared.
Sorry I haven’t been around much lately, but my book, The Bellman Chronicles, will be FREE to download on Sept. 10 – 11! Check it out on my Amazon Kindle page.. You won’t be disappointed. And if you can slip me a review, I’d be forever grateful…
Here is one of the most incideous strongholds that I know of that being the stronghold of complacency where one is neither hot nor cold. Sounds like a church mentioned in the boold of Revelation called Laodicea.
The Stronghold of complacency
Here is something that the Lord showed me that is a
stronghold that needs to be brought down. This stronghold is
complacency. It has been over 2 generations since the Azuza street
revival took place that touched not only the United States, but the
whole world. Since that time the world has crept into the church and
revival has become just a nice thought instead of something to pursue
God for with all our hearts, mind soul and strength. There needs to be
a hunger for a move of God. It needs to consume us every waking
moment.
In the Book of Zephaniah, the Lord speaks to this attitude:
Zep 1:12 And it shall come to pass at that time that I will search
Jerusalem with lamps( Pro 20:27 The spirit of man [that factor in
human personality which proceeds immediately from God] is the lamp of
the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.and punish the men who are
settled in complacency. Who say in their heart, the Lord will not do
good nor will he do evil. (New King James Version)
This attitude goes against the very nature of God for God is not
uncaring and is not uninvolved in the affairs of men.
I believe that this scripture in Zephaniah finds its counterpart in
Revelation:
Rev 3:14 And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in
Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the trusty and
faithful and true Witness, the Origin and Beginning and Author of
God’s creation: [Isa. 55:4; Prov. 8:22.]
Rev 3:15 I know your [record of] works and what you are doing; you
are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot!
Rev 3:16 So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I
will spew you out of My mouth!
Rev 3:17 For you say, I am rich; I have prospered and grown wealthy,
and I am in need of nothing; and you do not realize and understand
that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. [Hos. 12:8.]
Rev 3:18 Therefore I counsel you to purchase from Me gold refined and
tested by fire, that you may be [truly] wealthy, and white clothes to
clothe you and to keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and
salve to put on your eyes, that you may see.
Rev 3:19 Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults
and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and
instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with
zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude]. [Prov. 3:12.]
This is a stronghold that needs to be brought down in prayer.
2Co 10:4
For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strongholds,
2Co 10:5 pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts
itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every
thought into the obedience of Christ;
Reminds me of the song “This is How We Overcome”
Another great article. Praise God!