BREAKING STRONG HOLDS

Revival advances through spiritual warfare. How do we tear down the old before replacing it with the new?

Ps Nicole Brewer | Citipointe Church North

Ever slept through your alarm? You set it the night before, ready to start early, but then it doesn’t go off or you hit snooze way too many times, or like me, your phone dies overnight and no one wakes you up. Suddenly, you’re rushing to catch up on a day you wanted to be ready for.

That’s kind of what it’s like when we ignore the Holy Spirit’s gentle warnings. He’s not always loud like an alarm, sometimes He’s just a quiet nudge or a little whisper that we ignore. Maybe He's urging you to break a habit, set aside distractions to hear Him more clearly, take a bold step to share His love, or forgive someone and make things right… but you shrug it off.

Before Israel went to battle at Ai, God told Joshua, “Consecrate yourselves.” Basically, clear out anything holding you back. But there was some hidden sin in their camp. A guy named Achan took some stuff he wasn’t supposed to after their last win, and he kept it secret.

This is how strongholds start - small, hidden, and sneaky. Achan thought no one would find out… but, God knew. When Israel lost the next battle, they were confused. They thought they were ready, but God showed them the problem - hidden sin was holding them back.

Strongholds aren’t always huge, they often start small, with things we ignore. For me, it was this lie that I had to be all things to all people, always responding immediately and saying yes because I thought I had to earn my worth by not letting anyone down. But, honestly - that just stressed me out and got in the way of what God wanted to do in my life. He helped me understand that I don’t have to carry everything, but that He’s with me. Breaking strongholds happens when we notice the little things and let them go to make space for what He wants to do. For me, that meant occasionally putting my phone on ‘do not disturb’, learning to say ‘no’ more, and trusting God with the things I can’t handle alone.

Once Israel dealt with the hidden sin, everything changed. God told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid or discouraged” (Joshua 8:1). They followed God’s plan and won the battle. This time, they fought with ready hearts and a fresh start, not just assuming they’d win because they were strong and capable. After their victory, Joshua gathered everyone and read all of God’s rules, the blessings and the warnings (Joshua 8:30–35). When God gives you a fresh start, it’s not just about being forgiven; it’s about choosing to follow Him fully.

Youth Camp is close, so take time to think about what could be holding you back, what you need to let go of. It could be a bad habit, a lie you believe about yourself or a small distraction keeping you from what God wants for you.

Here are two simple ways to break strongholds before camp:

Get quiet and listen. Take a few minutes, phone off or on ‘do not disturb’ and ask God if there’s anything you need to let go of before camp. Write down whatever comes to mind, even if it seems small.

Take a step and let go. Choose something you wrote down, maybe a habit, fear, or lie, and ask God to help break it off your life, pray: Jesus, I give You what’s been holding me back, especially [insert what you wrote], and I ask You to break its hold over my life before Youth Camp. Help me hear Your voice clearly and choose Your way over my own. I don’t want anything to stand between us when You’re ready to move. I’m coming to Youth Camp with an open heart, fully surrendered and expecting You to do something new in me. Amen.