A YEAR OF PRAYER

THE STRONGHOLDS OF THE ENEMY AND THE PRAYERS THAT DEMOLISH

1  In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, but the appointed time was long; and he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision. 
2  In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks.
3  I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
4  Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, that is, the Tigris, 
5  I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! 
6  His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude. —Daniel 10:1 - 6

8  Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. 
9  Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.
10  Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. 
11  And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.
12  Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 
13  But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. —Daniel 10:8 - 13

19  And he said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!” So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”
20  Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come. 
21  But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.) —Daniel 10:19 - 21

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. —Ephesians 6:10 - 12

STRONGHOLD DEFINED:
a place that has been fortified so as to protect it against attack;
a place where a particular
cause or belief is strongly defended or upheld.

PRINCIPALITY DEFINED:
a state, region, or geographical area ruled by a prince.

1. The battle is real and we fight with our words (prayer)

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 
5  casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, —1 Corinthians 10:3 - 5

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. —1 Peter 5:8

2. The strategy for the battle.

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. —James 4:7

Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder
his house. —Matthew 12:29

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and
washed us from our sins in His own blood, —Revelation 1:5

3. The war has been won… Pray in the name of Jesus… For victory is His!!

18 The eyes of your understanding being elightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
19  and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 
20  which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 
21  Far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church. —Ephesians 1:18 - 22

9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 
10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. —Colossians 2:9 - 10

12  Buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 
13  And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 
14  having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 
15  Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. —Colossians 2:12 - 15

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. —Colossians 1:16

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things
to come,
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. —Romans 8:37 - 39

11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 
13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: —Revelation 19:11 - 16

8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. —Philippians 2:8 - 11