Burdened With Bricks?

Psalm 18:45-46
45 They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds.
46 The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!

Lately I have been feeling very heavy. The heaviness is keeping me from being used by God to my fullest. I've even said several times to several people that I feel like my spark is just not bright enough lately. Today I had much needed alone time with God and I gave God my heaviness, or so I thought. I basically said this... "God I feel like I have a load of bricks on me... I can't get out of bed and I am bruised". Now I realize the bricks for what they are, strongholds. I went on Google and looked up just what types of strongholds there are. I came across this chart:

I came across this chart: http://www.toddtyszka.com/strongholds.html

Heaviness, insecurity, control, jealously, rejection and fear are my strongholds in a nutshell. Why am I telling you this? The bible says to confess our sins one to another... I'm also letting you know I'm human. It is good for people in a ministry to recognize that their minister is not perfect.

Soooooooo what? So what am I going to do now that I recognize these strongholds in my life? Well for one I am denouncing them and giving them to God. I am going to be very careful not to let them sneak into my lifestyle. I am also going to get stronger in overcoming them. It's a process that will take time and serious dedication. I will have to read the word of God about specific strong holds and what the bible has to say about them. Look to the saints... we look at them who have gone through trials and storms in the bible there stories help us.

You can read about my relationship with the woman at the well in my first few blogs here. She knew what strongholds were and she helped me to recognize mine :) so I could have the same freedom.

It's a process and I am open to anyone about it. God doesn't want us to be shameful about our sin or our strongholds. God wants us to use them to help minister to others. God wants us to fight through them for His glory. As long as you're fighting you have nothing to feel shame about! Keep fighting and I will fight with you! :) If you ever need to talk I'm here. Let's lift each other up together and get past these strongholds.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action),
17So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.