Butch Watkins' Strongholds Exposed    

...and Booted by butch watkins

When I walked out of rehab, I thought I was free from the demonic stronghold of addiction forever. I had given up drug use and had no intention of ever resuming it - and I never have.

But the Lord promises us in Psalm 18 that he will teach our hands to make war...

It was soon pointed out to me that a spirit of escape and addiction was still very evident in my life.

There was still a stronghold there....

I didn't like it when I was confronted with the fact that I was using tobacco in order to relieve stress and pressure in my life. I'd been smoking since I was a teenager and didn't see any spiritual harm in it. I did not believe smoking was a sin.

I was very angry when I was told that, not only were, the cigarretes evidence of the presence of demonic strongholds of escape and addiction, but they were also a form of idolatry, because I was not willing to give them up for Jesus--anything we put before Jesus is an idol.

After much anger and resentment, I finally relented, repented, agreed with God concerning the sinfulness of my tobacco addicton. I then rebuked and renounced all spirits of escape and addiction out of my life and gave up the tobacco for good.

I found that giving up the tobacco was harder than giving up the cocaine and marijuana, but by the grace of God, I was freed from the addiction of tobacco and, as a result of that, from the evil spirits of escape and addiction that had bound me since I was a child.

...Or so I thought.

The Lord promises us in Psalm 18 that he will teach our hands to make war...and he was slowly but surely teaching me that spirits of addiction always team up with spirits of escape forming a spiritual matrix (a womb or enveloping environment where things can thrive and grow).

Then I was confronted with yet another spiritual stronghold in my life.

I thank God now, for those with the gift of discerning of spirits, but I wasn't feeling at all thankful then, when one of my most comforting escapes was pointed out as a demonic stronghold (the spiritual matrix of escape and addiction manifesting in another, this time, seemingly harmless form).

The target now was my excessive television and movie watching. 

I was very angry and bitter for a few days over that one, but I knew it was true. This had been a stronghold in my life for a very long time.

Again, anything we are not willing to give up for Christ is an idol in our lives.

I had to admit that I was addicted to the escape of watching television.

There was no denying that, although I had made progress and had the victory over other sins that had easily beset me almost my entire life, whenever I was stressed (although I no longer turned to marijuana or cocaine or the plethora of other drugs I would previously escape into), although I no longer fired up that comforting cigarette, instead of turning to Jesus with the problem and asking his help in dealing with it--I would turn on the television, and in order to escape the pressure--would watch it for hours.

Instead of submitting to the stress/anxiety/pain (whatever it might be), and laying it at the foot of the cross, I would run from it, and attempt to escape from into any temporary fix my conscience would allow.

I found I could not control my television addiction. I attempted to cut back, and I did - considerably. But when I did turn it on, inevitably, I had to admit, I was using it as an escape mechanism.

The strongholds of escape and addiction were still alive and well in my life.

I finally took a step of faith and gave up television altogether. It is a decision I have never regretted (although the withdrawal was difficult).

Again I repented, rebuked, renounced and kicked the spirits of escape and addiction out of my life.

Addiction is now gone from my life. It tries to return, but cannot stay as long I remain faithful to Jesus and do not return to any addictive behavior (via the old familiar escape routes).

I stumbled a few times with the cigarettes, but always (with the help of my accountability partner - [I was very careful not to hide when I smoked, but always confessed it ]) - immediately confessed, repented, and once again renounced and rebuked spirits of escape and addiction.

Unless we tell them to go, they will remain! And everytime we indulge in the sinful behavior of escape and addiction - they return).

I made it - Finally!

...But did I really?

These spirits, I have found, have a way of morphing. They try to sneak back in any form they can. I found myself escaping into sleep. Actually, I had been doing it for years without realizing it.

I had not yet learned how to live without my miserable comforters.

At a loss as to know what to do with my time with no drugs, cigarettes or T.V., I would just go to sleep.

Sleeeeep My Pretty....

Again, I repented, renounced and rebuked the spirit of escape. (thank God the number of spirits I needed to rebuke was decreasing!)

I want no strongholds in my life to interfere with either my relationship with Jesus Christ or my family.

My life is far richer today without all the temporary fixes I used to fill it up with - and without the devils that used to keep me company!

It took going throught a lot of temporary discomfort to reach the peaceful place I am at today--but it was worth it!