Breaking Strongholds – The Mystery of Hope

We are nearing the completion of this series, and I trust it has been both challenging and full of life. Today, we shift focus: moving from deconstruction to construction. In particular, we will examine one of the most overlooked yet essential biblical pillars—hope. 

This teaching follows on from last week’s discussion on fantasy. If you missed that, I encourage you to revisit your notes, since today’s topic builds directly on that foundation. 

From Destruction to Construction 

As I prayed about what to share this week, I sensed the Lord directing me to move beyond dismantling strongholds and instead begin rebuilding godly structures within our hearts. One question arose: How do we shift from fantasy to biblical realism? 

The more I reflected, the clearer it became, what we often use for fantasy was originally designed by God to produce hope. Our imagination, when sanctified, is not meant to trap us in illusions but to anchor us in the promises of God. 

What Is Hope? 

The Bible describes hope as the confident expectation of what God has promised (Hebrews 11:1). In simple terms, hope is the activated imagination that is able to conceptualise what is not yet visible. Faith then becomes the substance—the material reality—of those things we hope for. 

Consider Abraham: 

“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations” (Romans 4:18, NIV). 

Paul further explains that Abraham “called into being things that were not as though they were” (Romans 4:17). What once sounded like religious jargon begins to make sense: hope takes the visions God has for us and plants in our hearts by activating our imagination so that faith can give substance to it and affect our present reality.  

A famous preacher once said, ‘You know that you have faith or renewed your mind, when the impossible looks logical’. Like Mary, who said, “Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38), we align our imagination with God’s promises until they become the only truth we know. 

Fantasy vs. Hope 

If we are honest, many of us struggle in this area. Personally, I found it hard to picture scripture in my heart. The only way I could connect was by writing it down. As I sought God about this, He showed me that my imagination had been preprogrammed by fantasy, making it difficult to grasp kingdom realities. 

This matters because sin often dominates us through the dominating the door of our imagination. Proverbs reminds us: 

“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7, KJV). 

For example: 

• Someone trapped in sexual sin finds it effortless to imagine sexual scenarios. 

• Someone battling unforgiveness may vividly imagine revenge and murder. 

The enemy builds strongholds by hijacking the imagination, keeping us prisoners through false promises. 

Hope in Scripture 

The Hebrew word for hope, tiqvah, literally means cord or rope (Strong’s H8615). Its first appearance is in Joshua 2:18, when Rahab hung a scarlet cord from her window as a sign of salvation. 

Hope, then, is like that scarlet cord—a lifeline extended toward God’s deliverance. But when misplaced, our hope can become tethered to false gods and counterfeit saviors. These offer empty promises, drawing us into cycles of sin and disappointment. 

Here’s how this often plays out: we all have legitimate needs (desires), but when we try to meet them in the realm of imagination apart from God, we enter into sin. Over time, this erodes our inner walls—our beliefs, values, and commitments—until what began in thought eventually manifests in action. Scripture calls this “death.” 

James warns us of this destructive process: 

“Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:14–15, NIV). 

Our hope, our scarlet thread, is always sending out a signal into the spiritual realm. The danger comes when that signal is intercepted. If our imagination is left uncaptured by Christ, it becomes fertile ground for darkness, drawing us into oppression step by step. Deliverance does not begin with external change, but with repentance—the deliberate turning of our imagination and heart back to God. 

Returning to the Stronghold of Hope 

Zechariah 9:12 exhorts us: 

“Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope.” 

Here, hope is pictured as a stronghold—an unshakable fortress where God’s promises guard our imagination. Without this, we remain like prisoners in a “waterless pit” (Zechariah 9:11), a dry place where the Word cannot flow. 

To reclaim the imagination, we must flood it with the Word of God until His vision becomes more real to us than fantasy.  

Practical Ways to Activate Hope 

1. Writing 

   “When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law” (Deuteronomy 17:18). 

   Handwrite your prophetic words and promises. Writing engages your memory, imprints truth on your heart, and forces you to dwell on God’s voice. 

2. Speaking 

   “My tongue is the pen of a skillful writer” (Psalm 45:1). 

   The Word was never meant only to be read; it is to be spoken, sung, and declared. Read your promises aloud until your atmosphere shifts. 

3. Creativity 

   “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night” (Joshua 1:8). 

   Go beyond text: draw it, create vision boards, compose songs. Allow God’s Word to become a multi-sensory experience that saturates your imagination. 

4. Meditation 

   The Psalms repeatedly include the word Selah—pause and reflect. 

   Cultivate awe and wonder. These ignite the imagination and create lasting imprints of God’s promises on your soul. 

5. Watching 

   Train your eyes to see testimonies of God’s faithfulness—in Scripture, in church history, and in your community. 

   Surround yourself with stories of breakthrough, so your vision is shaped by God’s power rather than the enemy’s destruction. 

Final Thought 

The battle for hope is ultimately the battle for the imagination. Where fantasy enslaves, hope liberates. When we reclaim our imagination for God, it becomes the canvas on which He paints His promises. 

Return to the stronghold of hope, and let your imagination be sanctified by His Word until you can boldly say: “Christ in me, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).