1 Maccabees 6:19 "So Judas decided to destroy them, and assembled all the people to besiege them." The enemy had taken control of a citadel and was using that strategic position to attack and harm Israel and to strengthen the Gentiles, so Judas Maccabeus gathered all his people, built siege towers, and besieged the citadel. (1 Maccabees 6:18-20)

I have been reading and hearing lately of the "strongholds" the enemy erects against us. The devil enters into places in our lives where a door or path has been opened for him through sin or trauma, and he sets up these strongholds. From them, he can attack and weaken other areas of our lives, areas where we think we are safe, like our prayer life. The whole concept reminds me very much of this description of the enemy attacking the Israelites from a citadel within their territory.

Once he fully appreciated the threat coming from this citadel, Judas' response was to gather all his people, build siege engines, and besiege it. This is just what our response to strongholds should be. We are often blind to the strongholds in our lives, the devil likes it that way, and they are hidden in our weaknesses, our trauma, and our sin, places we do not like to look in ourselves. So the first step is to pray for discernment and enlightenment while looking inward, especially at the dark places we do not like to deal with in our lives, bringing our prayer there. Once we see the possibility or the reality of a stronghold, we should bring the full armor of God against it. St. Paul tells us that there is "divine power to destroy strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:4). God loves us and wants us to be with Him, so of course He has given us everything we need to confront these demonic citadels. Prayer, the Eucharist, the Sacraments, Scripture, fasting, and all of the teachings of the Church arm us to take them on.

Jesus Christ has already defeated Satan and his minions, but they continue to attack us through our sinfulness and fallen nature. When we find they have erected strongholds in our lives, the best thing to do is confront them head on. With Christ at our side and the weapons of war He has provided to us, the devil's strongholds don't stand a chance.