Some random thoughts....

I have always thought it was an awesome concept about the powers and principalities over different areas. The bible specifically talks about it. Ephesians 6:12 says: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

I have seen it in my travels to different places all over the world. You can see it sometimes, and sometimes you can only feel it.

In Jamaica, one of the biggest spiritual strongholds over their nation is sexual sin. Christians and non Christians battle with it daily. You will see people who are leading others to the Lord, living a Christlike life, but then you hear they either got pregnant, got someone pregnant or are caught in a sexual sin of some nature. Once they become Christians they don't battle with addictions or things like that. They battle sexual sin.
Many of the denominations become legalistic. Certain denominations don't allow jewelry or certain hairstyles. They believe that is ungodly. I saw one young man who had been serving the Lord for several years, turned away from his church because of how he got his hair cut. Now isn't that Christlike?? NOT. Some denominations control what foods you eat. This issue was specifically dealt with in the bible. Peter was told that all foods are clean.

In Ukraine I believe it is hopelessness. They are a country that came out of communism and you see hopelessness everywhere. Drug addiction, prostitution, orphans... You can see it on peoples faces. What I thought was interesting is the colors people wear. Most of the men dress in complete black. The women in drab colors. You don't see happiness much.

I believe the spiritual stronghold over America is Fear of Man. How many times do we either do something we don't really want to, or on the other hand DON'T do something because of what other people will think of us? This is fear of man. It is huge in this country. Think about this when you think of how this country was founded. On freedoms that many other countries didn't have. This has been robbed out of our country. We were a country that stood on encouraging people to be individuals. Now we have to keep our yards like our neighbors, drive certain kinds of cars... I love the example of the recent flood of "Townhouses" where every yard has the same type of bush as the next yard. Everything looks the same. How do you remember which house is yours? If you are someone who doesn't go with this, then you can bet at some time you will either have someone tell you that you should do it the way that everyone else does, or they will force you to. We just sit back and shut up. Our freedoms have begun to control us as a nation.

Now on the contrary, in Uganda I see something totally different. They are a nation that has come out of a brutality that is unimaginable. They have "As a Nation" begun to serve God and you can see this and feel this. You see people who would have every right by our standards, to be angry at God or the world, having a love and hope that you don't see in many other places. You see the churches filled with people who are eager to love God and serve Him. They have stronghold as well but they are not as "strong" because as a nation they are serving God.
They are being blessed as a nation. This is how America started out, but now has fallen away from.

Sometimes I see us puny people here on the earth just trying to find a way to make it work. We always believe that "We" are the ones who have to come up with a way to make things work, or to get to God. Christianity is the only religion which is based on God doing it all for us and we just have to come to Him. All other religions are based on what we can to do please God or to earn our way into "Heaven" or someplace. It is because we as humans want to take the place of God. We are never satisfied with our relationship to God as just to be a son or daughter of the Most High God. We feel like we have to do something. I love this phrase "We are human BEings, not human DOings". All we need to do to please God is to BE. BE His son or daughter (and act like one). Love him and follow His ways. We want to make it more complicated than it really is.
Jesus said that if you love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength, and then love your neighbor as yourself that you have done what is right.

We are all a mess.