Joanne Sandiford-Bowe is a Bahamian author who lives on the island of New Providence in The Bahamas. She is married and has two young adult daughters. Joanne enjoys gardening, travel, reading fiction, and non-fiction, and writing. She has written productions and songs. Her favorite pastime is poetry writing. Joanne’s first book ‘Stronger Shoes’ is a collection of inspirational poems that were written over a number of years, on varying topics. These poems are intended to cause reflection, focus, and provide encouragement. She is an Internal Auditor by trade.
THE STRONGHOLD
Joanne Sandiford-Bowe
Every evil thought produced in our minds, if allowed to germinate and sprout to fester, will mushroom into an attitude, an action, a habit, and then finally a stronghold. Once a stronghold has been established, Satan can and will do his uttermost to seek to control and destroy our very souls. The Bible cautions us to guard our thoughts and to renew our minds daily.
I had a fleeting thought one day
I resisted, and it went away
But Satan brought it back and smiled
Saying, “Consider this for a while!”
I was surprised at how quickly it grew
It became an attitude before I knew.
That attitude became an action
For when I opened my mouth
Nothing but this was all that came out
That action became a habit performed repeatedly
I did it until it became a part of me.
That habit became a stronghold that Satan did claim
He called in some demons and shouting they came
“Let’s bring some fellows stronger than we
And these will keep our company!”
Just then a heated battle ensued
All because of my attitude
I tried to resist and pleaded for grace
But those demons were laughing right in my face!
Then I called on Jesus and pleaded the blood
And the tears came flowing down like a flood
Then God intervened and canceled their plans
And I watched as those demons retreated and ran.
From the book Stronger Shoes by Joanne Sandiford-Bowe