2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Many have tried by carnal means.  They have tried with physical weapons such as swords, bows and arrows, or guns, of course.  This is really talking about a warfare that is in contrast to the warfare of the carnal.  Many a book has been written about warring a warfare by the power of the carnal mind.  Christians try to do this all the time.  They use New Age techniques such as positive affirmations.  They try the "I can and I will" method.  They try the Human Potential Movement methods.  All of those are of the world.

This is not done by a mental exercise but by a spiritual exercise.  When the anointing flows from the throne of God, His Spirit cleanses us.  Create in me a clean heart, oh God.  When our carnal mind speaks to us, we turn to the King of kings and He speaks to us.  Faith allows us to open the door to His grace, and His grace comes in with power to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

We do have strongholds in our minds.  In our minds, we have build these strongholds, towers of Babel (confusion), and they are built on sand.  Praise God that when God's Mighty Wind blows and when God's Mighty Rain falls, the these towers fall.  Let them fall.  Let God's Spirit flow and set you free from the bondages that you have built within your own mind.  Let His Spirit flow and wash out the root system of the roots of bitterness.  Theologies are often towers of Babel.  These strongholds are lies from the enemy.  It very difficult to get rid of this type of stronghold.  The Spirit of God can do it, line on line and precept on precept.

I heard a woman selling a book on a Christian radio station.  I could see that she was deceived by the lie of the enemy.  She said that you have to ask God to reveal Scripture to you and then read Scripture and ask YOURSELF (YOUR SELF) what God is trying to say.  At first, I thought she may have misspoken, but she repeated the thought, phrasing it in many ways.  It does no good to seek God for help and then refuse His help.  If we lean on our own understanding, we are listening to the lies of the enemy.