The life of practical holiness and victory also means ____ strongholds, ____ our hearts and minds, and ____ worthy of our calling.

• A. Demolishing; Guarding; Walking
• B. Destroying; Shielding; Striving
• C. Dismantling; Protecting; Living
• D. Breaking; Guarding; Living

Answer: (A)

In practical holiness and victory, the life of faith involves tearing down entrenched strongholds, guarding our hearts and minds, and walking worthy of our calling. Demolishing strongholds captures the decisive, active effort required to break down the beliefs, patterns, and defenses that oppose God’s lordship in the mind. Guarding our hearts and minds then protects the inner life—our motivations, thoughts, and desires—from influences that would derail holiness. Finally, walking worthy of our calling expresses the daily, lived-out conduct that matches the high purpose God has given us; it’s the ongoing behavior that demonstrates the change God works within.

The phrasing here aligns with well-known biblical emphases. While other verbs like destroying, dismantling, or breaking convey similar ideas, demolishing is the most idiomatic for the idea of pulling down strongholds. For the middle action, guarding is the standard way Scripture speaks of protecting the heart and mind. And for the final action, walking worthy of the calling is the common biblical expression for living in a manner consistent with one’s divine calling.