Category Archives: Fortress

Abiding, Angels, Battles, Bible, Defense, Enemies, Fortress, Protection, Rescue, Scripture

BOW BENDING

ZECHARIAH 9:13

“For I will bend Judah as My bow, I will fill the bow with Ephraim. And I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece; and I will make you like a warrior’s sword.”

In past years, I have attempted some archery hunting. Now, when I say “attempted” I mean I wasn’t successful in my hunt. I do not use a regular bow or combine bow when I hunt. I use a crossbow. Mine requires a “cocking rope” to draw back the bow in order to place the arrow (or bolt which are like small arrows made for crossbows). On one trip, I forgot my cocking rope. Try as I might, I could not draw back the bow without it.

God is saying here that He will be the one to draw back the bow and defend His children. I have mentioned one of my favorite verses is Exodus 14:14, “The Lord will fight for you, while you remain silent.” God is going to “stir up” Zion. He is going to “make you like a warrior’s sword.” In other words, get ready. Tests and battles are coming. But God has their back.

APPLICATION

He will defend us, or He will equip us for battle. He will never send you in a battle that you cannot handle. With God at our side, no one can defeat us. David’s Psalm 18:2 gives us a great picture of that. “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my savior, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Is that your position with God right now? Is He your stronghold. O dear brother or sister, I pray you are resting in that. I pray that you know God has your back. I pray you know that He is fighting for you daily. Without God’s defense, we would be sitting ducks for the enemy. Most of us couldn’t hold off an infant demon on our own.

If there is one thing I have learned from my study of the Word through Every Man A Warrior, it is that I am living in a spiritual realm that is only visible through spiritual eyes. I now see the enemy at work in places I would have never seen him five years ago. God’s Word has opened my eyes. Be aware of your enemy, beloved. But be more aware of God’s warring angels there to intervene at God’s beckon call.

Father, thank You that You prepare me and accompany me into battle. You are Jehovah Nissi.

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Abiding, Battles, Bible, Enemies, Fortress, Protection, Scripture

FORTRESSES DO NOT DEFEND YOU

ZECHARIAH 9:3

“For Tyre built herself a fortress, and piled up silver like dust, and gold like the mud of the streets.”

My house has windows and doors that lock. I have a motion light in the back that will come on if someone approaches my house at night. But all the locks in the world cannot protect me if someone really wanted to get in. You may have heard “locks only work on honest people.”

Tyre built an impressive fortress. Look at how it is described.
“The walls, 150 feet high and of breadth proportionate, compacted of large stones, embedded in gypsum, seemed to defy an enemy who could only approach her by sea. In order to make the wall twice as strong they built a second wall ten cubits broad, leaving a space between of five cubits, which they filled with stones and earth.” But even that could not keep away God’s judgment.

APPLICATION

What have you placed your trust in? Are you trusting those locks on your house to protect you? Are you trusting in guns and ammo? There is only one true source of protection. Psalm 61:3-4 says, “3 For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy. 4 Let me dwell in Your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.”

Isn’t that beautiful? You may never see the stones and gates of God that protect you and your loved ones, but they are there. Then why do I get attacked by the enemy all the time? That’s a very good question. Have you read Job lately? Why did God allow Job to be tested so much? God wants to refine us and make us pure. That requires some fire.

I don’t like the tests and trials that God allows, but I do like the results. Every time God has taken me through a trial, and I have trusted Him, I come out better. I come out hardened for battle. I come out further prepared to take on the challenges of my enemy. Who are you trusting? What are you trusting? I pray you are trusting the One who is trustworthy.

Thank You, Lord, for defending me. I rest in Your strength.

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Bible, Fortress, Hiding, Home, Safety, Scripture, Shelter

SEARCHING FOR REFUGE 

NAHUM 3:11 

“You too will become drunk, you will be hidden. You too will search for a refuge from the enemy.” 

We run, and we hide. We run, and we hide. But we can’t hide forever. The problems of life catch up to us. We can retreat to the deepest corners of our mind, but the thoughts still flood us like a tidal wave. There is no escape. Or is there? 

In the prophetic words of Nahum, “You too will search for a refuge from the enemy.” Those to whom Nahum prophesied knew far too well the reality of that statement. There was no refuge strong enough, no fortress with walls thick enough. Nothing on this earth could defend them. 

APPLICATION 

Awww, but there is where we are different. We have a shelter to run to. We have a strong tower to climb in. We are protected by the very One who spoke the world into creation. He has only to speak the word, and all our enemies would be vanquished. He is just waiting for us to come to Him. 

Even though there is a different Hebrew word used for “refuge” in Psalm 62:6-8, I still love to hear these words. “6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my refuge; I will not be shaken. 7 My salvation and my glory rest on God; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. 8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us.” 

Run to Him today. He is indeed your refuge from the enemy, your shelter from the storm. He will hide you in the cleft of the rock. He will put His mighty hand around you to shield you from the attacks of the evil one. He will guard your soul from the onslaught of those thoughts that you are not worthy of His love. You are! 

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock that shadows a dry, thirsty land; He hideth my life in the depths of His love, and covers me there with His hand. 

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Abiding, Battles, Bible, Defense, Enemies, Evil, Fortress, Protection, Rescue, Scripture

YOUR RAMPART

NAHUM 3:8

Are you better than No-Amon, which was situated by the canals of the Nile, with water surrounding her, whose rampart was the sea, whose wall consisted of the sea?

I remember as a child building forts with my neighborhood buddies. My best friend was Robert Brooks, and we would play incessantly in his backyard which had this great, big field (at least we thought it was big back then) that went back to the edge of a tract of woods. Oh, the fun we had battling our “enemies” in our forts. We thought we were invincible.

So did Nineveh! They thought they would exist forever. But the high and lofty will fall and so they did. Nahum is referring to the great nation of No-Amon, which was situated in Northern Egypt. This nation ruled the world for a period of time. Their “rampart was the sea.” Their fortress wall on the north was the sea, which they thought protected them. They too fell to an invading nation.

APPLICATION

What is your rampart? Or better yet, who is your rampart? As protected as we think we are, we are no match for the enemy on our own. We need strong walls. We need an army. That is found in the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Jesus promises us that at salvation. He will defend us. No force can touch us without His permission.

I don’t know about you, but I can rest in that. The very one who defeated death and the grave has my back. His power trumps any other power. I recently heard about some Jihadist who were planning an attack on a Christian village. Two days in a row, as they were traveling in their caravan of trucks, they had accidents which prevented them from the attack. God is showing His power today.

Praise to the Father of all armies. Praise to His power and might. Praise Him above all others. We know He is in control. Will you rest in Him today? He is your rampart!

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation! Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you!

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