Stronghold
The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7, NKJV
Visit Corregidor on Bataan in the Philippines, and there you will find a deep tunnel. Originally built to store arms and munitions, Malinta Tunnel was also a stronghold, a safe-haven where the bombs and shrapnel of the enemy couldn’t penetrate. It served as a hospital, a haven for wounded soldiers as well as headquarters for General Douglas McArthur and the American and Filipino troops.
Go to Saipan, and there deep in the rocks, you will also find strongholds, cut from the rock where there was relative safety. Again should you go to Europe, you’ll find the same thing—strongholds in mines, caves, tunnels, and the rocks.
Strongholds are not modern inventions. One of the most elaborate was Masada, built by Herod on a rocky prominence overlooking the Dead Sea. Taken by Zealots during the Jewish Revolt, it became virtually impregnable… at least for three years until the Romans built siege ramps.
An interesting observation: the strongholds of history eventually were overrun and destroyed, and now you visit them with a guide and read the plaques telling how they were eventually destroyed by the enemy.
The fact is, nonetheless, that strongholds are important. They give you immediate security and protection. They allow you to sleep at night without fear of what may happen to you or your children.
During the seven years he hid as a fugitive from Saul, David, the man whom God had chosen to be king, hid in strongholds in the Negev which was a burning, desolate waste which offered little protection from the sun, from thirst and drought, and even more important, from his enemies. During those years of desperation, David learned that safety is not the absence of danger but the presence of the Lord.
Repeatedly he referred to the Lord as His stronghold, his tower, his fortress. InPsalm 18 he wrote, “I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge” (Psalm 18:1-2). He talks of death all about him and the distress which vexed his soul and then records: “In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help.” In a rather lengthy discourse, David told how he endured and God gave him ultimate victory.
Nahum, writing when Nineveh, one of the great cities of the ancient world, was crumbling, wrote, “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7, NKJV).
You will never know or understand that God is a refuge until you run to Him, until you throw yourself upon His mercy, until you beat on the door and say, “Take me in. I need your protection and help!”
Far too many stand outside the door, debating the strength of the walls, wondering if they are good enough, or even thinking, “I can handle this on my own.” If someone was chasing you with a weapon, and they were getting closer and closer, would you stand outside the walls of a rock-solid fortress guarded by soldiers armed to the teeth and wonder if the fortress was strong enough to survive?
“Yes,” you may be thinking, “that worked for David but I’m not so sure it works for me!” How do you know until you try it? Never have I heard someone honestly say, “I threw myself upon the Lord and He pushed me away, told me, ‘I was not good enough,’ or closed the door of help in my face.” I rather doubt that you will be the first one. Need a refuge? God’s still in business.
A closing thought. Most strongholds have massive, towering doors. The refuge God provides is entered by kneeling. That’s the difference.
Resource reading: Nahum 1.
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PERSONAL REFLECTION: Main reference (Ephesians 6:10-20)
I may not be literally in the middle of a battlefield now but I am facing life issues that may swallow me whole and grieve God if I'll let them get into me. To be consistent in my christian walk, it requires a daily renewal of my commitment to stay on the right track with full dependence on God to provide what it takes to fight victoriously on His side.
In the epistle of Ephesians chapter 6 entitled the The Whole Armor of God , there it emphasizes that every believer is exposed to spiritual warfare.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[c]against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
When we are in the battle, we can take refuge under the command of a strong leader. It is wise to choose God as our King and Commander-in-chief. It is foolishness and utterly wrong to fight against Him.
Now, what confidence do we have that we shall overcome victoriously? The fact that God is on our side is an absolute claim of success. On the cross, He said, it is finished! he worst it the enemy could do is kill our body which we must not fear because the more important that is living is the soul which shall go onward for eternity What i really like about being in God's army is that we could find rest for our souls simply because He already won the battle for us when His blood was shed for our redemption. His death spared us from the worst thing that may happen to us, ETERNAL DAMNATION IN HELL.
Why do we strive not to give into sin? When we are truly grateful with what He had done on the cross and we understand His love for us then we are compelled to love Him back and do the things that make Him happy. Understanding by heart what He did on the cross will not only bring tears to our eyes but eternal gratitude and awe will dwell in our hearts.
There is nothing more beautiful on earth than the Father's love and I am glad nothing is strong enough to take us away from it. We may make poor choices in life that pulls us away from Him but said distance does not bar His love from reaching us. No matter how far we go astray, His love would keep calling us back to His side.
Next question, How do we prepare ourselves in this spiritual battle?
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Matthew 12:30
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.Why do we strive not to give into sin? When we are truly grateful with what He had done on the cross and we understand His love for us then we are compelled to love Him back and do the things that make Him happy. Understanding by heart what He did on the cross will not only bring tears to our eyes but eternal gratitude and awe will dwell in our hearts.
Romans 8:31-39
God’s Everlasting Love
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen,who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Next question, How do we prepare ourselves in this spiritual battle?
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
1. belt of truth
The belt holds things together from falling therefore if we do not want to fall into sin or to feel broken then we should always keep the truth with us. The truth is in Christ and in fact the truth is a person which is Christ. So long as it does not contradict the bible and God then we have the truth.
2. breastplate of righteousness
Often we are distracted by guilt as if God cannot forgive us. It is the number one lie from the enemy. If we observe righteousness and we are quick to repentance then we shield our heart from unnecessary guilt. As the accuser shoot arrows of lies, it shall not penetrate our hearts as we wear that breastplate.
3. gospel of peace as shoesThe gospel is God's call to His people to reconciliation. Accepting Him as one's personal savior, Christ becomes the Prince of peace of that believer.
4. shield of faith If we are true to our faith and do not live like hypocrites then we have the Lord's protection from unwarranted accusation. One must be able to distinguish a trial from discipline. Trial makes us stronger and is allowed by God while God's discipline is His loving way of correcting us when we are sinning. Indeed God forgives but i does not readily erases the consequence of our sin. If we overspend then we have to pay our debts though our creditor will waive his right to press charges on account of said delinquency.
5. helmet of salvationWhat we feed our minds affect our disposition, our person. We protect our head from the persuasion of wordly principles by upholding our salvation. We are not only saved from eternal damnation but also from the attacks of the enemy. We recognize the truth when we are in Jesus and we ought to obey it if we have the best in life.
6. sword of the Spirit (word of God)We cannot just go out in war without an offensive weapon. When we are confronted with sharp principles that may kill our virtues then we must fight back with the truth. When Jesus was tempted thrice and He overcame the same by quoting the word of God (IS IT NOT WRITTEN______________?)
The sword could cut a bad habit or vice or distaSteful relationship. By reading the Bible we are exposed to the distinctions of right and wrong and with such we are equipped with wisdom to make the right choices in life.
The belt holds things together from falling therefore if we do not want to fall into sin or to feel broken then we should always keep the truth with us. The truth is in Christ and in fact the truth is a person which is Christ. So long as it does not contradict the bible and God then we have the truth.
2. breastplate of righteousness
Often we are distracted by guilt as if God cannot forgive us. It is the number one lie from the enemy. If we observe righteousness and we are quick to repentance then we shield our heart from unnecessary guilt. As the accuser shoot arrows of lies, it shall not penetrate our hearts as we wear that breastplate.
3. gospel of peace as shoesThe gospel is God's call to His people to reconciliation. Accepting Him as one's personal savior, Christ becomes the Prince of peace of that believer.
4. shield of faith If we are true to our faith and do not live like hypocrites then we have the Lord's protection from unwarranted accusation. One must be able to distinguish a trial from discipline. Trial makes us stronger and is allowed by God while God's discipline is His loving way of correcting us when we are sinning. Indeed God forgives but i does not readily erases the consequence of our sin. If we overspend then we have to pay our debts though our creditor will waive his right to press charges on account of said delinquency.
5. helmet of salvationWhat we feed our minds affect our disposition, our person. We protect our head from the persuasion of wordly principles by upholding our salvation. We are not only saved from eternal damnation but also from the attacks of the enemy. We recognize the truth when we are in Jesus and we ought to obey it if we have the best in life.
6. sword of the Spirit (word of God)We cannot just go out in war without an offensive weapon. When we are confronted with sharp principles that may kill our virtues then we must fight back with the truth. When Jesus was tempted thrice and He overcame the same by quoting the word of God (IS IT NOT WRITTEN______________?)
The sword could cut a bad habit or vice or distaSteful relationship. By reading the Bible we are exposed to the distinctions of right and wrong and with such we are equipped with wisdom to make the right choices in life.
And as God's soldier, we stand to PRAY always and we PERSEVERE till our last breath to do our duty as His follower and on guard of the enemy's attack.
THE BOTTOMLINE
Let us live this life thru the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. We do not have make our own battle plan. All we have to do is abide in His word, abide in Him and let Him abide in us.
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Hebrews 12:2
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Read your bible and pray everyday.
P.S.
When confusion strikes you (as the enemy bombards you with lies), choose that which honors God and does not offend Him. One way to know that you have the truth is when you have peace of mind :-)
Please be brave to follow the truth.
Read your bible and pray everyday.
P.S.
When confusion strikes you (as the enemy bombards you with lies), choose that which honors God and does not offend Him. One way to know that you have the truth is when you have peace of mind :-)
Please be brave to follow the truth.
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