GOD IS OUR FORTRESS

Psalm 59:16-17 (TNIV) “But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.”

REFUGE (def): Protection or shelter, as from danger or hardship; any place, person, action, or thing that offers or appears to offer protection or help; a source of relief or comfort in times of trouble.

FORTRESS (def): A fortified place; a place or source of refuge or support; a structure used to defend against attack.

RELY (def): To be dependent for support, help, or supply; to place or have faith or confidence.

David was buffeted on all sides by his enemies. Enemies of David were enemies of God as well. David was “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22) . David, in spite of his errors in judgment and sins against his God, was considered a man whom God loved. When David was pressed on every side by his enemies he didn’t fret or lament at his plight, but rather praised his God and told Him what he knew in his heart God was to him; a refuge and fortress, someone who could be relied upon at all times.

What do we do when we are surrounded with evil or temptation or troubles of some sort? We have the tendency to whine and moan. Some of us get it right. Unfortunately, to this day, I still wonder why I find myself in such a dilemma before I call out to God. I have my mini-pity party and then in short time shake it off. I always come back to the basic fact that God is there for me … always. I understand that the situations I find myself in are by my own hand and allowed by God to strengthen me and teach me lessons so I grow spiritually and as a result become more useful for His purposes going forward.

What are we to do as believers when times are difficult? We are to go into the refuge that IS God and learn how to combat our foe. We learn from Ephesians about the weapons that are at our disposal. We grow to understand how truly awesome our God is. We learn to trust and rely on Him for all things in our life. There is nothing that He is unaware of and nothing He has not either caused or allowed for His own purposes. We are not to question, though questioning is normal and certainly not a sin. Eventually, through our lives, if we have a teachable spirit and learn our lessons well, we will be molded into the child of God He knows we CAN be. Then and only then will we be the most use to Him for the Kingdom.

I believe I will conclude with a chorus that you may know: “Our God is an awesome God, He reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power and love; our God is an awesome God.” *

WALK WITH THE KING TODAY AND BE A BLESSING!!

* Chorus comes from the song “Awesome God” by Rich Mullin’s album Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth; Reunion Records; 1988.