None of us has a complete understanding of what God truly is. He is more than any human mind can comprehend. But the Bible helps us to understand God by comparing Him to things we are familiar with. For example, several passages of scripture liken God to a fortress.
The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.
Nahum 1:7
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.
Psalm 62:6
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.
Psalm 18:2
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.
Psalm 59:16
Peace and safety in times of trouble.
The Bible does not teach that trouble will never come our way. In fact, Jesus said the exact opposite. He said we will have trouble, but we can take heart, because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). The harsh reality is that the world is full of trouble, danger, sorrow, and pain. But we who trust in the Lord have an impenetrable shelter in which we can find peace and rest. Jesus said:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Mathew 11:28
Head inside.
A fortress can’t protect you if you stand outside it. The world wants to pull us out of our Fortress. It tempts us with sinful pleasures and beckons us to venture outside where we are vulnerable. When we do, the enemy is ready and waiting to ambush us.
Maybe you’ve wandered outside, and now the enemy has ahold of you. Remember, as a child of God, you are no longer a slave to sin, and by the power of the Holy Spirit you can escape the grip of the enemy and return to the Fortress at any time.
And if you want to remain in the Fortress, then make God your top priority. Read the Bible daily. Study it. Get to church on Sunday. Pray. Serve others. These things keep us within the mighty fortress that is our God.
