This week as I was spending some time in prayer I continued reading in Psalm. I got to chapter 18 and the Lord began to show me something. What are you facing? What trial or mountain or attack is in front of you or surrounding you? For me, at that moment, it’s my future; plans, relationships, fears of the unknown, the mundane, and I’ll leave it at that without getting too detailed. What is it for you? Today I want you to picture some things with me, I want to share with you what the Lord showed me.
What does it mean when we say “God is my Fortress”?
Picture yourself surrounded by these things, whether you picture words because “future” doesn’t really have an image or whatever way you want, picture it. It’s a heavy weight. Do you feel burdened, overwhelmed, tired, exhausted, incapable of moving forward, worried about the future and how things will work out?
First, speak to your situation. Either literally speak this out loud or write it down, write it on a card and hang it around your house, speak it many times throughout the day. Whatever way you do it, get it in your spirit, believe the words you say. Read and speak Psalm 18: 1-3, it is such a wonderful reminder of who God is.
“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. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.” Psalm 18: 1-3
Remind yourself and your situation that the Lord is your Rock, Fortress, Deliverer, Refuge, Shield, Horn of Salvation, Stronghold, Worthy of praise, Savior.
So, you know this, you understand this, He is all you need. Then, you see your situation around you. You have two choices; you can continue in your struggle, continue “woe is me” and let negative thoughts and words build up OR you can cry out to the Lord.
“The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From His temple he heard my voice; my cry came before Him, into His ears.” Psalm 18: 4-6
It’s your decision to cry out to Him.
Now, this was the exciting part to me! When I read this I was so moved by the passionate, violent, warrior love that He has for me.
Picture again you surrounded by your situation. Then you choose to cry out to the Lord. Now read the passage below and imagine the Lord so moved in this way for you, because of you, by you… by your prayer, by your need, He gets up and comes to rescue you.
“The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry. Smoke rose from His nostrils; consuming fire came from His mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under His feet. He mounted the cherubim and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind. He made darkness His covering, His canopy around Him – the dark rain clouds of the sky. Out of the brightness of His presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning. The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. He shot His arrows and scattered the enemies great bolts of lightning and routed them. The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of breath from your nostrils. He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.” Psalm 18: 7-19
He rescues us. Imagine these things literally happening around you, imagine Him literally shooting arrows and scattering your enemies, imagine Him literally reaching down and picking you up, bringing you into a spacious place.
He is our fortress – a place of refuge and safety that the enemy can not penetrate. If the enemy can not penetrate then that means there is no opening, meaning we are surrounded.
I’m reminded of the song “Surrounded – Fight my Battles”.
It may look like we are surrounded by situations, by circumstance, by diagnosis, by fear, by so many things, but when we cry out to the Lord we are surrounded by Him.
If we cry out He will be faithful and surround us.
How will you fight your battles?
I will fight my battles by crying out to the Lord, surrounded by Him.
(I recommend reading Psalm 18 completely. Also, read Psalm 46.)
I’ve linked the song below. Take some time in worship and read the chapters mentioned above, choose to let the Lord fight for you, give it to Him and don’t pick it back up.
I have always read the word “fortress” without thinking much about it. This has taken this psalm and gave it a whole new meaning for me. Thank you!
Praise the Lord! I love when He opens up scripture in new light for us!