GOD OUR REFUGE AND FORTRESS

GOD OUR REFUGE & FORTRESS.

If you are outside when it is raining and you are getting soaked by the rain, you most likely would not wait out in the rain to get dry before seeking shelter, you would seek shelter in order to get dry.

Many times we do the opposite in our relationship with God, we want to “get right” with God before running to Him and seeking His help, that is almost impossible. Waiting to get right before seeking God is like staying in the rain to get dry, it can not work unless the rain stops falling and a scorching sun comes up immediately. It is only through seeking God that we can get right with Him. God should be our first point of contact, when the rain of life is pouring, we should seek refuge in God because He is our fortress.

David in Psalms 91:2 said ‘I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in whom I trust.”  It is an incredibly loaded verse. In the past I would read this verse as a single sentence, lumping everything together, but every punctuation was put there intentionally, David said three things of the Lord;

My refuge and my fortress

My God,  and

In him I will trust 

On the one hand, a refuge is a place that provides shelter or protection from danger or distress, a place of safety. Refuge can also be the act of taking shelter or protection in a place of safety. God is our refuge, our shelter, our protection. A fortress on the other hand is a large or strong building or a well protected place. This is exactly who God is to us, we can seek refuge in Him because He is our safety and our protection.

He is also “Our God” and “in Whom we trust.” When we trust in someone, we put our faith in that person, but people being people can fail us. But God is not a man, we can put our trust in him and he will never fail us. He is not a physical place that can be invaded nor is he a building that can collapse he is God, Our God. The kind of safety God gives us is not man made, it is not subject to the elements.

In the book of 2 Samuel 22:33-37 (New Living Translation), not only is God described as our fortress, but He also prepares and equips us for battle. It says at verse 33 that “God is my strong fortress, and he makes my way perfect.”

Then from verses 34-37:- 

“34 He makes me as surefooted as a deer,

enabling me to stand on mountain heights. 

35  He trains my hands for battle;

he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.  

36  You have given me your shield of victory;

Your help has made me great.  

37  You have made a wide path for my feet

to keep them from slipping.” 

When we seek refuge in God, our strong fortress, he gives us strength, he protects us and then orders our path. We cannot navigate life all on our own, we need God. God prepares us for battle by giving us:-

Feet like a deer

A female deer can place its hind feet exactly where it’s front feet stepped. Their hooves are strong and agile, they are steady and can climb heights most animals cannot. This kind of strength and agility is the type that God give us, the strong feet may not be for literal mountain climbing, it represents strength to face difficult times.

Strengthened  Arms 

He strengthens our arms to draw a bronze bow, bronze is a heavy metal and drawing a bow of bronze is not an easy feat, but when God strengthens or hands, we can do anything. The world we live in is very chaotic, but Our God gives us strength to do the things that seem impossible.

A Shield of Victory

This means before any battle we are already victorious, the battle has already been won, whatever it is God has already given us victory. You are a winner! His shield will protect us from all harm and all evil. We will always come out on top.

A Wide Path

And finally our path is wide and we will not slip or fall; come rain, sun or any other element, we can keep going because our path has been made wide by God. There is no need to fear not making it to our destination because God has already set the path for us, all we have to do is follow him and have him as our fortress.

Most importantly God is always here for us, He is forever our father with open arms and we are to seek refuge in him.

I want to end with Psalms 18:1-3 (New Living Translation) I hope it’s a prayer we can confess in times of weakness and fear.

1 I love you, LORD; you are my strength.

2 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.

3 I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.

IFEOLUWA JAIYESIMI ©

The Revolutionary Righter ©