We continue in our theme Dare to be Different and our focus this month is Different Fortification.
The dictionary defines fortification as a defensive wall or other reinforcement built to strengthen a place against attack.
For us, as Christians, our fortification is not found in anything we could construct ourselves,
our fortification is a spiritual fortification in God.
Our Spiritual Fortification is certain and secure in God because it is based upon our total dependence in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.
God is our only source of strength, security and salvation in this broken and sin-sick world.
I am going to make an assumption and perhaps you can show me how accurate my assumption is by raising your hand if at some time in your life you have experienced some kind of problem or difficulty.
Can you please keep your hand raised if your problem or difficulty was bigger than God could deal with.
Ok, have a look around, are any hands still raised?
In every circumstance, in every situation, God was sufficient.
God is bigger and stronger than any problem all of us have ever faced.
That tells me something, actually, it should tell all of us something...
Whatever lies ahead in each of our lives, whatever difficulty is lurking around the corner, God is able to work in and through the circumstance.
God is our refuge, God is our deliverer, God is our everything and we can trust Him because He still cares about you and me.
Life may not be easy, but God is with us.
We may experience difficult situations and circumstances, but God is with us.
Big problems or small problems, the Bible teaches us that even in the midst of turmoil and trouble,
God is good, God is faithful and we can always trust His love, grace, mercy and strength.
The not so secret, secret is: when trouble comes we need to focus on God and trust Him and praise Him for providing our spiritual fortification.
King David wrote in Psalm 27:1, The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? (Psalm 27:1)
Perhaps it is easier for us to read this verse than it is to live it out in our daily lives. Instead of trusting in His protection, we get anxious. Instead of relying on God to be our fortress, we experience fear, we worry about what we can do in our own wisdom or strength, instead of trusting in our Lord.
Remember, God’s timing is not our timing.
If we are honest, although God’s timing is always perfect we really don’t want to wait, do we?
Sometimes we need to wait.
Sometimes we need to pause.
Sometimes we need to spend time trusting God before He moves in our situation and circumstance.
God is our fortress, and we can trust God in every situation and circumstance.
We need to seek God in every situation and focus on His faithfulness and goodness in all things.
King David had confidence in God, in the midst of terrible circumstances his focus was always on God.
God is his light, his salvation, and his fortress.
David turns to God and lives his life secure in God’s presence.
David listens to God’s voice.
David has confidence in God and he sings with joy.
In the midst of his troubles he knows God will never forsake him, he knows God will always guide him.
David knows that even when he has to wait patiently for God to answer his prayer, he can be confident he will see the Lord’s goodness.
Do you trust God, in the same way, this morning?
Do you have the same confidence in God that King David had?
Do you trust His faithfulness to you?
Is your focus on God as your fortress, your refuge, your strength?
All of us need to focus on God, to keep our eyes fixed on Him. Do you remember when Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus? While Peter’s focus was on Jesus, he was able to walk upon the waves.
The moment Peter moved his focus from Jesus to the water Peter began to sink.
Instead of being Spiritually fortified by focussing on Jesus, Peter turned his face from Jesus and allowed the situation to take control.
Yet, the moment when Peter called out to Jesus, Jesus immediately reached out to save Peter.
Just as when we call out to Jesus, He reaches out to help us, to save us, to strengthen and deliver us.
Isaiah said of God in Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” and Philippians 4:6-7 says, Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
At some stage of our lives, all of us will need to make a choice to either focus on the problem or to focus on God - our fortress, our place of safety, our deliverer.
When King David focused on God - he saw no reason to be afraid.
When we focus on God, when we think about what God has already done in our own lives, we know that God is our faithful fortress.
God has been with us in the good times and in dark times He has brought light into our darkness.
Jesus is the light in the darkness of this world and He is the only one who can lead safely through the darkness.
Like King David we know that the Lord is our salvation God is our rescuer, God is our deliverer.
We know God is the one who saves, God is the one who sets free. Salvation is of the Lord.
We know our God is the Almighty God,
He is the great I AM, the Alpha and the Omega,
the First and the Last, our Rescuer, our Deliverer, our Saviour.
David fully trusts the Lord for his salvation and we should fully trust God too.
With The One who calms the storm with a word on our side, there is no reason for us to tremble.
God is with us so we do not need to be afraid of the storm, the circumstance or the situation.
We can have peace in the midst of the storm because we are safe, we are secure, we are fortified, God is with us.
Do you feel anxious about anything this morning?
Are you afraid of the storm you are in or the storm that might come?
The truth is God is with you, even when you can’t see Him, even when it is difficult to sense His presence, be assured GOD IS WITH YOU! He is your light, He is your salvation, He is your rock, He is your fortress, do not be afraid GOD IS WITH YOU!
God is all-sufficient, you can trust Him. Have faith and confidence in God, in every part of your life. Experience and live in the presence of God, stay close to God all the days of your life.
Friends, when our life is continually focused on God,
we experience an intimate relationship with Him,
confident in His ability,
confident in His mercy,
confident in His grace,
confident in his love,
confident in every situation,
confident in every circumstance,
confident in the storm,
confident in the time of blessing.
We are Spiritually Fortified when God is at the centre of our lives every day,
not just in a service on a Sunday,
not just in the prayer meeting,
not just when troubles come.
Keep God at the centre of your life, don’t push Him off into a dusty unvisited corner of your life!
Draw close to Him and experience God’s perfect presence, His faithfulness, His power, His love.
Listen to His voice, listen to His counsel, seek His will, seek His Purpose, seek His direction for your life.
Listen to David again from Psalm 27:7-12
Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
Be merciful and answer me!
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”
Do not turn your back on me.
Do not reject your servant in anger.
You have always been my helper.
Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me,
O God of my salvation!
Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the Lord will hold me close.
Teach me how to live, O Lord.
Lead me along the right path,
for my enemies are waiting for me.
Do not let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me of things I’ve never done;
with every breath, they threaten me with violence.
David sought God during the time of trouble. David knew he needed God. David knew he could not handle everything on his own David turns his face to God in prayer and asks God to act.
David seeks God’s guidance, protection, fortification. We must always do the same!
We need to stop trying to handle things on our own. We need to trust Him who is able to calm the storm.
We need to be confident that we can come to God with our problems, with our fears, with our doubts, we are His children, He will never turn us away, He will keep us safe and secure in Him.
God’s commitment to you is greater than your commitment to Him.
Remember the words of Jesus in John 14:21, Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
David asked God to teach him how to live are you willing to do the same?
The truth is, to live the way God wants you to live may impact how you live your life. If you desire a deeper relationship with God, you may need to move away from some of the things that are blocking a deeper relationship with Him.
The books you read, the movies you watch, the music you listen to, the TV programs you watch, maybe even some of the words you use in everyday conversation will need to change.
David asked God to lead him along the right path, would you do the same?
Living in His presence and following His path, may alter your thoughts, may change your activities, may affect your relationship with certain people.
Your life, your words and your actions must honour God if you are truly walking on his path in His footsteps.
As I draw to a close, Psalm 27:13,14, Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
David was fortified by his focus on God, David was confident he would see the goodness of God.
Just like you and me, David had problems, circumstances, and situations in his life. Yet David had peace because he dared to be different and he kept his focus on God.
Remember: God is your Light, God is your Salvation, God is your Fortress.
Make God your top priority, seek Him with all your heart. Turn your thoughts to God, turn to Him and pray, He will never turn away from you.
The final thought is from Philippians 4:6-7, Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Dare to be different, dare to be fortified in your faith because God has promised when you wait for Him you will see and experience His goodness, His mercy, His love, and His grace.
May God bless you.
