“I AM your fortress.

“I want you to think on this word – fortress. Consider it in military terms, for that is its origin. Fortresses were built for complete protection of an army against an enemy. They were built to be strong, with high walls. They were built with places of lookout for soldiers to see into the distance what may be coming. They were built with heavy doors to be closed and fastened shut. The desire of an enemy was to ‘take the fortress.’ If the fortress was taken – broken into – the army within could be taken. But as long as the fortress held, the soldiers within were safe. The fortress remained constant, unmoving. If a soldier left the fortress to go out into the field, the fortress behind him was of no use to his safety in the moment.

“I AM your FORTRESS. Do you allow Me to be such in your life? Do you stay within My bounds as I have designed for you? Or do you venture outside, where you are easy prey for your enemy? This is why I tell you again and again to only go where I command you to go. When you go as I command, I AM your living, continuous fortress. But if you step outside of My Will for you, you indeed are easy prey for an attack.

“And so I ask you to reflect on this: in what parts of your life, even your daily living, do you step outside of My Fortress for you? Are all of your words aligned with Me? Are all of your actions aligned with Me? Your thoughts? Most of all, allow Me, the Lord your God, to be the Fortress around your thoughts. For all words and deeds begin with a thought. Expunge thoughts not of Me immediately – by this I AM able to act as a fortress around your mind. Consider not only sinful thoughts of wrong actions. Consider also sinful thoughts of disbelief in Me. Thoughts of hopelessness, helplessness, weariness. Thoughts of ‘I can’t.’ I AM the God of I CAN. There is no ‘I can’t’ as you abide in My Will for you. For I never call you without fully equipping you. If you ever feel you are in a ‘holding pattern’ in waiting for a ministry or calling I have promised for you – do not fret or be impatient. For I AM preparing you for that calling – and when you are fully ready and equipped, I call you out.

“I AM YOUR FORTRESS. Meditate on this great promise from the Lord your God. Do not become so familiar with the reading of this word that you no longer take to heart the gravity and fullness of this promise. Amen.”
—–
Notes:

II Samuel 22:1-4: And David spoke the words of this song to the Lord in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge;
My savior, You save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.”

Psalm 91:1-4: Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Nahum 1:7: The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him.

II Corinthians 10:3-5: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ…

Hebrews 13:20-21: Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 

Philippians 4:13:  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

II Timothy 3:16-17: All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 

Philippians 1:6: Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

James 1:2-4: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Psalm 32:8: I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.