In the not-so-distant past, some friends treated my wife and I to a concert by Steve Green. One of the most moving moments of the evening was when Steve sang the hymn, A Mighty Fortress, much as he does in the practically-ancient video clip posted below. No instruments, no auto-tune, just a man with a voice and a passion for God.
Not being accustomed to the word "bulwark," I thought it might be a good idea to prosify the lyric of Martin Luther...though for the full emotional impact, I invite you to experience the video.
Our God is like a strong fortress, a protective wall that will never fail. In the midst of earthly woes that threaten to overwhelm us, He is our overcoming helper.
And we certainly need God's help, because our oldest enemy, Satan himself, is working hard to grieve us much. He is strong and tricky and expertly handles the weapons of hate. There's no one on the planet like him.
If we tried to fight Satan on our own, just trusting in our own strength, we'd be without hope. We absolutely require the help of the Righteous Adam: God's chosen champion. In other words...Jesus Christ. He is the one we rely on: the Lord of Angelic Armies, who never changes and never loses.
And even though this evil-filled world threatens to totally do us in, we won't be afraid, because it is God's unshakable will for His true power and love to have its way, both through us and in us.
The Prince of Darkness may seem awful and grim, but he doesn't scare us. We can live through his present anger and rage because we know what his future is...doom. One simple word from God will destroy him.
And God's word lasts forever, no matter how the powers and principalities of earth may try to abolish it. God is on our side and He gives us both spiritual gifts and the gift of His Holy Spirit.
Possessions don't matter. Ultimately, our physical families are not what's important. Even our own lives shrink in significance to the abiding truth of God. His kingdom is forever.
Truth is...The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the [consistently] righteous man [upright and in right standing with God] runs into it and is safe, high [above evil] and strong. Proverbs 18:10 (Amplified)
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