A Mighty Fortress

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1. A Mighty Fortress

After the Lord had delivered David from the power of all his enemies, he sang the following song about God:

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. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
Psalm 18:2-3 (ESV)

In this sense, in the Psalms, fortress is especially applied to God the Lord:

For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Psalm 31:3+4 (ESV)

These Psalms are the inspiration for the Reformation hymn 'A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.'

Today, we live in the midst of a threatening world with all its fears, and yet we can joyfully proclaim:

You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Psalm 32:7 (ESV)


2. Salvation in the New Covenant

Jesus is the only Savior from all distress and sins:

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (ESV)

We are dearly bought with the blood of Jesus.

You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.
1 Corinthians 7:23 (ESV)

• The believer is saved through Jesus Christ from the guilt and the punishment of sin
• The believer is continually saved from the habit and the dominion of sin
• The believer will be saved at the Lord's return from all bodily weaknesses that are the result of sin

As the anointed one, Christ was authorized to act against all laws of nature (according to Matthew 11:1-6):

• He made the blind see  
• The lame could walk  
• Lepers were cleansed  
• The deaf could hear  
• The dead rose.  
• Jesus spoke just two words and the roaring sea became calm

3. The name of the Lord is also called Christ, which is his title

The name in Hebrew is Messiah and means: the Anointed One or also the Authorized One. Isaiah says in his prophetic vision about Christ:

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;[1] he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
Isaiah 61:1 (ESV)

Where are we running?

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. Proverbs 18:10 (ESV)

A man said to the youth pastor and author Wilhelm Busch: 'I believe in a higher being; whether I call it Allah, God, Providence, or Fate is surely indifferent.' Wilhelm Busch replied: 'Perhaps you will soon face a crisis or great need: will you then flee to Providence? – will you call upon Fate? Or will you then grasp the higher being? – Then it becomes clear that you do not know God even by name. – You are a stranger to Him, and He is distant from you.'

Peter's Confession: After Jesus presents his disciples with the choice of whether they also want to leave, Peter says to him: Lord, where else would we go? You have the words of eternal life; we believe and know that you are the one in whom God meets us. According to John 6:66-69.

Jesus forgives our sins and heals us from our afflictions. He surrounds us with his loving care and we are in a special relationship with him.

God wants all people to be saved and to be brought into eternal fellowship and into God's presence.

Author: Egon Waechter
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