This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your Word has revived me. Psalm 119:50.
The LORD utters His voice before His army; surely His camp is very great, for strong is he who carries out His word. Joel 2:11.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
If an enemy is coming against a city or nation, and the city or nation becomes aware of it, what do they do? Fortify themselves to withstand and take down the attack. Building projects are begun to build higher walls, stronger gates and locks, deeper wells for water supply, and store up supplies. And they build up their arsenal.
Fortify means to “make strong,” to impart strength. And that is today’s Life Lesson, for you know the devil will attack, that is a given, it is just being ready for when he moves against you. He will try to get you when you are weak, so what must you do before he attacks? Fortify yourself. That means you must keep up a strong fortress and a full arsenal at all times. I do not want you to be unaware and caught off guard when being fortified is not difficult but it takes constant upkeep so that your walls cannot be breeched.
“Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.” Daniel 6:10.
“I hate and despise falsehood; I love Your law. Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous ordinances. Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble.” Psalm 119:163-165.
The devil found that he could not get through to Job because I had made a hedge about him and his house and all that he had on every side. Job 1:10. But the devil managed to get through that hedge of protection that surrounded Job like a bulwark. How? Job himself tells you how it happened, “For the fear that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet, and I am not at rest, but turmoil comes.” Job 3:25-26. Job was not aware from where that spirit of fear came and he opened to it and then blamed Me for what he had unleashed in his life. Never allow the spirit of fear any place in your life or you will let down your fortifications and invite the enemy in. When David faced Goliath and Goliath began to taunt and revile him, David could have feared that tremendous fierce man but he refused to fear and he refused to accept his words, instead he answered every evil word boldly, and, against all odds, he won quite easily before Goliath even had time to attack other than his words and intimidating appearance. But David had been fortifying himself in Me and My Word by worship and praise for many years when he faced Goliath and he was ready to take him down. David was very aware of My covenant with him and all of Israel. David knew Me and he knew My power. He also knew I was on his side.
And you will need to know that too to be fortified and ready to take every thought, word, and imagination captive to the obedience of Christ.
You must work on your fortifications before the attack and refuse to open any place for the devil to enter. Now I will show you how. I tell you over and over again in My Word but it is good to start with Jesus, who quoted Me, “man does not live on bread alone but every Word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3. And I tell you by My Holy Spirit, “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, so that by it you may grow.” 1 Peter 2:1-2. My Word of POWER upholds everything. Hebrews 1:3. There is upholding, fortifying power in My Word.
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your Word. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.” Psalm 119:9-11.
So first and foremost you must fortify yourself with My Word. You must know what I have freely given you in Christ or you will not be prepared to answer the doubts, symptoms, sickness, pains, grief, depression, lusts, influences, offense, fear, anger and a host of other evils with which the devil comes against you. You have to know what is NOT yours and refuse to take it into your thoughts and body. If you keep the unclean spirit of pain you are a thief because it is NOT yours. Jesus took and bore all your pains and lifted them off you. They are not yours and you need to tell them that and refuse to keep them. Do not be sluggish, this is a matter of life and death and it is in the power (hand) of your tongue. So, like John’s vision of Jesus, you want to keep that Sword of the Spirit, which is My Word, in your mouth and on your tongue at all times.
This is the way Nehemiah had the men of Israel rebuild the fallen walls of Jerusalem, the devil had removed these but Nehemiah was determined to put My Word to work and first get all the funds given him to rebuild the walls and then for the tremendous building project to build back up the fortification. He had the men who were building keep a sword in one hand and building tools in the other. And they kept their clothes on even at night when they slept so that they were ready for action the minute the watchmen sounded the trumpet. Take up My full armor and stand strong in Me and the power of My might and never take it off. And My armor is just being armed with My Word.
But you can only do this if you are doing what I told Joshua to do to fortify himself for the battles he was about to face in taking the land of promise. “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7-9. And Joshua found this worked, not one of My good promises failed him. And you should be able to say the same about My promises of healing, provision, protection, direction, redemption, righteousness, wisdom, and salvation. But if you do not know My Names and My promises you will not have much to answer the devil with when he comes to take you captive because you do not rebuke him with the truth, My Word is truth. But if you do not know the truth you are subject to deception, and if your light is darkness, how deep the darkness will be. It is your job to know and meditate on My Word. For if you continue in (remain, abide, live your life in) My Word, you will truly be My disciple and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. Joshua found out that you have to feed to fight. Numbers 14:9. In Hebrew the noun Lechem means “bread” and when you change it into a verb Lacham, it means “to fight.” You have to feed on My Word to fight the good fight of faith and take the enemy down every time.
In Psalm 34 I show you more of how to fortify your life to have a good result you desire, “Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Who is the man who desires life and loves length of days that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34:11-14.
Here you see steps of fortification: first, you must listen to Me and be willing to be taught in how to please and honor Me with your life for this will give you the best life, the abundant life. Then you must have a desire and a hope for a future of good days, which means a life of health, prosperity and peace that will go on into eternity (length of days), but there must be action to it, diligence in pursuit of wisdom and a life of shalom, by watching your thoughts, your words, and your actions. You must be serious about saying what I say in order to keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. You must fill your hearts with My Word as with a treasure so that you may not sin against Me by being ensnared by lies and false doctrines. Psalm 119:11; Ephesians 4:14-16. Your mouth, as well as Mine, speak from the abundance that is in your heart. If you are filled with the goodness of My house, you will speak good words that edify, encourage and exhort yourself and others.
“The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” Luke 6:45.
In order to fortify yourself to live a long satisfying life filled with good days you must fill your heart with the goodness of My Word. “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the goodness of the Lord.” 1 Peter 2:1-3. “Taste and see the goodness of the LORD, happy the man who takes refuge in Him.” Psalm 34:8. For My Name is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are safe, lifted inaccessibly high. Proverbs 18:10. If you are in Me and abiding in My Word you will stay in an inaccessible fortress, there is no snatching out of My Hand and when you are deep in Me the evil one cannot touch you. 1 John 5:18. You are fortified in Me, say to Me, “My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:3. And this puts you in My secret place, which is a fortress, a bulwark, and a shield where the evil one cannot touch you. Fortified.
And I also tell you that when you speak in tongues you are edifying and building yourself up. This will fortify you in your spirit and when you have a strong spirit you can come out victorious from any trial. “The strong spirit of a man sustains him in bodily pain or trouble, but a weak and broken spirit who can raise up or bear?” Proverbs 18:14.
“For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.” 1 Corinthians 14:2. “One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church.” 1 Corinthians 14:4. When you speak in tongues you build yourself up, you fortify yourself. “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” Jude 1:20-21. My Spirit reveals mysteries to you and intercedes for you and prays with you when you pray in tongues. And there I will reveal things to you that the devil cannot understand or penetrate. Tongues opens the door to the other gifts of the Spirit in your life and unleashes the supernatural. It is the first sign that comes when you are baptized in the Holy Spirit and He comes on you like the mantle of the anointing. And the anointing lifts the burden and destroys the yoke. It fortifies you.
And finally you fortify yourself in worship. By singing psalms, hymns, and songs of the Spirit- that is, singing in tongues. Pray and sing in your spirit and in your understanding, in both tongues and your native language combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words as they manifest in your life and fortify you for the journey, the good deeds I have prepared for you in Christ Jesus in advance.
Fortify your walls, strengthen the bars of your gates, eat the finest wheat (the bread of life) (My Words are spirit and life) and keep yourself in My love. Abide in My Word, abide in My love. Fan the gift into flame. To be strong any relationship needs constant maintenance, connection, and attention.
And there are times when things look like they have all gone out of control and all is lost that you need to step aside and fortify yourself in Me. Do you remember David at Ziklag? It looked like everything he held dear was lost and carried away by the enemy. Even all his friends blamed him, he could have gone down but he did not. What did he do? “Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” 1 Samuel 30:6. He strengthened himself in My Word, in My past works in his life, and My present greatness in his life and he got up off the ground and worshipped Me and then consulted Me on what to do to recover all the enemy had stolen. And he did plus far more.
I love you. Be ready when the day of trouble comes and you will take it down quickly for your Sword will be ready and you will be fully equipped with no breach in your walls. Be prepared for the attack of the enemy, and more than one. Play so as to win. Know his moves and know how to check them.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:10-13.