I will guard the fortress, watch the road, brace myself, and enforce all my strength

From: August 29-Sept. 4, 2006 Study: # 459

TOPIC: “I will guard the fortress, watch the road, brace myself, and enforce all my strength” Nahum 2:1 In those days Messages from God were sent to Nineveh trying to deliver the inhabitants of this city. An advice because they were going to be attacked by an army, destruction was eminent. When destruction is about to come we must follow the good advice of the Word of God so that our souls will be delivered. Sometimes we live counting on the opportunities that tomorrow the sun will shine again. Advice was given to the city of Nineveh to guard their fortress, watch their path, and enforce their power. They were told to prepare, to have strength, courage and for a great purpose. They should inspect their troops and call for alliances that could help them against their enemies. Because Nineveh’s time was ending! When the destructor wants to come against the body of Christ, the church, what is left for us to do is to keep our eyes open and take care of ourselves. An excess of confidence will only put us to sleep, to be lazy, slow, we forget to be vigilant, but when the day gets tough then we cry out. It is comfortable to live our lives distracted. This should not be. The more distracted we become the less we will triumph. All believers should know that the enemy will come to attack our lives. There is much to battle for, to fight. 1 Peter 5:8 Life is not just any simple thing, we must cherish it. Bad days will come for those who are distracted and negligent. If we want to be prepared in all the areas of our lives we must be vigilant, open our eyes because the day will declare everything; we must not play church. The military have watchmen 24 hours. A soldier who dares to fall asleep will go through the risk for the enemy to come in and take control, and then many innocent will suffer. The enemy never sleeps and brings much harm to our lives. A watchmen who is not vigilant will be caught sleeping and will be punished because he allowed the enemy to destroy. A watchman understands that he is guarding a fortress, braces himself and fortifies his power mightily. War traumatizes people. People do not like wars. A soldier must have guts, strength, determination, a desire and passion. But, for many life is just a game, we must be careful because time goes by, and it fly’s away and there is no retrieve. It will never come back. 1 Kings 2:2 David was about to die and advised his son who was to reign after him. He told him to be strong and to prove himself a man. It is easier and comfortable to be a coward. Solomon always lived for his desires and pleasures, to accumulate his fortunes. He didn’t understand what his father wanted to teach him. It is in us to decide if we want to turn into men and stop misbehaving as a child. The man and woman who are righteous will take care and protect. When we converted to Christ it is for us to strengthen ourselves. Something that should be in all our being, before the enemy comes to destroy, is to guard our fortress, brace ourselves, become brave and seek for more power than we have today. Tears will pass, but our braveness will not. 2 Chronicles 15:7 “Be strong and do not let your hands be weak.” All who faint away will leave this path. Our work shall be rewarded, we must not weaken. God seeks for willing hands to fill them. There was a man named Nehemiah, which had a sad heart, torn to pieces, but he rebuilt the city of Israel. The Word says that the doors of hell will not prevail against the church; there is much

for us to strive. Sometimes we moan so much, but the Bible says, let the impious moan in their impiousness, we, the righteous, rejoice in the God whom has called us. Those who find conformity in crumbs it’s because they are used to giving crumbs. God will become the God of all who have courage. Isaiah 35:3, 4 Those who are courageous Jehovah will come on their behalf because He will make himself present for the righteous. We must strengthen our hands and our knees. If our hearts get opaque we will not be able to listen. God will give a good reward to those who struggle. God will come on behalf of those who are righteous. In times of struggle God will reward us and it will not be. If the righteous wake up God will do what we will never be able to do by our own strength. The God whom we serve, the God almighty will do, this is what is perfect. The impious cannot see because they have a veil over their eyes. When we are believers we must see life as it has to be seen, the reality, we must not lower our guard nor consider what is evil. We cannot fight without God for He is who supplies the weapons. Haggai 2:4 God is with those who work hard, vigorously because in the effort is where the victory is. There is a need to work and make the effort. Let us work and be useful, courageous. Nothing that is placed in the hands of those who are lazy will prosper. Nahum was a high priest, Zerubbabel was the governor of Judah, and the word that God sent him was to be courageous. Sometimes we the believers live in the air. The least we should do as believers is live in fantasies, but encourage ourselves and working hard. Those who always encourage their selves and work hard produce and will see the fruit and will never be empty handed. A weaken spirit is very dangerous. For all those who have a cheerful spirit God will open the doors for them. When we moan it’s because there is idleness. When we are in God many trials will come. We must work, Guard the fortress, watch the road, brace ourselves and fortify our power mightily, because the Lord is with us. 1 Corinthians 16:13 We must behave in a manly way, executing God’s orders. We must do what is expected of us, we must live what we’re expected to live, watch the road, guard the fortress, watch what is coming. We must be firm in our faith, and believe that God will do. Each one in what corresponds to each. Ephesians 6:10 “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.” We belong to the army, and it means we are at war. The child of God, the real believer will learn immediately that the Christian life is a battle. The armies of Satan are dedicated to put obstacles, destroy Christ’s work and also try to put Christians out of combat. Satan wants to destroy us and get us out of the battle. He who called us will take care of us. The devil does not spend his ammunitions against nominal Christians. The commandment given to us is that we be strengthened in God and in the unlimited resources of His power. There must be joy in a believer. We are enlisted in The Book of Eternal Life as soldiers. This training will be until the end. Be strong. Amen.