Peace our Fortress
Peace our Fortress
Scripture: Phil 4:6-7; Psalms 18:1-19
Intro: What is Peace? We usually think of it as quiet, tranquility, calmness—but the Peace the Bible talks about is more than just resting in a grassy meadow of ease. It is a powerful force, which we can use to protect ourselves from the enemy.
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:7 KJV)
1. Peace is God’s—which He freely gives to us at salvation
A. Peace with God is the result of our reconciliation to God (Rom 5:1)
1. We know God has forgiven us and we our His children who He loves very much
2. No fear of judgment when we die (Heb 9:27)
B. Peace of God is the believer’s present possession—we get it at salvation—it is not held for us for when we get to heaven—we won’t need it then, we need it now
--"PEACE": Scofield: (3) "Peace of God" (Phil 4:7), inward peace, the state of the soul of the Christian who, having entered into peace with God, has committed all his anxieties to God through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving (Luke 7:50; Phil 4:6 -7); this phrase emphasizes the quality or the nature of the peace granted.
--1515. eirene, Zodiates: (III) Peace, meaning health, welfare, prosperity, every kind of good.
--(IV) In the OT the equivalent word shalom (7965) meant wholeness, soundness, hence health, well–being, prosperity; more particularly, welfare, prosperity, every kind of good.
-- shalom (1022d); from 7999a; completeness, soundness, welfare, peace:
--NASB Topical Index: peace refers to a personal sense of well-being, wholeness, harmony, and security through a proper relationship with God and fellow men
C. Christ is our Peace—Prince of Peace--He has broken down the barrier of sin that was between us and God and separated us from each other (Eph 2:14)
D. Peace is a fruit of the spirit which should be a characteristic that sets a Christian apart from the world, yet so many times we don’t have any more peace than the world
E. Peace comes only when we have prayed--trusted God with the situation (v.6) —we will not focus on prayer today
2. What value is this Peace other than to know our sins are forgiven?
A. Peace is a Fortress, Stronghold, Refuge, Castle
B. Fortress (Castle) is where the King dwells & King always has 2 functions:
1. Protect—this is our focus
2. Provide—we won’t talk about this today
C. God’s Peace will protect us from the enemy—it is a place we can run to for safety
1. Protect us from our enemies—keep others out--place to run when the enemy is chasing you (e.g. Knights running to their castle—once gate is closed they were safe—enemy had to siege castle at great trouble and expense)
a. Phil 4:7 “keep” "shall garrison and mount guard over" (AMP)
"will . . . be a garrison to guard" (Wey)
"will stand guard over" (TCNT)
"will keep your hearts and minds safe" (Jewish NT)
"will keep guard over" (New Berkeley)
5432. phroureo, froo-reh'-o; from a comp. of G4253 and G3708; to be a watcher in advance, i.e. to mount guard as a sentinel (post spies at gates); fig. to hem in, protect: --keep (with a garrison). Comp. G5083.
--W.E. Vine: KEEP—phoureo (5432), "to keep with a military guard,"
--W.E. Vine: GUARD--a military term, "to keep by guarding, to keep under guard." as with a garrison (phrouros, "a guard, or garrison"), is used, (a) of blocking up every way of escape, as in a siege, (b) of providing protection against the enemy, as a garrison does . . . It is used of the security of the Christian until the end, 1 Pet 1:5, RV, "are guarded," and of the sense of that security that is his when he puts all his matters into the hand of God, Phil 4:7, RV, "shall guard."
--Complete Biblical Library-N.T Study Bible: Because Phillipi was a Roman colony and a military outpost, the garrisoning of the city by Roman soldiers was a very familiar sight. Since "hearts" (kardias) and "minds" (noun) suffer most at the lack of inner tranquillity, God promises to guard both.
--Complete Biblical Library (5268-Strongs 5432): Classical Greek "To watch over, to guard, to keep watch over" are among the various nuances of this verb. Further shades of meaning include "to be on guard against" or "to protect" (Liddell-Scott).
b. When you are tired and being chased by the enemy there is a place that you can run to where God is and He will protect you (Ps 91:1,3 “secret place of the Most High . . . it is He who deliverers you”)
c. Ps 18:1-19 God is my fortress, my deliverer . . my stronghold. I call upon the Lord . . . and I am saved from my enemies . . . In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple . . . (17) He delivered me from my strong enemy . . . He rescued me, because He delighted in me.
The LORD is my rock[1], and my fortress[2], and my deliverer[3]; my God, my strength[4], in whom I will trust; my buckler[5], and the horn[6] of my salvation[7], and my high[8] tower. (Psa 18:2 KJV)
Psa 18:2: NIV, NASB "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."
1 "ROCK": 5553. cela', seh'-lah; from an unused root mean. to be lofty; a craggy rock, lit. or fig. (a fortress):--(ragged) rock, stone (-ny), strong hold.
2 "FORTRESS": 4686. matsuwd, maw-tsood'; or (fem.) metsuwdah, mets-oo-daw'; or metsudah, mets-oo-daw'; for H4685; a net, or (abstr.) capture; also a fastness:--castle, defence, fort (-ress), (strong) hold, be hunted, net, snare, strong place.
3 "DELIVERER": 6403. palat, paw-lat'; a prim. root; to slip out, i.e. escape; causat. to deliver:--calve, carry away safe, deliver, (cause to) escape.
4 "STRENGTH": 6697. tsuwr, tsoor; or tsur, tsoor; from H6696; prop. a cliff (or sharp rock, as compressed); gen. a rock or boulder; fig. a refuge; also an edge (as precipitous):--edge, X (mighty) God (one), rock, X sharp, stone, X strength, X strong. See also H1049.
5 "BUCKLER": NIV & NKJV "shield" See Prov 2:7.
4043. magen, maw-gane'; also (in plur.) fem. meginnah, meg-in-naw'; from H1598; a shield (i.e. the small one or buckler); fig. a protector; also the scaly hide of the crocodile:-- X armed, buckler, defence, ruler, + scale, shield.
6 "HORN": 7161. qeren, keh'-ren; from H7160; a horn (as projecting); by impl. a flask, cornet; by resembl. an elephant's tooth (i.e. ivory), a corner (of the altar), a peak (of a mountain), a ray (of light); fig. power:-- X hill, horn.
7 "SALVATION": 3468. yesha', yeh'-shah; or yesha', yay'-shah; from H3467; liberty, deliverance, prosperity:--safety, salvation, saving.
8 "HIGH": NIV & NKJV "stronghold"
4869. misgab, mis-gawb'; from H7682; prop. a cliff (or other lofty or inaccessible place); abstr. altitude; fig. a refuge:--defence, high fort (tower), refuge. H4869; Misgab, a place in Moab:--Misgab.
d. David & other Psalmists knew God was their refuge (used over 22 verses)
2. God’s Peace is also a place of refuge or shelter—others watching the enemy while you rest from the battle (Ps 4:8 “In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety (NASB)--David’s evening prayer of trust in God)
Phil 4:7--W.E. Vine: GUARD--a military term, "to keep by guarding, to keep under guard." . . . It is used of the security of the Christian until the end, 1 Pet 1:5, RV, "are guarded," and of the sense of that security that is his when he puts all his matters into the hand of God, Phil 4:7, RV, "shall guard." In these passages the idea is not merely that of protection, but of inward garrisoning as by the Holy Spirit; in Gal 3:23 ("were kept in ward"), it means rather a benevolent custody and watchful guardianship in view of world-wide idolatry (cf. Isa 5:2).
a. Protect our “hearts and minds” from the attack of the enemy—even when we take off our armor and rest (breastplate of righteousness, helmet of salvation Eph 6:14-18) The Battle is in the mind—we have His Word to protect us!
b. We need times of rest from the battle otherwise we get battle fatigue and want to quit. Rest for our minds and our hearts.
c. One of Satan’s tactics is to keep us fighting when we should be resting and letting God take over for “The battle is the Lord’s” I Sam 17:47 (David), 2 Chron 20:15 (Jehosophat)
1) Discontentment—Phil 4:11 “ . . . for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” (NASB)
2) Fear—2 Tim 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and a sound mind” (KJV)
3) Worry—Matt 6:25-34 Our Heavenly Father knows what we need and will provide it just as He takes care of the birds (Phil 4:6)
4) Confusion—1 Cor 14:33 “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (KJV)
d. When we let the Peace of God become our guard—garrison-- we can rest safely in His fortress sheltered from the onslaughts of the enemy
--“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep[1] that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (2 Tim 1:12 KJV)
1 "KEEP": See 1 Pet 1:5 and Phil 4:7.
5442. phulasso, foo-las'-so; prob. from G5443 through the idea of isolation; to watch, i.e. be on guard (lit. or fig.); by impl. to preserve, obey, avoid:--beware, keep (self), observe, save. Comp. G5083.
e. We must chose to let the Peace of God reign in our hearts
--“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts . . . Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Col 3:15-16 KJV)
3. Peace of God is the calm in the storm!
a. God’s peace is independent of outside conditions
1) Peace is not evidenced by perfect calm or tranquility in our life
2) It can only really be known when all hell is breaking loose, yet you are unaffected by it
b. Hurricane blowing all around us, but we care not affected by its winds or rain
1) God is not in the whirlwind and He never has been (I Kings 19:11 Elijah)
2) Vision whirlwinds in church
3) We must resist the enemy calling us into the whirlwind away from our fortress of Peace
Conclusion: God has provided for us a place of protection and shelter—it is called His Peace. We must choose to run into or His fortress of Peace and dwell in His safety. Once we are there we can cease from fighting and let God fight for us—which is the way it should be anyway. He will guard our hearts and minds and give us the rest we need. Jesus said “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27 (KJV) and “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
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Who are kept[1] by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Pet 1:5 KJV)
1 "KEPT": NIV "who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." See note Phil 4:7 and 2 Tim 1:12.
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep[1] that which I have committed unto him against that day. (2 Tim 1:12 KJV)
1 "KEEP": See 1 Pet 1:5 and Phil 4:7.
5442. phulasso, foo-las'-so; prob. from G5443 through the idea of isolation; to watch, i.e. be on guard (lit. or fig.); by impl. to preserve, obey, avoid:--beware, keep (self), observe, save. Comp. G5083.
