Peace our Fortress.wpd
Peace our Fortress
Scripture: Phil 4:6-7
Intro: What is Peace? We usually think of it as quiet, tranquility, calmnessCbut 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.
AAnd the peace[1] of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep[2] your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.@ (Phil 4:7 KJV)
1. Peace is God=sCwhich He freely gives to us at salvation
Peace with God is the result of our reconciliation to God (Rom 5:1)
We know God has forgiven us and we our His child who He loves very much
No fear of judgment when we die (Heb 9:27)
Peace of God is the believer=s present possessionCwe get it at salvationCit is not held for us for when we get to heavenCwe won=t need it then, we need it now
Christ is our PeaceCHe has broken down the barrier of sin that was between us and God and separated us from each other (Eph 2:14)
What value is this Peace other than to know our sins are forgiven?
Peace is a Fortress, Stronghold, Refuge, Castle
Fortress (Castle) has 2 purposes:
Place to protect us from our enemiesCkeep others out--place to run when the enemy is chasing you (e.g. Cowboys running to a fort being chased by Indians.)
Provides a place of refuge or shelterCothers watching the enemy while you rest
God=s Peace will protect us from the enemy and it is a place we can run into for safety
1 "PEACE": Scofield: Part of note at Mat 10:34 (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, i-ray'-nay; prob. from a prim. verb eiro (to join); peace (lit. or fig.); by impl. prosperity:--one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again.
F/lv; shalom (1022d); from 7999a; completeness, soundness, welfare, peace:
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, wellBbeing, prosperity; more particularly, welfare, prosperity, every kind of good.
(VII) Characteristic of the NT is the view of peace as the present possession of the believer. In general it denotes the state of the Christian in this present life. It is so used by Jesus in His farewell promise, AMy peace I give unto you@ (John 14:27). It is thus represented by Paul (Rom. 5:1; 8:6; 15:13; 2 Thess. 3:16; Col. 3:15), in which case peace acquires the technical meaning of the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, fearing nothing from God and consequently content with its earthly lot, whatever it is. This is the direct result of redemption by Christ (Eph. 2:15, 17) and consists primarily of a state of conscious reconciliation with God (Rom. 5:1), although it is often used in a broader sense to denote all the blessings which accompany and flow from that reconciliation (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Thess. 3:16).
God=s peace is independent of outside conditions and is the fruit of an objective, real salvation with God.
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
2 "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," e.g., Gal 3:23, RV, "kept in ward";
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; see 2 Cor 11:32, "guarded" KJV, "kept," i.e., kept the city, "with a garrison." 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).
Complete Biblical Library (5268): 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).
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.
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.
Strongholds
1. What is a Stronghold ??
6 Fortress or castle
2. What is the purpose of a Stronghold ??
6 Protect us from our enemies -- keep others out
6 Provide a place of refuge or shelter -- watching over, guarding
3. When do we need a Stronghold ??
6 When we are under attack by our enemy
6 When we need a place of rest or quietness
4. What is our Stronghold ??
6 The LORD !!
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 "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.
Scofield: Note at Deut 33:17: The words "horn" and "horns" (O.T., <qeren;> N.T. <keras>) are used in Scripture both literally and figuratively. In the latter sense at least three meanings appear: (1) strength in general (Deu 33:17); (2) arrogant pride (Ps 75:4 - 5); and (3) political and military power (Dan 8:20 - 21).
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.