The Bible says; “The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble….” (Nahum 1:7).The word stronghold as it is used here means; “ shelter, freedom from or exemption from penalty, burden, duty or evil. A Spiritual Fortress, a refuge, a secret place!

The Goodness of God provides a stronghold, a shelter of freedom from penalty, burden or evil. In other words “He has us covered.”

When something happens to my stufff and I call my insurance agent the best the most comforting words that he can say to me are, “Your covered.” Now that means that he is going to pay for fixing my car, my house, etc. But the Lord is Good and His words carry a litte, no a LOT more weight on the matter.

First of all “HE, has us covered.” He personally is covering, sheltering us with His own life, Spirit, angelic army and glory. Secondly, it is “US” not mere ‘me’. He has brought us into His family and thus we are not alone. However, the third thing is what is amazing, listen to the next verse; “But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies” (1:8). He is going to wash away the enemy, the attacker is going to be attacked and pursued…!

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2).

David understood that it is the Lord who is his “stronghold.” Paul tells the new believers over and over again that they are “in Christ.” Our relationship, our intimacy with God through Christ is our “shelter, our Spiritual fortress.” So when the prophet Zechariah says, “Return to the stronghold…” Is is effectively saying “return to Me.”

The Spiritual fortress, is our relationship with God! But also our relationship with each other. In fact a strong hold was built for many people. The Body of Christ, the gathering of God’s covenant people is where the “manifested Presence” is revealed, the glory of God is released and the waters come from under that throne.

He has us covered! But we must return to the stronghold. To the intentional gathering together to worship Him. In the midst of that worship He will “manifest,” make Him self known on our behalf.

The church is so much more than a place to preform or to memorialize our faith. It is much more than a place of therapy. It is intended for far more than a self-help, self-improvement training course.

It is the act of coming to the “Spiritual fortress, the shelter, the stronghold” and the place of experiencing the glory of God as He manifest Himself to us, with us, for us and from us…. “…O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. (Psalms 22:3).

When you read 2 Chronicles 5, you will find that as they all gather together to worship God, that His Glory filled the entire temple. Worship was designed by and for the Lord. It is “our” act of response to His Love. When that takes place He who was and is and is to come…. manifest! He covers us with His Glory.

We must have that “covering.” The concepts of church have become so twisted by our culture that very few truly hunger for the reality of “His manifested Presence.” Few people today are even aware of the availability of this covering, this Spiritual fortress. And fewer still understand what their role is in this process.

I am convinced that we are in need of that Glorious manifestation of His Glory that will “cover us from the evil” and will “flood out all his intentions.” But the key is found in one word….. trust!

The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end … (Nahum 1:7-8)

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2).

Worship requires that we “trust.” To trust in the Goodness of God! To trust that “He has us Covered.” To trust Him to “restore double.” To deal with the enemy. To comfort us.

Trust is a big word in our world today. Many people are just skeptical. Lots of people simply cover up their skeptism by aluding to the fact that you can never truly know God’s intent, will or mind. They are just skeptical.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;  (Pr. 3:5)

Trust is our faith in action. I have faith in God, but do I trust Him. Trust Him enough to gather together and publicly declare His goodness in the midst of a world of trouble and trial. Declare my praise to Him in spite of the circumstances that surround me. In spite of how or what others think or say about me, or treat me. In spite of my own weakness…. will I publicly, be a radical, trusting, worshiping person of God in the midst of His People?

To trust the Lord will require that I trust others. Others who are approaching the very same stronghold that I am. Others who are struggling just as I am. Others who have the same fears and shortcomings. All us us are trusting in His Grace and Goodness. I have to learn not only to trust Him, but also to trust Him in regards to others. This is the atmosphere of “agreement” and the place of true worship. This is the “Stronghold.”

“As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare That I will restore double to you.” (Zech 9:11-12).

I can sense the very Presence of God even as I prepare this note! I can feel the excitment that is building within the Kingdom. You and I have been called to participate in the very realities of Heaven on Earth.

So often we get can up in the questions of “there and then” when we ought to be tasting and seeing His Presence in the “here and now.”

The church has been hijacked by two things; first a culture that demands accommodation, a secondly, a reaction to that accommodation by establishing even more rules.

The church was born to worship! Born to respond to the very Love of God by giving Him unified honor. That revealed love will reveal His Love. His Glory, His Presence is what brings about a change in His creation and stops the evil that troubles us.

We must recover the true nature of the Church, not merely in our theological discussions but in our simply practices. Simply begin to worship again.

John 4:23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.

He is seeking worshipers… are you coming?

Are you returning to the “shelter, the stronghold, the Spiritual fortress…. to worship”?