I’ve been enjoying Choose Your Stronghold - Bill Johnson,. It feels especially timely. Yesterday, a rocket went to the moon, and my brother’s wife lost her job. In the middle of life’s extremes, one thing becomes clear: what we trust in matters deeply.
The fear of God is not panic. It is wisdom. It is like wearing a seat belt when driving fast, or like an X-ray technician putting on a protective shield. There is a right kind of fear that keeps you aligned with reality. I want to be found in Christ, abiding in Him and standing firm.
One of the strongest points in Bill’s sermon is this: God takes our trust seriously. If we think trust is important, we should multiply that understanding by a thousand. Scripture says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:1–7). Faith is not a vague feeling. It is where we place our confidence, our dependence, and our identity.
A stronghold is often an idea that feels safe in our lives, but may actually be a lie. One common lie is, “I was born this way,” as though we are forever locked into broken patterns with no hope of transformation. But the Word of God confronts lies and calls us into truth. It spurs us on to love and good deeds, showing us the way to live and flourish.
I am continually amazed that His Word is truly living and active. It does not merely inspire. It cuts with precision, surgically removing false beliefs and replacing them with truth that leads to life. One example I got to share this week was about stealing. The world says, “You did the crime, now do the time.” But God says something far more transformative: “If you are a thief, steal no longer. Work diligently with your hands so that you will have abundance to give to those in need.” God does not just stop sin. He redeems identity and redirects purpose.
When faith is working properly in our heart, soul, and mind, it becomes a stronghold of truth. But we also have an enemy who tries to establish counterfeit strongholds, anger, bitterness, hatred, lust, debauchery, sloth, and every kind of destructive pattern. These are not harmless thoughts. They become fortresses if left unchallenged.
So we must tear down false strongholds and learn to yield to the divine power of God’s Word. The question is not whether we will live from a stronghold. The question is: which one will we choose?
One who is wise can go up against the city of the mighty, and pull down the stronghold in which they trust. Prov 21:22
- Strong holds are the ideas we put our trust in: many trust in substance, situations, health (all are shifting sand). "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." 2 Cor 10:4
"May the word of Christ dwell in you richly" (Colossians 3:16) means allowing Jesus' teachings to permeate your life, thoughts, and actions continuously rather than occasionally. It implies that Scripture should be at home in the believer, shaping wisdom, guiding relationships, and fostering a thankful heart.
- The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1
- The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. Psalm 37:39
- Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. Psalm 8:2
- The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9
- The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2
The Foundation: Who God Is
Nahum 1:7 packs three towering truths into one verse: God's goodness, God's protection, and God's personal knowledge of those who trust Him. Each deserves its own biblical development.
1. The Lord Is Good
This is not a feeling about God — it is a declaration about His nature.
"For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations." — Psalm 100:5
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." — James 1:17
"You are good and do good; teach me your statutes." — Psalm 119:68
The point: God's goodness is not circumstantial. It does not fluctuate with the economy, your health, or your circumstances. Nahum wrote during a time of Assyrian terror, yet declared God good. Goodness is God's character, not His reaction to our comfort.
2. He Is a Stronghold in the Day of Trouble
A stronghold in the ancient world was not a retreat — it was a fortified position from which you could survive and fight. God is not a hiding place from life; He is a secure base within it.
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." — Psalm 46:1
"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe." — Proverbs 18:10
"The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble." — Psalm 9:9
"He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken." — Psalm 62:2
"I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'" — Psalm 91:2
"But the Lord has been my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge." — Psalm 94:22
Key contrast: The Assyrians trusted in military might, city walls, and numbers. Nahum contrasts their coming destruction with the security of those whose stronghold is the Lord Himself. The world's fortresses fall. God's does not.
3. He Knows Those Who Trust in Him
This is perhaps the most personal phrase in the verse. "He knows" is covenantal language — intimate, relational, chosen knowledge.
"But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.'" — Isaiah 43:1
"The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish." — Psalm 1:6
"I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me." — John 10:14
"But if anyone loves God, he is known by God." — 1 Corinthians 8:3
"The Lord knows those who are his." — 2 Timothy 2:19
The point: To be known by God is not just awareness — it is watchful care, active protection, and personal engagement. He does not forget you in your trouble. He is fully present and fully attentive.
4. What It Means to Trust
Trust is the hinge on which this whole verse swings. God is good and a stronghold — but Nahum says these realities belong specifically to those who take refuge in Him. Trust is not passive.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." — Proverbs 3:5-6
"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid." — Psalm 56:3-4
"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act." — Psalm 37:5
"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever." — Psalm 125:1
"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." — Isaiah 26:3
Trust is a direction, not just a doctrine. It means turning toward God, running to His name, anchoring your mind on His character when circumstances shake everything else.
5. The Day of Trouble — Why This Matters
Nahum's context is critical. He wrote to Judah under the shadow of Assyria, one of the most brutal empires in history. This was not metaphorical trouble; this was existential threat. Yet the declaration stands: God is good. God is a stronghold. God knows you.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me." — Psalm 23:4
"In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." — John 16:33
"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed." — 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." — 1 Peter 5:10
Summary: One Verse, Three Unshakeable Truths
| Truth | Verse Anchor | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| The Lord is good | Psalm 100:5, James 1:17 | His character never changes |
| He is a stronghold | Psalm 46:1, Proverbs 18:10 | He is your secure place in every storm |
| He knows those who trust | John 10:14, Isaiah 43:1 | You are personally held, not just generally protected |
The message of Nahum 1:7 is not wishful thinking — it is theological bedrock. When the day of trouble comes (and it will), the person rooted in this truth does not simply endure. They stand in a fortress that cannot be taken.
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