Martin Luther and me

I think Martin Luther was like me. 

He had the same understanding of God's personality, and the nature of the battle we're in.

His song - A Mighty Fortress -  isn't about our needing protection... 

It's about Jesus winning our battle, and that our lives are the instrument through which God's truth prevails, and how the devil will fail miserably, so stand without fear and forsake everything to live for Jesus.

So, here is my interpretation of A MIGHTY FORTRESS as a blog post:

God is the most solid, reliable protection we will ever have.  

He prevails on our behalf, against the flood of deadly assaults we face over the course of our lives. 

Assaults from whom? You ask.  

Well since that first day in the garden, until just this morning, our greatest enemy is seeking to trap us and destroy us.

He spends all day and all night, every day and night, scheming and colluding with all the powerful elements in this world, to bring all his cruel hatred to bear upon us. There is no one who compares with him in his hatred of us, or in the resources at his disposal.

Standing against him on our own, we could fight with all our strength, and we would lose - every single day.  

That is, unless we had the right man to fight for us!  A man chosen by God. Ha!

Who is that man? You ask.

It is the man Christ Jesus. Lord of the Sabbath. Steadfast, immovable, undefeated and undefeatable.

And He will win this battle!

This whole world, aligned with that great hater, threatens to take apart our faith, our dreams, and our families.

But we will not fear.  

Because this is God's will - awesome and unstoppable:

That our very lives will be the instrument through which God's truth prevails, and through which that hater is thrown down and defeated.  That's a powerful statement, right there.

That devil, he's the ugly prince of darkness. And though he threatens, we are not afraid of him.  We can stand in the midst of his raging. 

How can we stand? You ask.  

Because his future is over. His future is that he doesn't have one. 

You will see One Word spoken, and it will end for him.

What word is that? You ask.

Ha!  It is the word that abides forever.  It is the word that is above all those in earthly power, though they reject it.

Dear brethren, this is the blessedness of our lives in Christ Jesus.  

The Holy Spirit has been given to us. 

And the gifts of the Spirit have been given to us - through Christ Jesus.

So, I say, let nothing on earth keep you from Him!  Let no affection draw you away from Him!

Not your pursuits in this life, not even your family!  

Because, even if they kill you, and they will, God's truth remains forever. And His kingdom is forever.

---

A mighty fortress is our God, 

a bulwark never failing;

our helper he amid the flood

of mortal ills prevailing.

For still our ancient foe

doth seek to work us woe;

his craft and power are great,

and armed with cruel hate,

on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,

our striving would be losing,

were not the right man on our side,

the man of God's own choosing.

Dost ask who that may be?

Christ Jesus, it is he;

Lord Sabaoth, his name,

from age to age the same,

and he must win the battle. 

And though this world, with devils filled, 

should threaten to undo us, 

we will not fear, for God hath willed 

his truth to triumph through us. 

The Prince of Darkness grim, 

we tremble not for him; 

his rage we can endure, 

for lo, his doom is sure; 

one little word shall fell him. 

That word above all earthly powers, 

no thanks to them, abideth; 

the Spirit and the gifts are ours, 

thru him who with us sideth. 

Let goods and kindred go, 

this mortal life also; 

the body they may kill; 

God's truth abideth still; 

his kingdom is forever.