Nahum 2:1, “The one who scatters has come up against you, man the fortress, watch the road, strengthen your back, summon all your strength.” Fellow Christians, it is time to man the fortress, watch the road, strengthen you back and summon all your strength to fight against the one who scatters. The phrase “man the fort”, means to take responsibility and care for a place or situation in another’s absence. We are to be on the alert, watch the road we walk. Strengthen ourselves against the one who scatters. We are to summon all our strength for this fight. We are to be prepared. We have to be aware of areas the enemy may slip in to try to overtake us. We are put in charge of the task of manning the fort, ensuring it is secure against the weapons the enemy uses to come against us. In Nehemiah 4:9, it says, “But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up guard against them day and night.” Those against the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem plotted to destroy the efforts of the Jews. First, they mocked their efforts. In Nehemiah 4: 3 it says, “Now Tobiah, the Ammonite was near him and said, “Even what they are building–if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down.” The doubts he was throwing out, he wanted to shake the Jews into thinking their efforts were in vain. That’s how the enemy begins to try to stop believers. He throws the darts of doubt. Nehemiah 4:6 says, “So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.” We are to man the fortress. Verse 7 tells us when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on and that the breaches began to close they were very angry. They thought by mocking the Jews’ effort, the building of the wall would stop. The darts of doubt are what the enemy thinks will shatter our faith. Don’t be fooled by doubt. Continue to man the fortress. When the breaches begin to close the enemy will be angry. We are to watch the road. He isn’t giving up. When we fortify our efforts to man the fortress, the enemy will continue to try to come against us. We have to be diligent, to strengthen our backs, to summon all our strength, to set up guard night and day. Nehemiah cried out to God in prayer. Don’t think you do not have the weapons to protect the fortress. Yesterday, I wrote how God hears our cries and delivers us in all our times of trouble. We are never alone in this fight against the one who scatters. Nehemiah 4:20 says, “at whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there, Our God will fight for us.” We must continue to man the fortress at all times, to keep it strong, to be on alert. Close up the breaches in your life that allows the enemy to sneak in. Remember, God is your stronghold, your strength, and your salvation. He will always be the one who fights for you. We must be the one who holds down the fort for His return. Nehemiah 4:17, “Those who were rebuilding the wall and who carried burdens took their load in one hand doing the work, and the other holding a weapon”. Our weapons are laid out in Ephesians 6:11-18. Go and grab them in your fight.
Man the fortress
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