By Demar Elam

History has illustrated again and again to man lessons on the impossibility of invincibility. However, man never seems to learn!

The word "invincible" means: "incapable of being conquered, overcome or subdued." This word came to mind as I stood on the magnificent walls of Ft. Pulaski located where the Savannah River meets the Atlantic Ocean on Cockspur Island. I allowed my mind to run with imagination as I reconstructed the assault of the Federal forces on this glorious old fort and its gallant forces near Savannah.

When my thoughts returned to the present I was forced to think of the lesson to be learned from this historical event. Those "in the know" at that time had thought the fort to be impregnable. However, a new weapon — the rifled cannon — brought an end to the era of impregnable masonry fortifications and verified the superiority of the new rifled guns.

Did you know that of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World" only one is still standing today, the pyramids of Egypt? Even they have been ravaged by raiders and robbed of their priceless treasures. What do these magnificent structures, Ft. Pulaski, the Titanic, and the great Empires of the ancient world have in common? They were vincible! They were indeed capable of being overcome and subdued.

The same is true of man. Man often becomes puffed up and thinks within himself that he is invincible and needs no one, not even God! He convinces himself that he has the world in his pocket, that he is self-reliant and self-sufficient. Yes, he even reaches the point of feeling invincible!

Man's frailty is exhibited daily. "…For man goes to his eternal home, And the mourners go about the streets" (Eccl. 12:5). The preacher went on to say, "or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well. Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says the preacher; all is vanity" (Ecclesiastes 12:6-8).

As I stood on the walls of Ft. Pulaski and looked out across the marshes, I asked myself, "Where are the gallant men who manned these walls? Where is that young lieutenant fresh from West Point, named Robert E. Lee, who was assigned to build the dikes and drainage system for the island?" Gone, yes gone! All of these who began constructing this mighty fortress in 1829 have gone the way of all men.

Then I think of God's invincibility, the words of the Psalmist come ringing forth, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God" (Ps. 90:2). God is from everlasting to everlasting! That is invincibility! God is truly incapable of being overthrown, subdued, overcome, or conquered. Man is here today and gone tomorrow (James 4:13,14), but God is from "everlasting to everlasting." The battle of good and evil rages, but God cannot be conquered by the evil one. Here is man's only picture of true invincibility.

I want to serve the invincible God. Do you?

Thanks to The Voice of Truth International, Vol 34.