Thursday, April 19, 2012

Repair The Broken Wall

     The wall around Jerusalem was built to protect and shield the inhabitants of the Holy City.  Walls keep in and walls keep out.  Walls are meant to hide, cover, guard and withhold.
     Upon returning to Jerusalem, Nehemiah was distraught concerning the remnant of Israel who were in Jerusalem.  Neh. 1:1-3  "The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire." (vs. 3).  Nehemiah wept and mourned for days, fasting and praying, (vs. 4).  He sought God for the people (intercession).  Chapter 2, God makes a way for Nehemiah to put action to his prayer.
     Chapter 4:9 - "But we prayed to our God, and because of them (enemy) we set up a guard against them day and night."  The rumor was widespread that they would not be able to do the task at hand (rebuild the wall) vs. 10.  They received the word of warning from their own people 10 times (the meaning of the number 10 is the number of God's order/government for man).  Then, men were stationed in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, exposed places - because in vs. 12 it says, "They will come up against us from every place where you may turn".  Nehemiah knew the enemy.  He knew their attacks would look for uncovered places, exposed places to gain entrance to the city.  He spoke to the people of Jerusalem for he saw their fear (vs. 14).  "Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses."
     When the enemy heard that they knew their plan because God had strengthened them, they were deterred from their evil intents.  From that time until the task was accomplished, the workers toiled with one hand and were prepared to battle with the other.
     So it is, we have a work to, but there is a battle to be fought with the enemy at the same time.  We are fighting for our brothers, our sisters, our sons, our daughters, our wives, our husbands and our homes!  You don't think there's an enemy?  Look around at the growing number of tragedies.  John 10:10 says that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus has come to give life.  There's a wall that's broken.  There's exposed places where the enemy is creeping in.  If you're a Christian, our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of darkness.  We war not with swords and guns, but will overcome the enemy by the Blood of Jesus and the word of our testimony!

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