The walls around Jerusalem were destroyed because the people had sinned against God. Sin caused them to lose the protection of God and, in more than one case, to be taken into captivity. God, knowing the condition and vulnerability of His people, placed on Nehemiah’s heart the desire to rebuild the wall— a wall of protection that is just stones unless fortified by the power of God’s protection. Always remember, God will not have fellowship with sin; and when in willful sin against God, protection is lost. Through out the Bible we see this reoccurring theme. People begin well; but because of the tendency toward sin, they fall away from God and then His judgement. The wall around a city is for protection against the enemy for those living in the city. When we are in the will of God, by having Christ in our lives, we are surrounded by His protection. A spiritual wall, so to speak, protects us from our enemy who desires to destroy us. I heard it said many times over the years, “ For Satan to get to you he must go through God to do it.” That is a true statement if you are born again in Christ and living daily in his will. If God is not alive in your life, He is not there for Satan to go through. As people without a physical wall of protection would be vulnerable to their enemies, the person without Christ in their life is vulnerable to Satan. Also the Christian who willfully sins against God is in serious danger; for God does not have fellowship with sin. God is Holy and we should worship Him in Holiness. This means to live in love with His presence in our lives and to desire His presence more than anything else. You must remember that as a Christian you are the Bride of Christ, and to live in willful sin would be liken to having an affair with the world. Would you stay in fellowship with your spouse if they were having an affair? This should give you a visual picture and understanding as to why God removes the protection of relationship when you live in willful sin. As Nehemiah led in the rebuilding of the wall, remember it was built one stone at a time and each day the enemy began to take more notice of the wall and desired to stop the work. So it is as a Christian building a spiritual wall in relationship with God. Satan will take notice and want to stop the work. So what are some principles of building we can do in fortifying our lives in the protection of Christ?

HAVE A STRONG FOUNDATION

     Jesus said, “Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. Luke 6:47-48 ESV Peter was asked this question by Jesus in Matthew 16: 15-18 ESV, “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, Blessed are you , Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you- you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. As a Christian, you are the church, and if you are not building upon Jesus, then you are building on sinking sand.

USE THE RIGHT MATERIALS

     As your relationship with God grows, it does so because you are using the right materials to build the wall of His protection. The material needed…. HIS WORD!!!!!!! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalms 119:11 ESV … Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16 ESV

LEAVE THE RESULTS TO GOD

     God completes the work in all our lives…… For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 ESV ….. For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13 ESV

Jesus is the wall of protection in the life of every Christian. He did not build this protection for us to go into hiding but rather to move with the confidence knowing that He is with us every step of the way. Jesus told us, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole of creation.” Mark 16:15 ESV With the fact that Jesus is with us, we know that we are never alone. Jesus himself made this promise to us in the last part of verse 20 in Matthew 28, “I am with you ALWAYS, to the end of the age.” (ESV) Thank you, God, for your Son who saved/redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit which lives in us. This gives us the confidence in living for you and knowing we can walk successfully and purposefully a life displaying the truth of you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord. Psalms 32: 10 ESV As Christians, let the light of his love surrounding us make it evident to the world that we have experienced the Gospel. The gospel that Jesus saves!!!!!

Because of His Grace ~Pastor David