4:1 Let the Building Begin!

Nehemiah: Chapter 3

Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel.  The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zaccur son of Imri built next to them.  (Nehemiah 3:1-2)

 

As soon as the people had Nehemiah’s vision for a walled city, they began the work.  That’s the power of a clear and compelling vision.  It inspires people to act. 

 

So, what does it mean to build your walls?  Remember that your walls represent the strength of your relationship with Christ.  When this relationship is strong, your heart and mind are protected from evil.  When it’s not, your walls are down, and Satan has access to your heart and mind.

 

Nehemiah’s walls were built with stones.   Our spiritual walls are built through spiritual disciplines.  Spiritual disciplines include (but are not limited to):

 

·         Attending church

·         Avoiding temptation

·         Fasting

·         Fellowshipping

·         Honoring the Sabbath

·         Journaling

·         Living simply

·         Meditating on God’s Word

·         Memorizing Scripture

·         Participating in an accountability group

·         Praising God

·         Praying

·         Reading His Word

·         Serving others

·         Studying God’s Word

·         Submitting to authority

·         Tithing

·         Witnessing

·         Worshiping

 

You don’t have to do all these things to have strong walls.  In fact, don’t feel compelled to do any more than the Holy Spirit leads you to do.  He works with each of us in different ways and at a different pace.  This is not intended to be a checklist of spiritual maturity.  Those lead to pride and can get you distracted from your relationship with Christ.  Good works will not strengthen your relationship if they are motivated by anything other than growing closer to God and doing His will.

 

If your walls are rubble, and you don’t know where to start on this list, try starting with prayer.  Ask God which of these disciplines would help you build your walls and grow closer to Him.  I won’t put all of them in order, because it would be a totally subjective exercise on my part, but I will say that I think attending church is the second most important discipline.  Without the fellowship of other believers, we are easy marks for the Enemy.

 

Spiritual disciplines will build your walls, but sin will erode them.  If you know what God wants you to do and don’t do it, your walls start to crumble.  You’ve got to be diligent to keep building your walls every day, because you are going to sin just about every day.  Maybe that’s pessimistic on my part, but I’ve found that there are few (if any) days when I can honestly say I didn’t commit even one sin.  (And if I do, I’ve probably just committed the sin of pride.)