5.7 Post a Guard

So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. (Nehemiah 4:6-9)

Nehemiah now had the wall rebuilt to half its original height – an amazing accomplishment in a short amount of time. Sanballat began to get worried, so he gathered some allies and plotted with them about stopping the building. In addition to Tobiah and Geshem, Sanballat now has the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod on his side. Nehemiah knew about their scheming, so he prayed and posted a guard both day and night.

Are you praying for your sexual purity? Is anyone else? Who do you know that could join you in the fight?

How about posting a guard to protect you from attack? This can take many forms. It could be your wife, who uses some of the strategies mentioned earlier. It could be a buddy, who points out to you when you are letting your guard down. It could be an internet content filter that prevents you from going places you shouldn’t go online. It could be the act of blocking the adult movies in your hotel room as soon as you check in.

Whatever it is, you need it. When Satan realizes that you are closing the gaps in your wall, expect him to intensify his attack. Gaps being closed means less opportunity for Satan to gain access to your heart. Prayer is your best weapon. Guarding yourself against temptation is your second best. Even though your walls are going up, do not get complacent. An unguarded strength is your greatest weakness (more about that later).