Nehemiah Chapter 4
The return of the Israelites to Jerusalem from exile is a picture of personal salvation. The first thing the exiles did when they returned was to build an altar and make an offering. This is akin to inviting Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. After many discouragements and distractions, they rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem. Of course, we are the temple of the Living God (see 2Cor. 6:16). Then the Israelites attempted to rebuild the walls, for over 70 years! Their enemies harassed them and tore down the walls as quickly as they built them. Boy, does that sound like day to day life?! Finally, God sent Nehemiah to the Israelites. In only 52 days the walls were up!!
Nehemiah’s name means “Comforter.” Who do you suppose he represents? The Holy Spirit, of course, because Holy Spirit is our comforter (John 14:26). The walls represent integrity, character, spiritual maturity. Notice that our integrity, our character, our spiritual maturity IS our strength, our safety, our protection. Because the Israelites cooperated with Nehemiah (the Holy Spirit), the impossible task that they had tried for years on their own, took less than two months. What a valuable lesson for us!!
Once the walls are up in our life; that is once we are spiritually mature, then the small weapons of the enemy don’t faze us. The enemy can throw rocks or darts or arrows and they bounce right off the wall. In our maturity, we can be in a spiritual battle and not even know it! Because we are safe behind our wall of protection. Praise God!!
Nehemiah (the Holy Spirit) assigned servants to stand at the gap in the wall with their weapons at the ready. He had the workers carrying building materials with one hand and weapons in the other. Even those who needed both hands to build were required to wear their weapon at their side. Notice that God’s Word, God’s Promises, are both the building materials from which the wall is made AND the sword of protection while the wall is being built.
The Holy Spirit may assign us, as warriors of the Kingdom of God, to stand in the gap of someone’s wall to protect them while they are building? What does that look like in the day to day? Prayer! As we pray for people, we are the warrior standing with our sword drawn.
The Holy Spirit requires that we wear our sword even when we are using two hands to build. How do we do that? Scripture memorization. Even when we are teaching or preaching or whatever it takes to build, we are ready for every spiritual battle with the Word of God hidden in our hearts.
The Holy Spirit expects every worker to carry both building materials and a weapon, because we have been given the privilege and responsible to protect and build up the people. With the Holy Spirit’s guidance, of course. As we pray for others, we are protecting them. And as we mentor others in God’s Word, we are building them up. When we do both, we are fulfilling our calling. Thank you, Holy Spirit!!