I love the story of Nehemiah and it offered up wonderful parallels and a great challenge for me this morning.
Our city, wherever that might be for you, is our Jerusalem and the church, you and me, are the workers and the inhabitants. Our towns and our cities are ours to claim, ours to take back, ours to rebuild for Christ. They have been torn down by the enemy of our hearts and left in shambles. You can see it all around you. Not just physical poverty, but broken homes, broken lives, broken people that belong to a loving Father and it is through us that we can begin to show them His love, one person, one family at a time. Each person we touch is one more stone, one more brick, one more wall rebuilt on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ.
Rebuilding these walls is not a job we can do on our own. Just like in Nehemiah, it took many people participating and rebuilding the area around them. This is not a one man job. This is a job for the whole community of believers, rallied together, ready to reclaim back what once belonged to God. It is not a job that will happen without opposition, distraction, ridicule, or even persecution. The enemy will hate this work and will do what it takes to discourage and dissuade us from carrying on. Many came against Nehemiah. Made fun of the workers and their work. Planned to destroy what was being rebuilt, but Nehemiah and the people never once backed down. No, instead they picked up their weapons. They guarded one another and covered each other. Each worker no longer worked with both hands, but always carried a weapon in one hand and worked with the other hand.
I love this! We will have to do the same thing. We will surround each other with prayer warriors guarding us and covering us in prayer and we must pick up the weapon of praise and keep on our clothes (The full Armor of God) day and night so we are always ready and prepared for an attack.
What a challenge to me today to rebuild some walls and take back what belongs to my Jesus.
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