Last night at our prayer meeting we discussed the rebuilding of walls and looked at Isaiah 61 and Nehemiah chapters 2,3, and 4. We are today building spiritual and physical walls in the lives of those around us and in and around the nations.

In Isaiah 61, verse 4, it says “And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.”

We, as Christ’s ambassadors are in the business of rebuilding lives. Those that have been broken, cast out, stomped on, taken advantage of or succumbed to destructive lifestyles are our congregations. Last night, we rebuilt things in prayer, but we also need to put action to our prayers. We do all we can in the physical, but we also bathe the situations in prayer to get God’s strategies. Nehemiah had a strategy and we also need to hear God’s strategy for each situation. We will find ourselves spinning our wheels if we depend on our own understanding.

One of the things that Nehemiah’s workers did was to keep their weapons on them at all times, even when they slept. The Lord tells us to be vigilant. Can we be vigilant and still stay in rest and peace? Yes. We do all we can and then we stand and see the Lord fight our battles for us. However, we don’t let down our guard in our spiritual life. Once we take up the cross to follow the one who paid the price for all, we never put it down and we never take off our armor. We are His forever! The weapons of our warfare are not natural, but spiritual. They are love, joy, peace, and patience… All of the fruits of the spirit.

So, we are building walls in cities, and in nations, and in people groups. We are bringing people out of prison walls and rebuilding the walls of their lives. We are rebuilding walls of righteousness, peace, safety, justice, love, joy, faith, and goodwill. We can do it because just as Nehemiah was given permission by the king to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, we have been given permission by our King of Kings to rebuild the walls of nations and peoples!

Where do you build? Maybe it is your family that needs walls of hostility to come down, and walls of righteousness rebuilt. Maybe it is your town, your church, or your neighbors. The world is our mission field and so the possibilities are endless. Maybe today your mission field is the grocery store. Perhaps God has put on your heart to go to Africa, India, Asia, or the European countries. You may be the one who needs to pray and build the walls in prayer.

The field is big enough for everyone! If you belong to Jesus, you are automatically a missionary. You are automatically called to pull down walls of offense and build up walls of righteousness and love and peace. These walls can never, ever be torn down because they have their foundation upon the rock. That rock never fails us and is our sure foundation. If you need love, go to the rock. If you need faith, go to the rock. If you need security, go to the rock. If you need provision, go to the rock. Whatever you need, He has it!

We have seen answers to last night’s prayers even as early as today! Jesus, the “rock” is the answer. Jesus, the “rock” is the answer giver and we are all rocks in the wall that Jesus is building around His city.

Written by: Joyce Euren