And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down and its gates are burned with fire.
So it was when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days: I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.     Nehemiah 1:3-4 NKJV

Walls protect and they separate. We put walls around our houses to keep things out and to protect us from the elements and the critters that live outside. We put them there to keep things out.

As Christians we must be separated from the world. We must put walls up to protect ourselves from the evil of this world and also to keep the bad things out.

Nehemiah was so distressed because the walls of Jerusalem being torn down with gates burned meant the city was weak and pitiful. Walls represented strength and power. Having no walls, of course, represented weakness and vulnerability.

How would you say your walls are holding up today? Are they wide open leaving you vulnerable to temptation and attack from the evil ones? Or do they stand strong? Are your gates closed keeping most of the bad elements out? Or do they tend to swing open at varying times allowing a mixture of good and bad to come in and out as they please?

When we serve God, He becomes our fortress and our refuge (Psalm 91:2). He is our strength. When we enter into a solid relationship with Him, we can rely on Him to take good care of us and to protect us. We can rely on Him to provide all that we need.

Does this mean we will never face times of distress or trouble? No, it simply means He will be there to walk with us through the fire and the flame.

We always talk about not putting walls up around ourselves or being walled off from others. In this day and time, however, I would strongly suggest that you be careful about who you let into the walls of your life. We need to surround ourselves with others who have a strong, loving relationship with the Lord. We need to be careful to remove bad influences. We are told that bad company corrupts good morals in 1 Corinthians 15:33.

Just because we accept Christ as our Savior doesn’t mean we won’t face enemies. It doesn’t mean we won’t face trials and tribulations. It simply means we go through these times with God’s help and God’s power and God’s strength. It means that we have strong walls or protection. You may often hear Christians praying for a hedge or a wall of protection.

Do your walls represent strength and good moral character? Or, do they reflect weakness and vulnerability because they are torn down and the gates hang wide open?

If you need to rebuild your wall, God will be glad to help you do this. He helped Nehemiah and the Jews rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1-4) and He will help you rebuild your wall if you will only ask.

Ask for God to come into your heart and strengthen you against evil and temptation. Trust in Him to be your refuge and your fortress.

You will find safety inside the walls of Jesus’ arms.

Have a great day!