Scripture: Psalm 127 v 1: "A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."
Proverbs 25 v 28: "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls."
The world is very concerned about border protection in recent years because of the massive increase in migrants seeking refuge in countries that have first world prosperity. They come from countries torn apart by civil wars, corruption, and bad governance and the migrants are often bitter, angry people.
The USA is busy building a 30ft high wall to properly control who comes in from Mexico and through Mexico from countries to the south. The fact that some of these migrant caravans burn the American flag on their way to find a better life in that country is hypocritical.
The Israelis have a wall to prevent Gazan terrorists from pouring through to kill maim and destroy the Jewish people. Now they fly burning kites to destroy the crops of farmers for spite and meanness.
These are physical walls securing a nations choice of who is an acceptable citizen. However, we need to look at a spiritual situation where our personal space can be invaded by unwanted entities which are as destructive as any migrants or Gazans or hidden terrorists.
Unless the Lord keeps or protects our city or home, the watchman watch in vain. It comes down to Christians living in certain places calling on God to watch over the street where they live, or the town or city that is vulnerable to be violated.
This applies to our lives as well. Unless we are the Lord's and live righteous lives, we are vulnerable to the criminals of this world who steal our identities and invade our lives through the cyber world. The hackers who can rob our bank accounts through deceit and lies; the robbers who clone our bank cards to access our funds; even store tills and restaurant till operators can duplicate our cards for future abuse.
When this was still fairly new I was conned out of a sizeable amount of cash through an online letter supposedly from my bank requesting protected information. I had to go online into my bank account and was shocked to see this large amount of money flow out of my account.
Before I could even react my cell phone rang and a man told me he was a technician working for the bank and he had seen what happened to me and had reversed the amount back into my account. I asked him how many others had been robbed. He said, thousands. I asked if he had helped them all and he replied, No, only you. I checked and all the missing funds had been replaced. Wow!
I immediately went to my bank as I wanted to have them thank this wonderful technician. They pulled up my account and saw the evidence. However they said there is no technician able to watch nor intervene and definitely not able to restore funds. It remains a mystery but Jesus protected me. Don't know how or who but He made it happen.
The strangest thing is that the thieves phoned me, pretending to be from my bank, to ask how the funds that were taken were able to be restored to me. I spent some time telling them about the miracles Jesus works for those who love Him. They kept listening too for a good fifteen minutes! Our God reigns!
I have had a number of miracles of divine protection. My cell phone was stolen from my home and the thief was apprehended in the next town before I knew it was missing. I can only give God the glory for securing my borders. When we give our all to the Lord He has a Covenant response to do all within His power to keep us safe.
The converse of Proverbs 25 v 28 says that if we have rule over our own spirit we are like a city built up and with walls. We need to be sure that we are born again as Jesus explained in John 3 v 3: "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." That's one wall.
Second wall is water baptism. Acts 2 v 38 - 39: "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."
The third wall is to have the flowing power of the Holy Spirit in our lives with the gifts of the Spirit in operation. We should be walking with the Lord, healing the sick, delivering the oppressed from demons like depression, bitterness, rejection, false religion among many others. We should see miracles and have strong faith. Acts 4 v 7 - 10: "And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole."
The fourth wall is summed up in Romans 12 v 1 - 2: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Our bodies must be living sacrifices, in other words the Lord controls us without any objections or debate. He says, we do. Our minds must be renewed by the Word of God to divide us from being bound by the world's standards. Finally we must surrender our will to Jesus.
When these four walls are in place we have the right to call Jesus, Lord. That's what calling Him Lord really means. Full surrender to His Lordship, then we are truly in line with His purpose and earn full protection from Him at all times. Not that we become careless, no, we remain alert and watchful and avoid foolish exploits.
If we belong to Him and mean business with Him, we must follow Him and avoid the pitfalls of many false doctrines that have invaded the whole church. The Devil is very at home in most congregations. We need to know our Bible to discern his tricks to divert our attention from the King of Kings.
Let Jesus initiate that which He wants us to do. Don't move ahead of Him or get in His way. He has reconciled the world to our Father but many are involved in things contrary to His Kingdom and don't want to hear about salvation. Pray for them as it says in Ephesians 1 v 17 - 23:
Prayer: "17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." In Jesus' name. Amen.
