Israel had completed the task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem under the keen direction and leadership of Nehemiah. They had overcome several discouraging moments by simply continuing on in the work God had brought to them. Finally, after just 52 days, their wall was finished, with all the door and gates hung in their places. It would have been tempting for Israel to let down her guard, now that the wall stood resolute between them and their enemies who still wanted to destroy them. But Nehemiah's wisdom took them down the path of further protection when he laid out to the people how they should live within their walls.
Nehemiah taught the people in simple practicality. The gates were not to be opened to go in and out of until the sun was hot. In other words, until the sun was very high in the sky. Dawn would prove to be too risky. The gates were to be closed while the guard were still on duty. That simply meant that they would be closed long before the sun went down. These two rules would, in large part, keep Israel's enemies out, and Israel safe inside except in the brightest daylight, when it would be unlikely that their enemies would attack them.
Then Nehemiah offered on more sound piece of advice. At all times there would be guards around the entire wall who were responsible for watching for the attacks that might come. Though Israel had secured a sound victory in the completion of the wall, the wall could not protect itself!
In our lives, the same is often true. Have you ever experience a great spiritual victory, say, over a particular sin? You not only built at stone wall to keep it out of your life, but when temptation came you "stonewalled" it again. Days passed and the temptation did not return, so you, in the pride of conquering your enemy, settle into that "safe" life. Then one day, seemingly out of nowhere, the enemy returns and tempts you quickly to sin. Caught "off-guard" you instantly fall prey to it again. The problem was not that you hadn't been victorious in building a wall to keep it out of your life; the problem is that you did not train your eye to keep watch for its return.
Israel needed men to watch for an enemy attack on Jerusalem. In the same way we need to be watchmen on the wall who are scanning the horizon for any sign of our enemy who will come again and again to try to defeat or destroy our lives and testimonies. Our enemy will never be defeated by our spiritual walls. Quite the opposite! He will look for more and more ways to re-enter your life, to take you as his prisoner, to lead you back to bondage.
Building a wall against sin through prayer, Bible study, and even accountability is only one part of the solution to sin. You must add to those a discerning eye, a humble heart that knows how easy it is to be infiltrated by evil, and a reliance on the Holy Spirit that comes from surrender to His commands.
Are you standing on the wall 24/7?
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