Protect Yourself by Brother Curtis Hansen

         This morning's scripture will be coming from the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah is right after the books of 1st and 2nd Chronicles  then Ezra.We will be at chapter 6 starting at verse 1.

        Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded a wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at the time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)

        2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

        3 And I sent my messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

       4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

        A little background on this scripture; Nehemiah and a remnant of Israel have come back from Babylon. Their first act was to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem as well as the walls that surrounded the city. God sometimes gives us a practical strategy for spiritual battle. Look back at the story of Naaman bathing in the Jordan river. A simple act of the flesh obeying the word created a miracle. Everyone that had returned to Jerusalem had a purpose in rebuilding the wall and temple.     

        Nehemiah is very aware that construction had not been completed. There were no doors built at the gates. Sure, it looks good that you have a formidable defense to the enemy, but if you have an opening from no door being secured at the gate, nor have any watchmen looking on the wall out for the enemy it's pretty foolish. What id in verse 2 the mischief that Sanballat and Gesham wasn't evil but it was perhaps a negotiation with Nehemiah? Sometimes the Lord will put you in a situation similar to Joshua where the Israelites walked around the city of Jericho before the walls fell. When you are walking around the wall to have a spiritual win or breakthrough, don't lose sight of the end in mind and begin to complain from impatience. Boundaries are also important for you spiritually. You need to build up your protection through study and prayer, placing guard at the gate. If you get a door for your defenses you just cannot shut the door. You need to lock the door and bar it. You can build your wall but it is within you to guard and watch in your protection.

        It had taken 80 years from released from Babylon to the building of the temple and protection by erecting a wall. Job had established how to protect himself and his family in his book with a hedge of protection. Solomon wrote in Proverbs chapter 25 and 28th verse;

        28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

        By that proverb, everyone of us know of someone who's broken and a mess. Tossed about by every line of thinking. Confused yet still prideful. Where are the doors for God's children? Ears, eyes, mouth, your heart. If you read about the reign of Solomon you know he was the wisest man, had immeasurable wealth, and he had no enemies because his father had wiped them all out. Solomon had a problem with women which would lead him astray in his reign. He had no self control in that area and over time, there would be other gods worshiped in Jerusalem. That's how it goes today for some believers. They are down at the altar fist fighting the devil in the spirit, but by Tuesday their weakened and fall right back into old worldly habits. There's head knowledge for things but it has to hit the heart and the spirit. The best way to fight back the enemy is to do a bit of preventive maintenance in your life. Fix the problem spots before they get out of hand and costly. Quit running day to day on emotion and ground yourself in the word.

        We must be consistent in our answer to invitations from the world or worldly people. What is your priority in life? Nehemiah was approached multiple times in the scripture to stop his work. In your life, is there someone or something trying to negotiate with you? An enemy is anyone or anything that gets in the way of your purpose.

        We must have integrity. Integrity is defined as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. Another definition is The state of being whole and undivided. If we go to chapter 7 of Nehemiah at the first verse, we see that the walls and doors were put up. Two men Hanani and Hananiah were given charge over Jerusalem because they were faithful and feared God above many. If you are going through a season where God wants you to stay quiet, you don't need to go around advertising it and if you get into conversations with someone who chip away at your defenses with certain triggers that will provoke an emotional irrational outburst. Nehemiah did something different in his book with the reconstruction. He had appointed the porters, singers, and Levites after the walls and doors were built and finished.

        You are making decisions, living your life, and you need to keep guard building up protection. When you set the door and lock it, it protects you from not only the enemy but also principalities of this dark world. Integrity is what fortifies your walk and your life. Build your walls and guard your door. There's the scripture saying that the enemy has come to kill, steal, and destroy. If you aren't dead and nor things in your life destroyed after you had a visit from the enemy, he has most definitely stolen something. Don't associate with principalities or powers in the world that could do you harm. Often times it is the thing and not the person you need to protect yourself from in life.