By Sade Akanni
(Living seed Vol 13 No. 1 July 2006)
“The words of Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chislev in the twentieth year as I was in Sushan, the palace, that Hanani, one of my brethren came, he and certain men of Judah and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity and concerning Jerusalem. And they said unto me, the remnant who are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach; the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire. And it came to pass when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.” (Neh. 1:1-4)
There are many things happening in the church today that indicate that it is time for us to arise and build. The body of Christ is experiencing such a great distress that when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back again, one wonders whether He will meet faith on the earth. Yet the one who promised to build His church is faithful. Even the gates of hell shall not prevail. The kind of distress which the people of Israel experienced in the time of Nehemiah seems to typify what the church is going through almost all over the world today. There came a time in the history of Israel that because of sin and disobedience to God’s command, God gave them over to their enemies to plunder. Babylon attacked and conquered Israel and Nehemiah was one of the men of Israel carried away as captives into Babylon. Sin brought Israel so low that the great nation became a reproach in the sight of all their enemies. It was a period of hardship for the whole land. The wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and the gates were burned with fire. What a time for them to learn their lessons and cry to God for mercy and help! What a time to labour until the wall stands again. That was the time and the purpose for which Nehemiah laboured.
As Nehemiah heard the news, he sat down and wept and mourned certain days and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Though he was quite comfortable as the cupbearer to the king in Babylon, he was concerned about the situation of Jerusalem and the people who were left of the captivity. The steps he took to express his concern will be dealt with later. But it is important to note that he took the burden upon himself and laboured and got others involved so much that in Neh. 2:18, they all agreed to arise and build.
The situation of the church is more or less the same. As we arise to build, we shall no more be a reproach unto our enemies and we shall hasten the return of our Lord Jesus Christ by the grace of God.
In Isa.60.18(b), the Bible says,
“… but thou shall call thy walls salvation, and thy gates praise.”
Salvation experience, which is supposed to be the wall of the church to clearly demarcate our territory from the kingdom of darkness and the world system, has been broken down. The ‘gates’ into the church, the city of the great King has been consumed with fire. The praise of God is supposed to provide entry for us into His very presence (Ps.100:4). But this has been polluted and devoured by the enemy so much that people no longer enter the presence of God with fear and reverence for Him. No more ‘gates’. People now come into His presence anyhow and get away with it. Even hypocrites have no restriction to enter in. In the days of the apostles in Acts 5, when the gates of this ‘Jerusalem’ were still standing, none dared come before God anyhow. Ananias and Saphira his wife tried it but they lost their lives in the process. From then on, the Bible says,
“And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. And of the rest dared no man join himself to them, but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (Acts 5:11, 14).
As they saw Ananias and Saphira dead on the floor, no one dared to mix up with the Body of Christ anyhow again with any wrong luggage. Fear came upon all the people because the gates were intact.
When the wall and the gates of a fenced city break down, anything and any man can enter anyhow without restriction. This is the present situation of the church. The walls of salvation have broken down. There is no more clear demarcation between the holy and the profane, the clean and the unclean. The salvation experience that clearly cuts a man off from the world system and translates him into God’s kingdom is no more clearly presented and experienced. Many ministers are satisfied with you, once you come to church regularly and you pay your tithe. You are tagged ‘a good Christian’ without due regard to a clear experience of salvation evidenced by genuine fruits of repentance. Strange ideas, unwholesome doctrines and strange behaviours find their way into the church because there is no more spiritual restriction since the “walls” and the “gates” are no more standing. What a right time for us to cry unto God and to arise and build. We are expecting a great visitation of revival as we arise and take up the challenge as Nehemiah did.
That scripture (Neh. 1:3) says that the remnant, the people left of the captivity were in great affliction and reproach. Not only were the walls broken down and the gates burnt with fire, the people themselves were not left out in the distress. They were in great trouble due to their disobedience. They were being harassed, yet helpless. Even today, children of God are in great distress. They suffer the devil’s harassment on all sides, as sheep without a shepherd’s voice. Some have unconsciously left the shepherd of their souls as they go looking for covering elsewhere. The walls of their lives, the hedge built around their lives by God are broken down and their gates burnt with fire. For everyone who is passing through such an experience this is the time to arise and go to your heavenly father as the prodigal son did. It is no time for self-pity. Rise and re-build the broken down wall! There is no need to continue wandering about in the bush of this world. It is time to arise that God may rain righteousness upon you.
Re-building your personal broken wall
Every society is made up of many individuals from different homes dwelling together. The life, the strength and the progress of any society or church congregation depends on that of the individuals living in it. If the people are righteous, the society will be righteous. But if individuals in it are wicked and corrupt, so will that society be. The spirituality of a church is very much dependent on the spirituality of the individuals in it. If each of us will therefore look into our lives to see where our ‘walls’ have broken down and rebuild it, the ‘whole wall of Jerusalem; the hedge around the body of Christ, will become a continuous wall with no breach in any part. The whole fence around a house may not be completely broken down but once a section of it collapses, the defence of the occupants collapses. Breaches in a fence cause breaches in their defence. When you allow your portion of the ‘wall of Jerusalem’ to break down, you become a troubler of Israel.
“Whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him” (Eccl 10:8).
But you are not the only one to suffer the trouble others will be affected too. Your home will not escape it and the church will partake in the suffering as well. This calls for each one of us to be sober and responsible in making sure we do not break the hedge. If it is already broken, you need to responsibly arise and build as a person. If you look at Neh 3:1-32, you will discover that the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt bit by bit. Nehemiah did not do it alone. Each person and each family built the portion opposite his own house. By the time each person finished building, the whole wall became a complete and continuous wall with no gap at all.
For the church to be revived, for the glory of God to be restored unto us, and for our defence to be secured again, each of us has to examine our lives and build that portion of the wall that has been broken down. For some, the wall has broken down in the area of marriage. For others, it is their relationship with others or even in the ministry. When you quarrel with your husband or wife and you disagree over whatever issue, the hedge is broken. God turns His back on you and refuses to answer your prayers from that point onward, until you restore your fellowship and settle the quarrel (1 Pet.3:7). When you shout on your spouse and insist on having your way, you cause a crack in your relationship and hence a crack in your “wall”. If you do not settle it quickly and allow other matters to come-in between, the gap will increase and more cracks will develop until the wall finally collapses. A grudge, hatred, disobedience and indeed every sin has the ability to break down God’s fence, and presence in a man’s life. Once the wall breaks down, the man is exposed to danger. The adversary gains entrance and launches attacks on his life, home and even ministry. You will soon see the enemy, raiding him physically and spiritually; stealing away what he has hitherto been enjoying, with God. His health may be attacked, even the little word of God he knows begins to dwindle and his faith may soon give way.
If the wall is not quickly re-built, the enemy may come and harvest such a soul into eternal damnation. How we need to be sober and vigilant! How we need to watch over our hearts and ways at all times and pray! Our adversary, the devil goes about Iike a roaring lion looking for someone to tear apart. May we not fall prey into his hands in Jesus’ Name.
We shall now look at the steps Nehemiah and the people took to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and set up Its gates so as to know what God expects from us. There are certain steps he took at the beginning that made the burden for the work to be deep enough in his heart This enabled him to endure all hardships till the work was completed. It gave him an inner motivation, an inner push. We shall learn from his example.
A Deep Concern
“That Hanani, one of my brethren came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem”. (Neh 1:2).
Though in captivity, Nehemiah was guite comfortable. He could have forgotten his sorrows and settled down properly in Babylon without being bothered about what was happening to others. But he was concemed. He could not imagine the calamity that came upon Jerusalem, the city of the great King. He felt for the people who were left in the city. His concern became the beginning of a serious revival in his life and in the lives of the people of Israel. The concem became the foundation for a great ministry to be entrusted unto him by God.
Each one of us must be concerned about the situation of the church today. Those who did not see the church in the time of her glory, those who were born again when the glory had departed from the church may not be able to appreciate that something has gone wrong. They may not see the need to be burdened. All the same, you must be concerned and ask the elders. Ask the Lord to show you what the church is meant to be, a burden will come upon your soul when you hear the reports. More than that, ask the Lord to show you what He expects from your own life and compare it with what you are now. Stop comparing yourself with others, each one of us is unigue in His hands. You must not allow yourself to be
deceived that you are better than another person, lest you become complacent about God’s purpose for your life as a person. It is when you see your life in the light of God’s word that you will properly understand your real situation; then you will be able to earnestly cry to God to help.
I Sat Down … Certain Days
When Nehemiah heard the situational report, he sat down… The gravity of a matter depends on the value you attach to it in your heart. The outcome of your Christian life now and hereafter depends on how you handle it now. If you see the great thing that God is reserving for you, you will tremble. When you understand that it is possible to lose your salvation and lose your soul in hell, if you look back after putting your hands on the plough (Luke 9:62), you will highly value the rebuilding of the broken walls. The Lord is coming to take home a church without spot or wrinkle. And only those who endure till the end shall be saved. Not those who turn back to become something else in the middle of the journey. It calls for soberness, deep gravity of heart and vigilance on my part and yours as a person to ensure that there is no breach in our hedge each moment. If there is any, it must be aggressively dealt with and the wall rebuilt with immediate effect.
When Nehemiah heard that report and saw the problem, he first of all sat down… such sitting down involves giving attention to the matter, deeply thinking about it so much that you are unable to do anything else other than to sit down. It involves thinking and considering the implications of the situations and the danger that awaits you if you do nothing about it. My brother, my sister, there are many times God has spoken to you about the situation of your life and shown you what you ought to be and to do. But what did you do about it? At best may be you shed crocodile tears and pleaded with God for mercy. Very soon after, because of your many pursuits, you soon forgot God’s dealings. You did not give attention to it in order for it to take root and achieve God’s purpose. For every spark to become a big flame, it needs a shielding. It needs time and attention. So also is every dealing of God. You do not have to keep repeating lessons. You need to sit down, gather your thoughts around it, and shield your heart from every Interruption and distraction.
Sitdown my brother. Your life and eternity are at stake. Has sin crept into your life and your home? Are you in distress? Have you broken the hedge? Is the serpent biting you already? Are you beginning to experience the terror and oppression of the enemy as it happens to unbelievers? Stop blaming the devil, maybe there are breaches in your defence. A snake does not normally enter a house except there is a hole or an opening. It is unfortunate that we blame the devil all the time for every evil because he is the ‘doer of evil’ (devil). But he does not do evil unless you open the door for him. Stop blaming others too. Do not be deceived. Sit down…stop running around, at least for a while. Look inside … Let the Lord shed the light of his understanding upon your soul. Sit down. Consider the matter in the presence of God not for self-pity or self condemnation, but for the purpose of re-building your broken walls that the glory of God and the presence of God may be made manifest in your situation again.
… And Wept, and Mourned. ..
Nehemiah sat down… and wept. Something made him to weep. There is a saying that uncontrollable thoughts normally provoke uncontrollable tears. He wept. As he saw the troubles and the dangers awaiting the city without gates, whose walls were already broken down, he could not but weep. He wept, not for people to see, not for self-pity, but “…before the God of Heaven”. Every such proper weeping normally attracts God’s attention and compassion.
Have you seen your true situation? Have you seen the trouble you are in? Have you seen the gravity of your problems? And can you see more the danger that lies ahead of you if your situation remains like this? If you have not, then you need to keep sitting down yet…before the God of heaven…until this is shown to you. But if you have seen this, you do not need to be told before tears will start rolling down from your eyes.
True weeping leads to mourning. And mourning normally brings comfort at last (Matt. 5:4) All these are necessary conditions for receiving enough burden, enough inner ability; an inner drive to enable you go through every hurdle in rebuilding the broken walls of your life, your home and the church. Mourning is of the heart and by it, the heart is made better (Eccl.7:3) You will soon experience the comfort of the Holy Spirit as you deeply and sincerely mourn over your situation before the God of heaven.
…And Fasted
It appears as if Nehemiah did not actually plan to fast that time. He said, . “And it came to pass when I heard these words that I sat down and wept, and fasted…” (Neh. 1: 4) Fasting became automatic as he heard the report. It was an unplanned fasting. He did not allow the heat of the report to cool off before he would schedule a fast. He did not procrastinate.
There are certain situations in our lives that demand prayer accompanied by fasting before you can receive the solution. The matter of broken down walls is one of them. We must be sensitive enough in our spirits and be willing to give up food for the sake of things eternal. When a problem becomes a very serious burden to you no one needs to tell you before you fast. You will actually lose your appetite immediately until a solution Is in view.
Nehemiah fasted not to impress people or as a hunger strike to express his disagreement with God over what happened. He fasted to humble himself before God in order to be able to pray and beg God with all humility. When a man’s stomach is full, even his heart may become full and proud and he may not see the needs of his life properly enough to make him beg God.There are certain situations in our lives that demand prayer accompanied by fasting… The matter of broken down walls is one of them. The matter of re-building your broken walls demands fasting and that not just for the sake of it or to bribe God, but fasting to humble ourselves before God: fasting accompanied by mourning and prayers.
And Prayed
When you sit down because of a problem, and weep, mourn and fast without pouring your heart unto God in prayer, it will only amount to self-torture. It will not produce the desired result — the rebuilding of your life before God. Each of us desiring revival must realize that “it is God that works in us both to will and to do according to His good pleasure.” Except the Lord builds a house, the labourers are working but in vain. New resolutions alone cannot do it; weeping alone cannot accomplish anything; seeking new ideas and help of men may only land you into more trouble. All such cannot undo what has been done. You must pray and pray until something happens.
Look at the prayer Nehemiah prayed. It was a prayer not to accuse God or shift the blame on God or any man. It was not to challenge or command God to come down. It was a prayer of confession in humility, accepting the blame and identifying himself with the situation. It was a prayer of supplication, pleading with God for mercy and reminding Him of His promise. God is not interested in breaking down His hedge from around our lives and families. He does not take delight in such things. It is rather His good pleasure to give us the kingdom. He delights in us shooting forth in the things of the kingdom, possessing our possession. When the walls break down, God is not to be blamed.
He is just and righteous. That is the reason for us to first of all sit down and consider the situation in the light of God’s word so that we may be able to see the breaches; the collapsed portions in our defence properly. There is need for us to sit down and consider our ways.
The Lord Jesus wrote to the church at Ephesus,
“Remember, therefore from where thou art fallen and repent, and do thy first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy lamp stand out of its place, except thou repent. (Rev.2:5).
Sit down. Consider your ways. Bring to remembrance your thoughts and actions. Remember where you have fallen. Remember when and where last that you saw God walking with you. Remember where you left Him (though mistakenly) and went your way. That was the point at which you became a sheep without a shepherd. That was the point your hedge was broken and your life became defenceless. There can be no true confession, no genuine repentance until you are able to locate that point where you lost touch with the Master — else what will you confess? Remember from where thou art fallen, and repent and do thy first works.
For any building to last, there must of a necessity be a proper solid foundation. Therefore, for the proper building of a life in Christ and for the rebuilding of any broken down life or family in Christ, there must be a sincere confession and turning away from sin. God’s foundation for any man’s life and for any endeavour in Christ is quite sure and unwavering.
“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” (2Tim 2:19).
That is God’s rubber stamp, God’s logo. God’s stamp of ownership. His trademark for everyone who belongs to Him, and it is double-sided. The first side of it is that God cannot be mocked; God cannot be deceived. He knows those who belong to Him. The second side is ours to ensure. Let everyone that names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity. You must repent.
Are you yearning to belong to Christ for your life to be built on Him? Then, pay close attention to the matter of repentance from sin. Sin is the thing that will not allow God to walk with a man. You must rend your heart and cry unto him with heartfelt contrition. Pray with all that is within you. Confess your sins and turn away from them. Turn your life over to Christ. He will receive you. Then the building proper, the building of your life can start.
At the end of that prayer; Nehemiah made a request from God;
“…and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this a man…” (Neh. 1:11).
Your prayer must not end with confession alone. Confession alone without having it in mind to go and do something about your situation, will only last but awhile. Before you know it, you would enter the same trouble again… the cycle continues (if you are still alive by then). Why do you confess if you do not intend to correct your life? You must pray and seek the face of the Lord until there is light in your heart over what step to take; otherwise your prayer is not yet complete. As Nehemiah wept and mourned and fasted and prayed, he saw what he must do to rescue the situation. God put something in his heart to do over the matter (Neh. 2:12). Based on that, he made a request from God to grant him mercy before his boss so that he may be allowed to go and repair the broken walls. What are those things hindering you from rebuilding your broken walls and from pursuing God’s mandate on your life? Is it your friends, family, your business, your boss, or yourSELF? What is that thing that is tying you down that each time you make a move to make progress in your Christian life, it serves as a road block? What is that entanglement? What is that ship you joined like Jonah? You must make a request from the Lord over such matters. You must pray until such barriers give way. Your prayer must not end until this is accomplished.
Count The Cost
“And I arose in the night, l and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do in Jerusalem, neither was there any beast with me, except the beast that I rode upon. And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the Jackal’s well, and to the dung gate and viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates were consumed with fire.” (Neh 2:12-13).
Many times, we pray without depth and make rash decisions before God and we soon cool off and go back into our state of equilibrium. We go for retreats and conferences and get revived but the effect does not last. It is either because we are not sincere in our prayers or we ended the matter with prayers only. For every burden to break forth into action, for the rebuilding of broken down walls to be effected, this next stage is very crucial: shielding and brooding over the flame (the burden) until it becomes a great fire, and counting the cost of the building project.
Burdens over a situation normally come as a ( spark of light at first). But a spark of light is never so useful. It does not last. You can neither see the way ahead with it nor cook with it. If a spark must be useful, it must be shielded from wind and some combustible materials must be gathered around it to make it become real flames of fire.
As Nehemiah cried unto God, and he was released to go and act on his prayer, he said, “neither told any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem…” He kept these ‘sparks’ in his heart. He kept meditating on it and praying about it. He gathered his thoughts around it to make his heart properly catch the fire. He did not tell any man about it. When you share an immature burden, you kill the burden. Moreover, many men are fire extinguishers. As you prematurely tell them how God has dealt with you and what he has put in your heart to do about your situation, first, your heart becomes light over the matter, and secondly, the words they will utter will quench that spark since they cannot see what you saw. There is a proper time to share a burden if necessary, maybe for counselling or for joint labour. Is the Lord asking you to make restitution over a matter, or is He asking you to give Him all your life and time for His work? What has the Lord put in your heart over that situation of your life? Do as Nehemiah did. There are certainly some ‘Sanballaths’ and ‘Tobiahs’ who will not be happy that you are on the path of breakthrough over your situation (Neh 2: 10). Satan is never our Friend. We must not be ignorant of the devices of the devil.
Every building must cost something. Every step you take in Jesus costs something. Jesus never hides this matter. He told his disciples in Lk 14:28-30.
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.”
And in Lk 9:57-67, someone expressed to the Lord Jesus his desire to follow Him. Jesus did not hesitate to let him see the cost. “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the son of man hath not where to lay his head,” Then take time to count the cost of the step God is asking you to take. Nehemiah went round the broken down wall by night to survey the extent of the damage and therefore the cost of the repairs. One needs to pray again at that stage so as not to be discouraged when you see the demand the repairs will place on your life. Certain restitution are costly and may look dangerous but if you look up to God, He will see you through and it will eventually work together for your good. If the burden has not yet become overwhelming enough, this may be another point where it will be quenched. Yet it is necessary to count the cost and make up your mind to go and obey God.
If you have seen the danger in your situation, if you have seen the glory of God that has departed from vou, your birthright that is getting lost and the exploitation of the devil over your life, no price will be too much for you to pay in order to rebuild the broken-down wall and get back the lost glory. God is ever willing to restore men into their lost estate. But the devil, our adversary always paints the whole thing black and makes the journey back into God’s presence so difficult that many have resolved to manage on their lives in their backslidden and lukewarm state. You must break through that barrier and damn the consequence. You will soon experience the presence of God again. His glory will burst forth over you afresh. Then all the Sanballaths and Tobiahs of your life will be put to shame.
Your Life – A Building
“We are God’s fellow workers, you are God’s field, you are God’s building” (1 Cor 3:9) “Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” (Eph 2: 20-21). “If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” (1 Cor 3:17).
The Lord does not dwell in houses made with hands. He seeks to dwell in the hearts of men. He delights in making us His temple, His dwelling place. Each of us is God’s dwelling as many of us as have surrendered our lives to him. We have become a spiritual habitation for the Most High God. The day any one is born into the kingdom of God is the day the foundation is laid which is Christ Himself. The next thing is to put one block on top of the other and the building will rise. “Every house is built by someone but He who builds all things is God.” (Heb. 3:4). The building of a correct Christian life is a joint work of God, the man himself and other believers. For God to make His habitation in such a man and for His glory and presence to surround his life, each of the three parties must be allowed to play its role. “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it.” (Ps 127:1) God is the Architect and the Master-builder of this building (Heb.11:10). Others are just labouring with Him. He is the one who has the master-plan for our lives and He is the One who works in us both to will and
to do, of His good pleasure. And of His fullness have we all received, and grace for grace (Jn.1:16). If the Lord does not bring forth His plan for any life, even if the man builds, it will not be according to pattern. And if God does not supply the grace and strength, nothing will be achieved. All reference must be made to Him at all points if your life will become built up into God’s holy temple. He must stand at all points as we build, and His presence must be manifested each moment for help, supervision and direction at the building site if our lives must be acceptable in His sight.
The man himself that is being built is the next important labourer in this building project. He is the one being built, yet he is also responsible for building his life.
“Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man’s work shall be made manifest…if any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet as by fire.” (1Cor.3:12-15).
“But ye beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. (Jude vs. 20)
The foundation is already laid. You must watch what you use and what is being used by men of God to build your life. You have a responsibility to guide and guard your life since every man will give account of himself to God. There are certain building blocks that God has approved in raising His building. From the Jude scripture above, praying in the Holy Ghost is one. It has the ability to build us up and our strength gets renewed. Praying in the Holy Ghost, especially praying in tongues brings special edification. (1 Cor14:14). It builds up the man exercised thereby. Each of us has the responsibility to ensure that this building is not neglected in our lives. Some have neglected this and have become weak Christians who keep complaining that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak when God makes a demand over their lives.
God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit. It is as we pray in Spirit that we get in touch with God the master builder and commune with Him. He speaks His word to us again and breathes on us the breath of life afresh. Our strength is renewed and our lives are built up. A prayerless Christian is a dwarf. He is immature and does not know what his father is doing. Eventually, he may wither off and be cast away as a dry branch. Nothing must replace your prayer life. Nothing must be given priority over this matter. Your business, family cares, friends, affairs of this life, must not be allowed to take priority over your communion with God. It is an important building block for the temple of the Most High; each of us has a responsibility to wade off every distraction and encumbrances over our prayer lives.
The word of God is another critical building block that must be used to build up our personal lives to make us a habitable sanctuary for the lord.
“So now, brethren, i commend you to God and to the word of His grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among those who are sanctified,” (Acts 20:32).
In the first place, we were born again not with corruptible seed, but incorruptible by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever. IPet: 1:23. It was as we heard the word of God, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ that the power of salvation came into us and saved us. It is still by that same word of God that we should be built up. Our bodies are physically built up by physical foods. But our very life, the temple of the Most High is only sustained and built up by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.
Here comes another responsibility. Usually, chaff looks like the wheat on the outside, but it is ordinary casing. It lacks weight, it lacks substance, and it lacks nourishment. Any word we read or that is spoken to us that does not have weight in our hearts to build us up in the knowledge and grace of God, is nothing but chaff. It may even be quoted from scriptures, but if it lacks substance, it is ordinary chaff, ordinary letter. And the letter kills. It must be thrown off because it will not leave you as it met you. It must kill. It must make you to depreciate. It brings dryness to the soul. But the Spirit gives life. We must watch our lives and what we take in, and be like the Berian Christians who will not just hear a message, but will go home to search scriptures, whether what they have heard is the truth and conforms to the total counsel of God. Obedience to the word of God causes one block to be joined to another and makes the building to be cumulative. If I obey God’s instruction, it will form a basis for the next instruction. But disobedience makes a man to repeat lessons. He is kept at that point until he obeys or drops out on the way. Disobedience causes stunted growths. It hinders progress. Again, it is by obedience to the truth through the spirit that our lives are purified (1Pet.1:22), and made fit for the habitation of the Holy Ghost. Each of us must watch our lives and give attention to obedience, lest we remain, perpetually on the wilderness side of our inheritance.
The third party that must labour with God, and with a man in building up his life to house God is the brethren- other members of the body of Christ, whether by personal contacts, relationship or by listening to others preach, or by reading the writings of other men gone before us or in our contemporary times, we have the mandate to allow others to contribute to our growth as God’s spiritual temple. “and He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists,…for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,…” (Eph 4:11-13). “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (Heb.10:24).
Other members of the body of Christ have a part to play to ensure my growth. They have something to supply which I cannot get by myself, to build me up. They must be allowed to play their part. We are not called to live a secluded life. We are members, one of another. If the mouth does not take in food, the eye will not grow. It will soon become dim. And if the eye does not see, the man may fall and the mouth may be injured and its growth hindered. Many have erroneously cut off their lives from the body of Christ, thinking they can make it on their own. They have only pierced themselves with many sorrows and difficulties and hamperd their own growth. There are some words from the evangelist, some teachings and shepherding of a pastor and teacher, some path-finding experience from the apostles etc., which we need in order to grow properly in Christ. There are some provocation unto love and good works that we must receive from other brethren if our lives must be built up into the kind of sanctuary that God desires to dwell in. You must not only allow it, but you must desire it in your life. And others need you to supply what they lack too. You must not deny others their bread that God has placed in your hands and life.
Building demands attention, takes time and it costs too. But when it is completed, it is attractive. With time, it also appreciates in value. All that you put into it to get it done will be nothing compared with what value is attached to it, were it to be sold again. And when you talk of your life as a spiritual habitation, it is worth more than Rubies. It is worth selling all that you have in order to have it. Nothing must be allowed to break down the walls, Whatever you seem to have lost as you embark on re-building your broken walls and building up your personal Christian life will eventually be gained in multiples. It is the mother of all provisions. Your life will be kept secure and life satisfaction and fulfilment will be your portion. Arise therefore, and build!
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