“And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”
Nehemiah 1:3 (NKJ)
In ancient times, Middle Eastern cities were surrounded by walls made of stone. The walls of a city were significant. At these walls, watchmen would lookout for visitors or invaders, and at the gates, city fathers would conduct business or pass judgement on civic affairs. The wall was an integral part of the city and life within the city. The condition of the city walls was either a matter of honour or disgrace.
Our physical bodies are like the outer walls that house the inner city of our soul and spirit. Just as the health of the walls impacts the health and safety of the city, so our physical health affects our spiritual and emotional health. Nehemiah faced what many of us are facing today. The walls of our beloved city have broken down, and the inner city of our soul and spirit are vulnerable to be attacked and plundered.
We begin to break down our walls and mistreat our bodies with fleeting momentary pleasures. Like eating whatever you want without restraint, sleeping in instead of getting up to exercise, not doing the exercises the physio gave you to heal an injury, staying up late to watch ‘just one more’ episode of your favourite series or scrolling endlessly on social media. Moments of pleasure like these weaken the walls of our city, until one day they begin to crumble creating gaps and access points for the enemy to come in to lie, kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10).
The enemy uses the neglect or breakdown of our physical health as an access point to gain entry to the inner city of our souls through thoughts, emotions and lies we believe based on what we’re experiencing. We open ourselves up to shame, guilt, fear, insecurity, intimidation, isolation, hopelessness, and so much more. We become paralyzed in our spiritual lives because we’re so consumed with ourselves and our failings and shortcomings than we are with Him and we begin questioning His goodness and our ability to be effective in His Kingdom.
There are things in life that happen to us and our bodies that we have no control over whether it be sickness, pain or disease, but we are not powerless. We have the power to choose how we’re going to respond to the attacks that are coming against our city wall and the struggles we face in life.
Our bodies are not our own, they are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and it’s time for us to start rebuilding the temple walls that have broken down and restoring them to the former glory God desired for your physical health when He created you. It’s time for our lifestyles to be a reflection of our walk with the Lord, not just in character and conduct, but in the daily choices we make.
PAUSE – PRAY – PROGRESS
- What is the condition of your city walls?
- How has the enemy gained access to the inner city of your soul and spirit through paralyzing thoughts, feelings or lies?
- What do you have control over, that you can use to rebuild your walls?