In many of my blog posts, I have covered the topics of breaking curses and ending sinful legacies. Today, we will focus on rebuilding ancient walls of spiritual protection.
In order to kill, steal and destroy, the enemy has to tear down our spiritual defenses. When I was in high school, my atheist friend did a pencil sketch of what he thought was a mockery of Christians. It was a beautiful sketch of a medieval looking stone fortress with tall, thick walls. HOLY BIBLE was inscribed on the walls, as dragons circled the fortress from above. I thought to myself, “This is a perfect picture of what the Word of God is for a believer.” When I asked my friend why he sketched the picture he said, “Because Christians hide behind their bibles to try to find protection from the world and the devil.”
What he meant as a mockery delighted me to no end. This was a beautiful sketch of how powerful the Word of God really is to protect believers. It’s also an example of how the enemy twists reality to deceive people. In his mind, the Bible is a fairy tale and that can’t possibly keep away the evil. But to anyone who has engaged real darkness in battle – we all know that his sketch was prophetically accurate.
The Lord hedges in his people to protect them from the enemy. The only time that the enemy can successfully attack God’s people is when our defenses are dropped.
What protects the Christ follower from the devil’s fiery darts? Ephesians 6:10-20 describes our protective armor:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”
The protective armor listed in Ephesians 6 is:
- The POWER of God
- belt of TRUTH
- Breastplate of RIGHTEOUNESS
- Shoes of READINESS of gospel of PEACE
- Shield of FAITH
- PRAYING in the Spirit
While the armor of God is invisible, it isn’t mystical. These spiritual attributes are strong and mighty to protect people who utilize them in their daily lives.
If we aren’t filled with God’s power, his truth, righteousness, readiness, peace and faith through prayer – we are more vulnerable to falling prey to an attack of Satan.
In Numbers chapters 22-26, Balak, the enemy of Israel tried to hire Balaam the prophet to curse Israel. But, Balaam could not curse Israel. The Lord had protected them from being cursed. Every time he went with Balak, the Lord filled his mouth with blessings for Israel. He even made Balaam’s donkey talk to Balaam, to wake Balaam up from cursing Israel and getting killed by the sword of the angel of the Lord. Balaam went to Balak, but told him he could only bless Israel. After Balaam was finished blessing Israel, against Balak’s wishes, he left.
Soon after this intense protection and blessing of God, Israel found themselves not fighting against a pagan curse, but against the judgement of God. The men of Israel began intermixing and committing fornication with the idol worshipping Midianite women. Quickly, the sin of the men brought a plague upon the entire nation of Israel. The sexual sin brought the curse of God upon the people and removed the Lord’s hand of protection. What protected Israel from Balak? Righteousness and truth. What brought judgement? Deliberate and willful sin.
I remember a time when America was very protected. I remember hearing news from other nations about natural disasters and terror and would be in awe of how protected America was. I recall wondering if the protection had to do with how our nation was surrounded by water, so it was hard to attack. I clearly didn’t comprehend or appreciate how the Lord was protecting us. I remember in the 1990’s when it began to feel as if the protection was lifting. Lately, the flood of evil from within has intensified, as the spiritual state of our nation decays. Oceans cannot protect from the spiritual judgements that sin allows into a nation. Natural disasters seem to have overtaken the land.
Evil doesn’t just have the unrestrained ability to attack a people group. The Old Testament gives us great examples of how righteousness protects people and lands, while sin destroys and tears down walls of protection. There are exceptions to the rule. (Look to the example of Job.) But the rule tends to be that sin defiles a people and righteousness protects.
What do we do, as believers, when we live in a land that is overflowing with violence, hatred and sin? How can we be protected? We can rebuild the ancient protections of righteousness.
Isaiah 58:6-14, the fasting chapter, discusses how fasting can be used to rebuild the ancient walls of spiritual protection over the land.
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
then you will find your joy in the Lord,
and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
The mouth of the Lord has spoken.
When we fast, putting off injustice and repent from all personal evil, the Lord is able to work in our hearts and lives. How we live will affect those around us. It is so important to always self-examine to make sure we are honoring God. God’s city is built with people. Each building block of his city is flesh and blood. We are engraved upon his heart.
When we give our hearts over to him completely, the positive affects ripple through our lives to those around us. Future generations are potentially affected by those who work to repent from sin, live in humility and in forgiveness.
Walking in forgiveness breaks the power of sin and resets our trajectory toward peace and wholeness. Unforgiveness prevents the healing power of the blood of Jesus and unleashes anger, confusion, hatred and bitterness into a family, community and land.
Today, let us choose to rise up in prayer and commit to help rebuild the ancient ruins of righteousness in our families and communities.
Prayer Point –
Father, in Jesus’ name, I commit to you that I want to be a part of the rebuilding of the walls of the ancient ruins of righteousness in my family. Lord, open my eyes to see where the walls in my life and my family have been weakened or torn down. Show me, Lord, how to pray.
Lord, as I have repented of sin and asked for your forgiveness, please also bring your conviction to those others in my family. I ask that your grace and mercy will be poured out on my children and grandchildren.
I commit my children and grandchildren to you, that they will obey your word. I ask that your Spirit will convict them of sin and deliver them from shame. I pray for the righteousness of Christ to reign in their hearts and lives.
Lord, rebuild our lives with righteousness. Restore us with your salvation. Show mercy to (name) who is wandering from your truth. Draw (name) back to you. Heal (name) in the name of Jesus. Lord Jesus, you became a sin offering for (name) so that (name) can become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
Lord, establish your truth in (name’s) life and heart.
I pray, in Jesus’ mighty name, that you will crush the devil’s head under our feet. I ask that you uproot the enemy’s strongholds that made inroads into my family through sin. I put all the sin under the blood of Jesus and pray that you, Lord, will stop the movement of the spiritual plague that has ravaged my family. Lord, bring your healing. Bring your truth. Bring your Spirit. Build your kingdom in my family.
In Jesus’ holy name, Amen.
Revealed Ministries 