There is a beautiful illustration of the work of the Spirit in the Book of Nehemiah.
This man, Nehemiah, was a vessel used of God to bring forth an important strength in God's people. His experience also gives us an example of what must take place in a person who is seeking restoration, stability, and spiritual strength.
The Apostle Paul called these Old Testament experiences examples (1 Cor. 10:6). In the opening lines of the Book of Nehemiah, the stage is set for a powerful revelation:
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month of Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace.The city of Jerusalem was at a crucial time in its history. The temple had been rebuilt and worship had been restored, yet the walls of the city still lay in ruin.
That Hanani, one of my brethren, came he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
(Neh. 1:1-3)
In those days the walls of a city served several purposes. By surrounding the city, they helped to protect it from invasion. The high towers built upon these walls provided a place for watchmen to view the countryside. This vantage point gave them time to prepare the city to battle as an enemy approached. They could not be surprised.
Nehemiah Responds To The Call
The report came to Nehemiah many miles away in the place of the Persian king that the people of Jerusalem were greatly afflicted and reproached because there were no walls around their city.
Nehemiah's heart sank as he heard the grim words of his kinsman. He wept and mourned for days. God's city was in desperate need, and Nehemiah was moved by God into action.
He prayed that God would use him to change the condition of Jerusalem. Something had to be done. The ruined walls would have to be cleared away and new walls built. Jerusalem must again be a city that glorified Jehovah God!
He Asked; He Received
We are beginning to see a clear parallel developing. The conditions of Jerusalem in Nehemiah's day to be the conditions of countless Christians today.
- Dennis BurkeNehemiah stood before the king daily in the palace as cupbearer to Artaxerxes. This put him in a place of counsel to the king. He was so saddened by what he heard that he could not hide it from the king. He boldly requested time to go to Jerusalem with letters of authority and the supplies needed to rebuild the walls of hid city. The king gave him all he asked for, as well as captains of the army to accompany him.
The report that came to Nehemiah described a city that was vulnerable to its enemies and embarrassed buy its weak position. It was the cherished temple where dwelt, yet there were no walls to guard it. Though worship had been restored, Jerusalem remained vulnerable to attack from the enemy.
We are beginning to see a clear parallel developing. The conditions of Jerusalem in Nehemiah's day to be the conditions of countless Christians today.
Because they have been born of the Spirit, God has moved into their lives and made them His dwelling place. They have entered a position of acceptance with God. They are free to worship and enjoy His presence, yet they find themselves incapable of coping with the challenges that rise up against them.
They cannot seem to bridge the gap to bring this restored relationship with God over into dealing with real-life problems. There is little control in their lives. Though they have become a temple and dwelling place of the Most High God, the walls of their soul remain in disarray.
Your Soul: A Mighty Fortress
The soul is truly the command center of your life. It is vital that you receive the work of the Holy Spirit to rebuild the crushed and ruined areas of your soul. As the walls of your soul are strengthened, you become less and less vulnerable to the attacks of your enemy, Satan.
He will no longer plague you with the embarrassment of being beaten over and over again by the same weakness. You are being built into a mighty city and fortress to bring glory to your King!
Nehemiah came to Jerusalem as the Holy Spirit comes to you - to build and strengthen your life. The picture which Nehemiah gives us of the Holy Spirit's work is so beautiful. Even his name brings this parallel.
Nehemiah means "Jehovah comforts." Jesus told us, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever" (John 14:16). Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, whose ministry is to transform us into the very image of our heavenly Father.
Notice 2 Corinthians 3:18,
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.The Comforter has come to develop your life and transform you into His image of strength and stability. He has come to free you from your enemy and make your enemy and make you beautiful city that is secure. Security means to be free from cares, free from the fear of disaster, free from disease, and free from financial ruin.
Excerpt permission granted by Dennis Burke Ministries
