The report that came to Nehemiah described a city that was vulnerable to its enemies and embarrassed by its weak position. It was the cherished temple where the Possessor of heaven and earth 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 seem 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 and 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.
The soul is truly the command center of our lives. It is important that we allow the Holy Spirit to rebuild the crushed and ruined areas of our souls. As the walls of our souls are strengthened, we become less and less vulnerable to the attacks of our enemy, Satan. He will no longer plague us with the embarrassment of being beaten over and over again by the same weakness. We are being built into a mighty city and fortress to bring glory to our king!
Nehemiah came to Jerusalem as the Holy Spirit comes to us — to build and strengthen our lives. 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 will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” (John 14:16 NKJV). 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 unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (NKJV). The Comforter has come to develop our lives and transform us into His image of strength and stability. He has come to free us from our enemies and make us a 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.
The Spirit of God has come into our lives with all of the tools necessary to create a life free from every attack of our enemy. What makes us vulnerable to his attacks? We, as believers, are vulnerable when past sin keeps us weak. As a new creation, we are free from sin’s dominion spiritually; however, our souls are in the process of being renewed. We have complete access to the presence of God.
