"Stay on the Wall"
Marsha Deveaux Johnson,
Living Joy Ministries, Inc.
“I have heard from God,
I am doing His work, I will not come down.” MDJ
Scriptural Reference: Nehemiah Chapters 2-7
Nehemiah
discerned the times in which he lived and listened to the heart of God for his
part in history. He went through the
proper channels to get permission to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of the
city of God. He heard the voice of God
and acted accordingly.
The
walls of our country have been torn down.
They have been demolished by factions of those who believe, those who do
not believe, and misguided folks who have heard from a god, but not from Elohim
(Creator) the God of peace and justice. They have not heard from the God who gives
free choice to every man, woman, boy, and girl to obey Him or not.
Some
prophets have said of this current time that there is now a “Global Reset” that
has been ordered by God for the “organized” church. However, the agenda for the
“Body of Christ” remains the same as it was when Jesus left this earth. It was “Go make disciples.” We know in part and “prophesy” in part but we
are always subject to the sovereignty of
God.
I
judge what I hear from God by His logos (written) word. I also receive the Rhema
word (inspired and spoken to me directly in my spirit) with total reliance on
the Holy Spirit. I thank God that my
relationship with Him allows me to hear His voice and follow His leading in my
life and decisions. I honor and revere
His words to me both logos and Rhema.
They are the treasures of my life.
Nehemiah’s
task was clear. Rebuild the wall of
Jerusalem. He went about it in orderly
fashion and started the project. He
appointed restorers of the breaches to certain parts of the wall. He outlined plans
so that the all of the wall was going up simultaneously. I just recently zeroed in on the scriptural
fact that there were women and children engaged in restoring this wall.
In
walks Sanballlat and Tobiah (Nehemiah 4:1) with familiar tactics such as name-calling,
lies, tricks, put down, and mockery about the people and the work of the Lord.
Well as it turns out that’s about all they had.
They could not thwart God’s will. It was time for the wall to be
built. God’s project, God’s orders,
clear the way. It will happen, God’s
way, God’s time, and God’s outcome. This
nation will hear God’s voice.
If
you are building the wall that God wants built, you don’t have to worry or be
anxious about the outcome. You do have
to realize that you must rebuild with a
sword (God’s word) in one hand and building tools in the other ( Nehemiah
4:17-18).
Let’s
get to the sword first. I am part of a
remnant group who is praying the agenda that God gives us. It is strategic prayer in the fact that we
listen and hear His heart, align with His will and then pray accordingly. We have found when you pray His heart and His
will you get His answers. We are sometimes figuratively speaking “blown away”
by the efficacy of the results of the prayers (God really does speak to His
people).
Soulish
prayers (prayers borne of the reasoning flesh of man) are an insult to God the
Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
Besides that, they demonstrate immaturity, selfishness, and blindness.
If you have ungodly and/or soulish perspectives and pray, Satan can gain
advantage. It is deadly to engage God
the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in soulish prayers that serve your
agenda and the agenda of unrighteousness.
Seek God for His will. His
kingdom come; His will be done is the only way to prosper in Him.
Secondly,
the building tools which you use are so important. God has in this time ordained His listening
ones in giving to others. The heart of
God is for the people whose needs are great in food, shelter, encouragement,
and love. Engage yourself in some way
with meeting the needs of others. It is
what Jesus did. He that gives to the
poor lends to the Lord (Proverbs 19:17).
Also,
do not align yourself with unrighteousness to get results for righteousness. A
little leavening will leaven the whole
lump (Galatians 5:9). When you align,
excuse away, and court sinful men who personify sin and corruption, it produces
death (Romans 6:23). Nehemiah could not
come down from the wall because he was charged to do God’s will and allow the
results to God.
You
cannot legislate righteousness for other people. You have not been assigned to make them
believe, receive, or live the God life.
Jesus said go and teach the Gospel.
The acceptance and/or rejection is under the authority of the creature
who has been given free choice by the Creator (God) over his own body, life,
and circumstance.
In
the end Nehemiah accomplished God’s will.
He allowed God’s will to become his will and thus pleased God. All of us
should do the same. War with the word of
God in one hand and do the will of God with the other hand. The results will be astounding!
PS
On a personal note I recently
had a precious experience. I have merged
prayer time with my exercise time as I swim.
For each of the laps that I do, I thank God for Who He is to me (Such as
Redeemer, Healer, Provider, etc.). I
reached the end of the pool and during the lap that I was thanking Him for
being my Rest and Peace I turned around
to return to the other end of the pool when I saw sunlight piercing through one
of the trees in my yard directly behind the pool. The sunlight was so brilliant and white that
I almost closed my eyes. However, circled
around this sunlight that was peeping through the tree was a most beautiful
moonbow! I saw it (perfectly round and
colorful) inside the screen porch in the area of the two chairs where David and
I sometimes sit as we read God’s word. I
have seen rainbows in the sky, but a moonbow in the screen porch of my back
yard! How marvelous is that!
