Therefore, I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.

Nehemiah 4:13

As the enemy spread unsettling rumors, I imagine that Nehemiah consulted with the Lord many times. He did not allow fear or the concern of the people to deflect his God-given task of rebuilding the wall. He immediately stationed guards on the most vulnerable places of the wall with spears, swords, and bows. He knew that he must rebuild and strengthen every section of the wall that enabled the enemy to have access.

As believers, it is tempting to allow the enemy to instill fear in us, but God has promised us that He has not given us a spirit of fear but of power along with a sound mind. (II Timothy 1:7) When attacks come, we must seek the Lord for wisdom and discernment about what to do and ask Him to show us where our vulnerable places are, the places where the enemy has easy access. The Lord is faithful and will reveal our areas of weakness, both through His Word and through our faithful Christian friends and intercessors.

The way to close the gap in our places of vulnerability is to “post guards” at those places.

It is interesting to note that the enemy spread rumors about Nehemiah and the Israelites in order to prevent the rebuilding of the wall. The enemy seeks to do the same to us. He distracts us with all sorts of things to take our attention away from allowing the Lord to repair the broken-down places of our lives that give the enemy places to slip in. When we are distracted by his tactics, he comes into our places of vulnerability.

Where do you see the enemy at work in your life? Do you have any places in your life that are vulnerable to his attacks – unforgiveness, bitterness, anger? Are there things that the Lord has asked you to do but you have rebelled and refused? Seek the Lord today for the places of vulnerability in the walls of your spiritual life and ask Him to restore and rebuild them so that only the Lord can have access into your life.

Heavenly Father,

Close the gaps in my life that allowed the enemy access. Strengthen and post Your guards in the places where I have been most vulnerable.

In Jesus’ name, Amen