Encouragement for the Christian on his walk with the Lord...
Romans 15:4
"For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." -
People who REFUSED to come down :
NEHEMIAH: (Nehemiah 6) - REASON : The enemy tried to stop Nehemiah from doing the work that the Lord had for him.
JESUS: (Gospels) - REASON : He was completing the redemption work for us on the cross and refused to come down.
People who HAD to come down :
TWO SPIES: (Joshua 2) - REASON : Joshua's spies were hidden from the enemy before they were let down the wall by Rahab in her house. Rahab acted on faith... Rahab had heard about God, she hadn’t seen any of the things that He did, and yet she believed that God was going to do what He said, she held on to His promise. Rahab showed her faith by her actions. As soon as the spies came down the wall, is when God began to honour His promise to Rahab. As Christians, God wants us to learn to live by faith day by day—believing what He says is true... to stop doubting His word and promises He has made to us and to display faith by action. Rahab showed her faith by her actions, and she let the spies down the wall to free them for God’s service and to obtain her promise. Similar to the story in Joshua 2, if God called us down in order to honour a promise in our life, we then ought to obey His direction for His promises to come into action. It may take a while to understand why God takes His time with His promises, but He always reveals why during our waiting. Come down by faith.
ZACCHAEUS: (Luke 19) - REASON : Zacchaeus climbed up a tree to see Jesus, however when Jesus passed his way, He asked Zacchaeus to come down from the tree in order to spend some time with him. Through this experience for Zacchaeus, it helped him to have a closer relationship with Jesus and helped him to become a better person. Those whom Christ calls, must humble themselves, and come down when commanded and He will bring you to higher places. (For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Matt 23:12 -) Parallel to Zacchaeus, when asked come down by faith.
PAUL: (Acts 9 + 2nd Corinthians 11) - REASON : Similar to Joshua's men, Paul had to escape and come down a wall in a basket fleeing from the enemy who were against the will of God in his life. This however, enabled Paul to go further afield with the Gospel into many various countries, a liberty he never would have experienced had he remained up the wall. There may be times when God wants us to come down our wall so that other people are not getting in the way, falsely intervening or forbidding where the Lord wants to guide or place us. Leaving the wall in this case enabled the Gospel to reach other lands and see other people saved. God will encourage us forward into other lands where the Gospel is needed. Paul tells us to be followers of him as he is followers of Christ (1 Cor 11:1), therefore do as Paul did, come down by faith.
CONCLUSIVELY: It is good for Christians to be like Nehemiah, where we are doing a work of the Lord and refuse to come down. Yet there are times through circumstances when God will call us down from the wall. From examining the scriptures, coming down the wall in our spiritual walk is not ceasing from His work nor demotion, it's God’s way of directing us onto a better wall for His glory and promotion. He does not want us to remain where the service is drying up. (Study 1 Kings 17) Abraham had to obey God when God told him without warning to leave his country (Study Genesis 12). God cannot use us for better things in the future unless we comply and obey His direction now. Be comparable to Rahab, act on what God has said and don’t doubt, as it came from Him. God never fails (Zeph 3:5) and God never lies (Titus 2:1). When God begins to close the door of your service now, He will open another door for you to walk into, have faith to enter in. Remember, obedience towards God results in His blessings (Without faith it is impossible to please Him – Hebrews 11:6) There are 16 warnings from the scriptures that state "Obey my voice" and if God has spoken to us through His word, which is sharp, powerful and true, do not not be persuaded by other voices (Study 1 Kings 13). Therefore if God is calling you down, obey His voice and come down by faith.
VERSES OF ENCOURAGEMENT :
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and HE will make your paths straight." -
Psalm 118:8
“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” -
Isaiah 45:19
“I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.” -
Thanks,Nathan.