Recently, my spiritual mom came to see my husband and me in hopes of giving us some direction about where we were on this journey with Jesus. She gave a word about being in a canyon. This message was directed more towards my husband as he was going through some things and we were seeking to understand. This canyon didn't have him trapped, but he was protected. She began to describe each of these walls in the canyon as protective traits of Jesus Christ. Peace, righteousness, holiness, truth, strength, protection and salvation. At any given time, my husband could look at these walls and see the handwriting of Jesus Christ all around him.
Whoever [has] no rule over his own spirit [Is like] a city broken down, without walls. - Pro 25:28 NKJV
Sometimes our spiritual protective walls get broken down; this may happen because of hurt and betrayals from others or because of stress from specific overwhelming events in life. If we attempt to build our walls in our own strength, we will only accomplish barricading ourselves in through control and not submission. When we submit to God and trust Him to build our protective walls, we will be walled up by the Spirit of the Living God and His attributes and not our own.
Walls of Faith
Walls signify truths of faith and the doctrinal things which defend it. See, I have inscribed you on the palms [of My hands]; Your walls [are] continually before Me. - Isa 49:16 NKJV Imagine an architect with the building plans in his hands, this is how our lives are to God. He is the master builder and has planned and purposed all of our days. As the Psalmist said, 7Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Ps 139:7-12 NIV
There is nowhere we can go that God hasn't already seen us at. There is nowhere we can go to escape His outstretched hand, His loving touch, or His fiery eyes. No matter what we may go through God has a canyon with walls steeped so high no danger can get to us. In these canyon walls, His word can echo back to us when we read it aloud to cover all of our circumstances. In His canyon walls, we are protected from the elements, the winds and rains may come, but we are hidden in the clefts of the canyon rocks.
Walls of Salvation, Gates of Praise
Walls portray a form of protection, but the strength of the walls will depend on what we build them with. Our spiritual walls should be made of praise, truth, prayer, worship, and faith, to mention a few.
17 "Instead of bronze I will bring gold, Instead of iron I will bring silver, Instead of wood, bronze, And instead of stones, iron. I will also make your officers peace, And your magistrates righteousness. 18 Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, Neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; But you shall call your walls Salvation, And your gates Praise. - Isa 60:17-18 NKJV
We often find God exchanging something of little value for something invaluable. For example a garment of praise in exchange for a spirit of heaviness, oil of joy for mourning, and beauty for ashes in Isaiah 61:3. In Isaiah 60 we see exchanges of God again.
Figuratively, bronze refers to God’s righteous judgments see Numbers 21:9, while gold speaks of God’s glory. Iron can imply bondage, hardness, and stubbornness as in “Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and irons” ~ Ps 107:10. Silver is often symbolic of purity and redemption. The words of the LORD [are] pure words, [Like] silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times. ~ Psa 12:6
Figuratively, the Lord told Israel when they were in captivity that He would release them from judgment and impart His glory and that those who were bound by irons in the shadow of death would be as refined silver, purified and redeemed. God will exchange our bondage for glory when we allow Him to work out our salvation with fiery fear.
We should consider ourselves a city which has foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God. He is the ultimate wall builder. All too often we attempt to protect ourselves from the elements of this life, pain, rejection, betrayal, and the likes. After we have built our walls, we discover that we have walled ourselves in and locked everyone else out, including the Holy Spirit. God desires to bring us into His canyon where the elements cannot harm us, and when He brings the rain, it will flood into the canyon causing us to be overwhelmed in His Spirit.
Let’s pray,
Holy Father, thank You for the protective walls of faith. Today I confess to You that I have managed to build walls upon Your foundation and my walls have begun to crumble and decay. I’m in need of the wise Master Builder to bring restoration to my life. As I seek You and Your righteousness, I ask that You would restore my walls of protection, peace, trust, faith, righteousness, truth, holiness, strength, and salvation. I determine to trust You in this time of building and thank You for all You have and will accomplish through Your Spirit as I submit. In Christ Jesus, Amen.