The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Work of Restoration, #69

And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going up to the armoury at the turning of the wall. (Nehemiah 3:19)

The Armory

Notice the involvement of many people. Some repaired a "half part" (verse 17). Some restored "another piece," as the dedicated Israelites followed Nehemiah's lead. Each person repaired straight before him.

It seems likely that the architectural supervision and perfection of the original wall were lacking. The restoration of the wall took place in a hurry and under pressure, as the defenses were thrown up by each Jew who had a heart to work and fight.

So it is today. If we wait for some grand plan to be set in motion it will become too late for us to participate. The Spirit of the Lord is calling now on every member of the Body of Christ to restore each area of need set in front of him.

We are to get busy now and follow the Spirit of God moment by moment. It is time to build the wall. Satan, the flesh, the world, and the self-seeking of humans must be thrown out of the Church and kept out.

An armory contains defensive and offensive weapons of war. Even the bravest of warriors, the fiercest of fighters, does not rush into combat unarmed. The Holy Spirit has made provision for our warfare against wicked spirits: "(For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds)" (II Corinthians 10:4).

At this point in history we are busy building the Body of Christ and our fighting is mostly of a defensive nature, holding off "Sanballat and Tobiah" while we construct the Church's defenses against the kingdom of darkness. We are exhorted to take to ourselves the "whole armour of God" in order that we may be able to "stand against the wiles of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11).

We must be protected by the armor of "light" and of "righteousness on the right hand and on the left" (Romans 13:12; II Corinthians 6:7). We need to put on the "breastplate of righteousness" and strengthen the breastplate with faith and love (Ephesians 6:14; I Thessalonians 5:8).

Our helmet is the "hope of salvation" (I Thessalonians 5:8). Our loins are to be "girt about with truth" (Ephesians 6:14). Our feet are equipped with the "preparation of the gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15).

Having done all, we are to stand like a mountain of rock in the evil day (Ephesians 6:13).

From God's armory we are to obtain the "sword of the Spirit, the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17). The sword of the Spirit is living and powerful, sharp enough to divide the soul and spirit and the joints and marrow of the bones. The Word of God pierces to the discerning of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

The Holy Spirit of God wields His sword through the saints in order to save people—to cut through their bondages so they can be released to righteous living. But in the Day of the Lord the Spirit will thrust and slash with awful effect, destroying the forces of wickedness and slaying all who resist the will of the Lamb of God.

The Word of God, the sword of the Spirit of God, is the most powerful, the most terrible weapon in the universe. One thrust and the enemy is destroyed.

And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:21)

To be continued.