Wednesday – History

Reading – Nehemiah 11-13

Highlight Verses:

“The second choir giving thanks went northward around the other way to meet them. I followed them, together with the other half of the people, along the top of the wall past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, then past the Ephraim Gate to the Old City Gate, past the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel, and on to the Tower of the Hundred. Then we continued on to the Sheep Gate and stopped at the Guard Gate.”
‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭12‬:‭38‬-‭39‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

I love the mental picture of hundreds or even thousands of people walking along the top of Jerusalem’s wall.

This wasn’t like a modern garden wall. It was hastily rebuilt, broad and rough. It was high enough to provide a good defense, so I imagine the view was excellent as they walked around the city (just a very small portion of what is Jerusalem now).

But Nehemiah and Ezra did not walk the wall just to take in the view.

I believe their purpose was two-fold.

First, the walk served to show the people that they could be united as the people of God and complete a project like this. Likewise, they could unite and protect their fellow Israelites.

Second, this march proclaimed to all of the outside world, both physical and spiritual, that Jerusalem was set apart as holy, and this city and its people were under God’s protection.

I went to a Men’s breakfast last Saturday and found out that there was a group of men who came early and prayed over the room, inviting God’s presence in that place.

At our church there are a handful of people who pray through the room before the service inviting God to change lives there.

It doesn’t have to stop there.

I’ve prayed over our home. I’ve seen people pray around their neighborhood. I’ve even seen multiple churches join together to pray all the way around their cities.

I believe that get’s God’s attention (not that he wasn’t paying attention before). I believe it makes it easier for the Holy Spirit to accomplish great things there.

It smoothes over some of the rough places making it tougher for evil spirits to get a foothold.

And it unites God’s people.

What other benefits have you seen from this kind of prayer?
What would you want to encircle in prayer?
How can we make that happen?