Subject: Praying Circles Around Walls that Need to Fall
by Rick Weborne
Joshua 6:20-21 (NLT)
20 When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it.
21 They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys.
20 When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it.
21 They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys.
Ephesians 2:10-14 (NKJV)
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands--
12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands--
12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
Hebrews 12:14-15 (NKJV)
14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
1. Pursuing peace when we are surrounded by walls.
--All of us, at some personal deep level, long for the reality of peace. The absence of war and conflict does not constitute the presence of peace. Have you ever heard of the Cold War…goes on more than you think.
--Real peace is an internal phenomenon.
--Real peace enables you to sleep when the wind is howling.
--Real peace assures you of the right even when standing in the presence of wrong.
--Real peace lets you see yourself standing when all around you are falling.
--Everyone longs for this kind of peace but sometimes it seems so allusive.
--Paul, in our text, could see that there was the absence of real, genuine, authentic, abiding peace. There were, as you know, divisions in the church.
--There were divisions between the Jews and Gentiles. Jews were the upper crust and the Gentiles were the intruders. The Jews were the circumcised and the Gentiles were the uncircumcised.
--The Jews had been there a long time and the Gentiles had just gained entrance. The Jews understood the impact and importance of ceremonial law. Gentiles were new to all this. Just babes in Christ.
--As a result, there was something in that community which created a sense of strife and, to be sure, created or caused an absence of peace.
2. Where there is a lack of peace…there is the presence of walls.
--You do remember that the temple in Jerusalem was a temple divided. It was not simply divided spiritually, but was indeed divided physically.
--The temple had all kinds of classes of people. The Jews could only go so far and there was a wall. There were the men…a wall…the women…a wall and then the Gentiles. All behind a wall.
--The wall created division, the wall created strife, the wall meant separation, the wall divided husbands from wives, men from women, Jews from Gentiles…therefore there was no peace.
--We all know walls are important in Scripture and to the nation of Israel. In Isaiah we read about the watchman on the wall and how he would warn the city of the danger of enemy outside the wall.
--The watchman, from his vantage on the wall, could also look and warn people inside the city the danger that lurked within.
--In Nehemiah we read how he heard of the walls and the gates of Jerusalem had been broken down and burned and how he requested of the king to go and rebuild them. He restored the walls thus protecting Israel.
--In Ezra we read how Zerubbabel had the assignment of rebuilding the wall. Though they tried to get him to come down from the wall…he refused because rebuilding the wall was so important.
H. Beecher Hicks, Jr. - “Walls are funny things. Walls not only invade our lives physically, but also affect our lives emotionally. They influence our lives mentally. Walls bother our lives psychologically. Are you aware of the walls in your life? Are you aware of the walls that lurk in your own mind?
3. What a wall is or what it does.
Defense Mechanism - designed to shut out. It protects me from you. A wall defends me from being known for what I am. If there is no wall, you can see my weaknesses and I can see your weaknesses, so to protect and defend myself, I build a wall.
Proverbs 18:1 (NKJV)
1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.
1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.
Prevents Communication - as long as a wall exists I can possibly know that you are talking but I cannot understand what you are saying. As long as I don’t understand what you are saying, there is no communication, therefore, there can be no peace.
--I know this never happens in your homes but one of the greatest joys in life is when you ladies (with your sweet little voices) are walking to the other end of the house trying to tell us something!
--I am going one way (restroom) and you are headed the other (kitchen) and I know you are saying something to me but I have no clue what it could possibly be…explains why the restrooms are so messy.
--When there are walls in our lives, our marriages, our churches, people can be talking but no one is hearing or even listening to what you are saying…scary moment is when they say…what do you think about that?
Prevents Sight - I do not have x-ray vision like superman. I can’t see you and you can’t see me if there are walls - when I cannot see you, I cannot sense you, or understand you. I cannot appreciate you. Therefore, there is no peace.
--Hear me, when there is a wall there I can’t see you and therefore I have no vision for you or even for us!
Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Proverbs 29:18 (NLT)
18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
--Vision for what…Divine guidance about what? About getting rid of the walls and barriers that are keeping us apart. How many families perish and how many people run wild because of walls not dealt with?
As long as there is a wall there:
--I cannot see the smile on your face and therefore I cannot share your joy.
--I cannot see the frown on your face and therefore I cannot participate in your pain.
--I cannot see the tear that flows down your cheek and therefore, I am insulated from your hurt.
--As long as there is a wall there, I have a defense mechanism. I cannot hear you. I cannot see you, there is no communication, and therefore, because our relationship is incomplete, because our relationship is not full, because I have not really sought to share with you and you have not sought to share legitimately with me, therefore, there is no peace.
--These walls are, therefore, destructive to the very purpose and priority of the church and the family. Remember how the walls separated those in the early church…men, women, Gentiles.
Psalm 122:6-9 (NKJV)
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces."
8 For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, "Peace be within you."
9 Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces."
8 For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, "Peace be within you."
9 Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good.
4. Dangers of allowing these walls (this lack of peace in our lives).
Compartmentalization – the process of separating into isolated compartments or categories. Walls create division.
--We compartmentalize (we separate) our homes, our churches, and our Christianity.
--The enemy’s strategy for our homes and churches is divide and conquer. The devil wins when he keeps us separated and always skeptical and suspicious about what the other is up to. We become judgmental.
--You do your thing and I will do mine. How messed up is that for people God wants us to live in unity and peace. We live and worship under the same roof (home or church) but have no peace.
Proverbs 25:28 (NKJV)
28 Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.
28 Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.
--We make ourselves vulnerable to Satan’s schemes but Jesus prayer for us was that we would be one (unified, together, with one mind, with peace).
John 17:18-23 (NKJV)
18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
--As long as we are comfortable with our compartments there will be no peace. We will be willfully working against the very Word and prayer of Jesus Christ. So destructive!
5. A bearing wall and an interior (middle) wall.
--To simplify: The bearing wall is a wall you cannot do without: the bearing wall is designed to bear the weight of a structure and is connected to the foundation.
--No wall is a bearing wall unless it is connected to the foundation and there is no other foundation than Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11 (NKJV)
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
--If the wall around your life is not connected to the foundation, it is not a bearing wall.
--If the wall around your life is not connected to the rock (Jesus), it will not sustain the weight of your problems, your difficulties, your trials, or your tribulations.
--This is so important: The middle wall (the interior wall) of which Ephesians speaks about can be removed without any danger to the structure. You can remove it and the building will still stand.
Ephesians 2:14 (NIV)
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…
--The problem with these middle walls or interior walls is that we create them…we build them ourselves one brick at a time…hatred, strife, jealousy, un-forgiveness, anger, insecurity, bitterness…see the wall get higher.
--Where there are walls, there is no peace! Today would be a good time to confess the walls we have in our lives and get free. To find peace and to watch the walls crumble before you.
--How do the walls come down…you first must be honest about the walls in your lives and that all of us are in the same boat spiritually.
Isaiah 53:6 (NKJV)
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
--The walls come down when you quickly acknowledge that because of your sin, you too are in need of forgiveness. You are in need of middle (dividing) walls to come down!
--Once you realize your own need for forgiveness, your walls, your obstructions, your barriers have to come down! Pastor, what do I do if it seems the walls are not coming down? Look for the door…Jesus is the door!
Revelation 3:20 (NKJV)
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
2 Samuel 22:29-30 (NKJV)
29 "For You are my lamp, O LORD; The LORD shall enlighten my darkness.
30 For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall.
29 "For You are my lamp, O LORD; The LORD shall enlighten my darkness.
30 For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall.
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