“Mr. Gorbechav, Tear Down this Wall!”
By Elin Henderson
“For the weapons of our warfare are
not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds [a.k.a. walls],”
2 Corinthians 10:4 (NKJV with my
addition)
Oh, if only it was that easy, to see
an obstacle looming in front of us and simply say like President Reagan did,
“Mr. Gorbechav, tear down this wall!”
Nowhere do walls loom larger than in
the hearts and minds of people. My husband and I work in a resistant context
where the walls seem thicker, higher and have razor wire strewn atop them! But
I realize that resistant hearts can exist anywhere, especially in a location
where all our needs are met and there are no absolutes. The commentator Warren
Weirsbe says, “Once the walls in the mind have been torn down, the door to the
heart can be opened.” [1]
How then do we move forward? Satan
has built and fortified many mind-walls. Our human efforts are vain and empty
against them. There are no wrecking balls big enough, words strong enough, nor personalities
bold enough to break through. This battle will not be fought with weapons of
the flesh. Instead we are endowed with two simple, yet extremely powerful
weapons of the Spirit: prayer and the Word of God.
When studying the armor of God, we
find that these are the only two offensive weapons offered. Dependence on the
Holy Spirit in ongoing prayer, as well as continued sharing of the Word of God - - in
word and deed! This may seem like an odd way to break through resistant walls,
but when have God’s ways been typical? How many times have those either on and at
the walls said, “What on earth is going on here?” What is foolishness to man is
awesome power to God.
Our job is to stay faithful, obedient,
patient and wield our weapons wisely! Then when He moves, watch out! Because
the walls will come tumbling down in such a way that we might be caught off
guard. Joshua’s Old Testament battle at Jericho wasn’t over just because the
walls came down. He still had much fighting to do. The city had to be subdued. With
the walls down, the heart will be open to hear truth. But we must then be
available to teach that truth and speak life into that individual.
So we boldly cry out to the only One
who can…“Oh God, tear down this wall!”
GOING
DEEPER:
1.
Who in
your life has resistant walls built around their heart? Will you utilize prayer
and God’s Word, as you boldly cry, “Oh, God, tear down this wall!”
FURTHER
READING:
Oakwood’s missionaries Elin
Henderson (a registered nurse) and her husband Phil serve as church planters
with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to sixteen-year-old
Callie and fourteen-year-old Elias.
[1] Weirsbe, Warren, The Bible Exposition
Commentary Volume 1, pg 665, Victor Publishing Colorado Springs, CO, 2001.
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
