A Mighty Wall of Fire

 

"For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’” Zechariah 2:5

In the verse above, God (spoken through Zechariah)  is referring to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is God's, and so are we. God wants to be the wall of fire that surrounds us. He wants to protect us, guide us and show us how His heart burns for us. He wants to be the glory in our hearts, our homes, setting our lives ablaze and burning for Him. He wants to be the glory in the midst of our everyday.

God and His word are the wall of fire that surrounds us in our life. He wants us to burn for him, to set our walls and hearts ablaze for Him. He wants to burn away our ungodliness, and refine us with the fire of His word.

"I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’” Zechariah 13:9 (NLT)

“But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes." Malachi 3:2 (NLT)

God's wall of fire is our protection, our promise from Him. It doesn't mean we are free from difficulty in our lives, but no matter the problem, He is still burning around us. His fire is still ablaze and never goes out. His fire is eternal. His mighty fire is always surrounding us!

God will refine us. He will refine us in our finances, our health, our relationships, our learning of His wisdom and ways. He will burn off our layers of blindness leaving us with only His peace. We can only achieve what God wants from us when we allow Him to burn in the areas of our lives that He commands. 

Imagine for a moment the place you live. Imagine a wall of fire outside, surrounding your home, but it doesn't burn your home down. Instead it protects it and keeps the heart of your home alive and burning for God.  This is what God wants to be for us. Our home and hearts need to be a dwelling place for His mighty power, His holy fire. What a tremendous reality. His heart and fire burn around us always.

The refining in your life may be slow and feel painful right now. You may feel, as I have many times, that God has stopped working. Don't lose heart. 

"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin." Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)

The Lord is rejoicing in your steps, small and large in your process of refinement. He is rejoicing as you set your life ablaze for Him. Don't lose heart, and let us stay on our path. He is ablaze all around you and I.

“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord." Zechariah 2:10 (NLT)

"Does not my word burn like fire?”
    says the Lord.
“Is it not like a mighty hammer
    that smashes a rock to pieces?"

Jeremiah 23:29 (NLT) 

How powerful and what a blessing God gives us, when He says He "dwells in our midst". He is with us. He surrounds us. The Alpha, Omega, Holy One of Israel. Our mighty God, our wall of fire.

"And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life." Revelation 21:6

Prayer: God, may I always remember that your power burns all around me. You have never stopped burning for me, from the day I was born. The fire of your might never goes out. Burn in my life as never before, refine me, show me your wisdom, power, peace and joy. May my walls be so ablaze for you that you can see them from heaven. Amen.

May God's peace and wisdom be with you as you build your own wall of God's truth.