Bible students regard falling walls as a positive happening. Likely the
first incident involving falling walls was the collapse of Jericho's walls.
The fall of Jericho's walls was a positive event. Good prevailed over
evil. Good was outside. Evil was inside. Those walls protected evil.
When they fell, good assaulted evil and prevailed over it.
Perhaps the events at Jericho symbolize God's assault on and victory over
evil in our lives. Before we enter Christ, God is outside and evil is
inside. Our "walls" keep God "outside" to protect the evil "inside." Good
assaults and prevails over evil in us only if we let our walls fall.
As encouraging as the Jericho incident is, collapsing walls are in "our best
interest" if your walls fall, not mine. Ask these questions. Is God good?
Reflex answer: "yes." Is your eternal best interest on God's heart? Reflex
answer: "yes." Is evil bad? Reflex answer: "yes." Does evil seek your
eternal best interest? Reflex answer: "no."
Why do reflex "head" answers calm the conscience but terrify the heart? We
defend our walls. Our sentinels sound the alarm if God threatens to breech
our walls. Our inner resources repair and maintain our walls. Our heads
say we have no walls, but our hearts know better. Our walls are in place to
limit God's access and influence.
A serious objective of most of our spiritual activity is "breaking down the
walls." Bible study, prayer, worship, and fellowship all assault my walls.
Collectively we declare when anyone's walls collapse, it is good, not bad.
Then why am I fearful, even terrified, when I feel my walls crumbling? If I
choose to allow God greater access to my heart and influence on my mind, why
am I fearful? Why do I feel so vulnerable and at risk?
Consider two of many reasons. (1) When God prevails in me, evil dies in me.
We are extremely uncomfortable when any part of us dies. The deception that
God and evil can co-own and co-control us feels good. (2) Evil is more
comfortable in an unrighteous world than is good. Our evil world often
causes good enormous discomfort.
If God influences me as He wishes, my walls must fall. Yet, it is hard to
let my walls crumble. My head may tell my tongue to say it is good for my
walls to collapse. However, when my heart sees the rubble, it is terrified.
Why? My walls limited my faith in God. Living by faith in God without
walls is a demanding challenge that begins in my heart.
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