For centuries, people have been using walls to protect themselves and to show what land belonged to them. We can still see some of those ancient walls today. The Great Wall of China was built to protect the Chinese Empire from invaders. Hadrian’s Wall helped to control the northern border of the Roman Empire. But to be effective, those walls had to be maintained regularly. The smallest weakness could give the enemy a disastrous advantage. As Christians, we also have to build and maintain a wall around ourselves – a wall of self-control. The Bible says, ‘Those who do not control themselves are like a city whose walls are broken down.’ When we don’t make the effort to maintain our self-control, we give the devil a way in to attack us. The preacher J. Wilbur Chapman had what he called ‘my rule for Christian living’. It goes like this: ‘Anything that dims my vision of Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult, is wrong for me, and I must, as a Christian, turn away from it.’ It’s a rule we should all try to apply to our daily lives. The other thing to remember about borders is that they have to be fit for purpose. The ancient walls had to be tall and strong enough to withstand attackers and their weapons. A little wooden fence wouldn’t do the job. And we need to make sure we have the best protection possible for our self-control. Trying to rely on our own strength won’t be enough when we’re facing Satan’s attacks. But when we lean on God and His strength, we can withstand any attack.

What Now?

Whenever you see a wall, or fence, or something else that marks a boundary today, thank God for His strength and help in protecting your self-control.