Ezra 4:1–5 (NIV)

1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel,

2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”

3 But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”

4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.

5 They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Today’s sermon talked about living with unfinished walls.

During the time of Ezra, the king of Persia allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of God. However, because of enemies, the rebuild was halted for sixteen years.

We started 2026 with goals and objectives we wanted to accomplish. I remember the fire that was in me — how I wanted to restart my meditation and this writing. Instead, resistance appeared, progress slowed, and the feeling to continue became heavier.

When we see progress, there are often times we encounter opposition to stop our building, just like the Israelites when they were trying to rebuild the temple of God.

This was not a story of people who stopped believing or rebelled. The people wanted to sincerely obey but found themselves opposed. It was not a lack of faith that prevented them from continuing.

This story, like many in the Old Testament, is one of the many shadows of spiritual truths for our own lives. They were recorded so we can understand ourselves through them — and what God wants for us.

The parallel between the temple of God that needed rebuilding is similar to us as born-again Christians. We were condemned and broken and needed to be rebuilt. That is also why Scripture says that we are the Holy Temple of God.

In Ezra, we see that the first thing the people rebuilt was the altar and temple. As we repent, God restores us by giving us the Holy Spirit, making us temples of the living God.

God puts His Spirit in us. His Spirit dwells in us so communication and communion can happen with Him.

We are three-dimensional creatures:

• Spirit — God’s consciousness within us

• Soul — awareness, choice, and desire

• Body — our physical connection to the world

When God saves us, it is not just the spirit but all three that He wants to restore.

There are damages in our lives that remain even after we have known God for a while. Sometimes we are not even aware of them.

Words spoken over us.
Shame and guilt carried for years.
Chronic disappointment.
Broken trust.

These are just examples of how our walls may be damaged.

Just like the temple needed rebuilding, the walls of our lives may be in the same state. New birth as a Christian does not automatically mean full restoration. Restoration of the soul is a process — work that takes time. Our souls are seldom restored in an instant.

The difference between then and now is that we do not rely on prophets in the same way, because we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

Satan cannot touch our spirit — that belongs to God — but he can attack our soul and body. Cracks in our lives affect how freely our spirit can grow.

That is why rebuilding the altar and the walls matters.

God desires restoration in every part of us.

The Israelites’ progress was halted for sixteen years — and it was not their own strength that restarted the work.

God Himself reignited something in them.

In the same way, God’s Word speaks into our lives to reignite what has gone quiet. His Word renews us. It reveals who He is. It breaks down what holds us captive. It destroys lies spoken over our lives.

There are moments when we feel worthless — but that was never assigned to us.

God valued us so much that He gave His Son to die for us. Having paid the highest price, will He back off when our rebuilding begins?

Never.

Zechariah 4:6
“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.

The Spirit of God is what makes rebuilding successful.

Divine work requires divine strength.

Do not underestimate God.

Unfinished walls do not mean abandonment.

God will never abandon His purpose in our lives.

He will restore us — completely.

Ezra 4:1–5 (NIV)

1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel,

2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”

3 But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”

4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.

5 They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Today’s sermon talked about living with unfinished walls.

During the time of Ezra, the king of Persia allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of God. However, because of enemies, the rebuild was halted for sixteen years.

We started 2026 with goals and objectives we wanted to accomplish. I remember the fire that was in me — how I wanted to restart my meditation and this writing. Instead, resistance appeared, progress slowed, and the feeling to continue became heavier.

When we see progress, there are often times we encounter opposition to stop our building, just like the Israelites when they were trying to rebuild the temple of God.

This was not a story of people who stopped believing or rebelled. The people wanted to sincerely obey but found themselves opposed. It was not a lack of faith that prevented them from continuing.

This story, like many in the Old Testament, is one of the many shadows of spiritual truths for our own lives. They were recorded so we can understand ourselves through them — and what God wants for us.

The parallel between the temple of God that needed rebuilding is similar to us as born-again Christians. We were condemned and broken and needed to be rebuilt. That is also why Scripture says that we are the Holy Temple of God.

In Ezra, we see that the first thing the people rebuilt was the altar and temple. As we repent, God restores us by giving us the Holy Spirit, making us temples of the living God.

God puts His Spirit in us. His Spirit dwells in us so communication and communion can happen with Him.

We are three-dimensional creatures:

• Spirit — God’s consciousness within us

• Soul — awareness, choice, and desire

• Body — our physical connection to the world

When God saves us, it is not just the spirit but all three that He wants to restore.

There are damages in our lives that remain even after we have known God for a while. Sometimes we are not even aware of them.

Words spoken over us.
Shame and guilt carried for years.
Chronic disappointment.
Broken trust.

These are just examples of how our walls may be damaged.

Just like the temple needed rebuilding, the walls of our lives may be in the same state. New birth as a Christian does not automatically mean full restoration. Restoration of the soul is a process — work that takes time. Our souls are seldom restored in an instant.

The difference between then and now is that we do not rely on prophets in the same way, because we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

Satan cannot touch our spirit — that belongs to God — but he can attack our soul and body. Cracks in our lives affect how freely our spirit can grow.

That is why rebuilding the altar and the walls matters.

God desires restoration in every part of us.

The Israelites’ progress was halted for sixteen years — and it was not their own strength that restarted the work.

God Himself reignited something in them.

In the same way, God’s Word speaks into our lives to reignite what has gone quiet. His Word renews us. It reveals who He is. It breaks down what holds us captive. It destroys lies spoken over our lives.

There are moments when we feel worthless — but that was never assigned to us.

God valued us so much that He gave His Son to die for us. Having paid the highest price, will He back off when our rebuilding begins?

Never.

Zechariah 4:6
“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.

The Spirit of God is what makes rebuilding successful.

Divine work requires divine strength.

Do not underestimate God.

Unfinished walls do not mean abandonment.

God will never abandon His purpose in our lives.

He will restore us — completely.