02/04/2026
A powerfully good message by my friend Stephen Porter:
THE WALL
A Call to Stay Within the 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
Beloved, the wall is not imaginary.
And it is not restrictive.
It is protective.
Zechariah was shown a vision of Jerusalem without physical walls—and the Lord Himself stepped forward and said, I will be her wall. Not stone. Not mortar. Fire.
This wall is the holy boundary of God’s presence around His people.
It is formed by His Word.
Strengthened by prayer.
Guarded through obedience.
Maintained by fellowship.
And at the very center of that wall stands Christ Himself—the glory in the midst.
The wall is not meant to keep you in prison.
It is meant to keep you alive.
Scripture often speaks of God’s people as a walled garden, a hedged vineyard, a people kept by His power. As long as the heart remains near the center—near the glory—the fire does its work. Nothing touches what the fire surrounds.
But the danger never begins with an open door.
It begins with a step toward the edge.
No one wakes up and decides to abandon God. The first movement is almost unnoticeable. Prayer shortens. The Word becomes optional. Fellowship feels heavy instead of joyful. What once burned now feels distant.
And slowly, without realizing it, the soul drifts closer to the wall.
Not to cross it.
Just to stand near it.
That is when the sounds begin.
From the other side of the wall comes a familiar music—old rhythms, old excitements, old cravings that once ruled the heart. It doesn’t roar. It sings. And the closer you get, the clearer it becomes.
This is how seduction works.
Darkness does not shout your name—it whispers memories.
And then comes the most dangerous moment of all.
You peek.
The wall that once felt distant is now close enough to touch. A ladder appears—curiosity, compromise, justification. You tell yourself, I’m not leaving. I like the protection. I just want to see.
But beloved, no one climbs a ladder without intention.
The enemy cannot touch a soul resting in the center of the fire. But the moment the head rises above the wall, he sees. And he knows exactly how to pull.
The tragedy is this:
The world has not changed—but memory has softened.
The thrill looks brighter than it is.
The cost looks smaller than it will be.
And the fall comes faster than expected.
Some are standing at the wall right now.
Some already have the ladder in place.
And some—grieved to say—have already crossed.
And no one falls faster than those who know better.
Conviction becomes crushing.
Guilt becomes overwhelming.
And the soul that once knew the fire now finds itself cold and exposed.
But hear this clearly—the wall is still standing.
The fire has not gone out.
And the glory has not moved.
Scripture says a bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish. What looks like failure to you is still recoverable to Him. The cross still stands in the center of the wall—and judgment there always leads to victory.
If peace and joy has faded, He can restore it.
If the light has dimmed, He can rekindle it.
Beloved, where are you standing?
Are you resting deep in the center—satisfied in Christ?
Are you drifting toward the wall—listening again to old sounds?
Is there a ladder in place?
Or have you already crossed and now ache for the way back?
Do not linger.
Do not negotiate.
Do not delay.
Run.
Turn your back on the wall.
Forsake every false satisfaction.
Leave the ladder behind.
There is nothing on the other side worth losing the fire.
The Lord is still your wall.
Jesus is still the glory in the midst.
And the safest place your soul will ever know is near Him.
Prayer
Lord Jesus,
If my heart has wandered , draw me back.
If I have stood too near the wall, turn me again to the fire.
Restore my peace and joy. Rekindle the light.
I forsake every divided affection and choose You alone. There is nothing in my heart but to follow You.
Dear friend, come back to the center.
Stay close to the fire.
And never look over that wall again.
With Love,
Steve Porter
www.morningglorydevo.com
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