Roof off, walls down

I have a little booklet called "Continuous Revival" by Norman Grubb and today I read in it about the concept of "roof off, walls down." It is about spiritual brokenness and it got me thinking about some things.

When we are uneasy and want to make our hearts right with God, here is what has to happen first: the roof has to come off of our lives. We uncover our hearts let God see right into the middle of us and address what is there. He gets to hear about sin as we confess it, but He also gets to go as deep as He needs to to uncover whatever else is there--things that we may not even want to admit.


When we confess our sins, the barrier (or roof) between us and God is removed and we are forgiven because God has promised to forgive us as soon as we confess. Then God is given freedom to rummage around the "house" of our souls to see what else is there. Perhaps more sin is revealed and confessed and new life flows into our souls. As long the roof stays off, we interact with God openly. In this way we experience personal revival and are renewed day by day.

The next step is to bring down the walls that hide us from other people. It is truly difficult to tell others about our deliverance from sin, yet this is a powerful proof of our freedom and renewal. To stand before others and admit that once we were sinners and now we are cleansed reinforces our personal revival and brings hope to others.

Taking down the walls does not mean a graphic revelation of all that we have done wrong. Instead, it is a testimony of how God has delivered us from our old ways. I can tell others frankly that I have struggled with crazy jealousy toward a sister, and tell how the Lord delivered me from that sin, without going into the details of how corrupt I was in my thoughts and behavior before that deliverance. The emphasis is not on my sin, but on God's deliverance.

I want others to be glad with me that we have such a wonderful Savior and Deliverer. I want them to know that deliverance and peace are possible no matter what the sin is.

Brokenness does not refer to a crushed soul, but to the breaking down of the roof and walls that separate me from the Lord and from other people. Once these barriers are down my soul can soar up and out, expanding to be all that the Lord designed it to be. I can go freely wherever he wants me to go and do all that he has in mind for me to do.

Blessed is he whose sins are forgiven,

whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the person whose sin

the Lord does not count against him

and in whose spirit is no deceit.

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away...

day and night your hand was heavy upon me...

Then I acknowledged my sin before you

and did not cover up my iniquity.

I said,"I will confess my sins to the Lord"--

and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Many are the woes of the wicked,

but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds

the man who trusts in him.

Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to you

while you may be found...

--Excerpts from Psalm 32--