The Pillar of Protection
The Three Pillars for Setting Godly Boundaries - Part 3
As the wife of a sheep farmer, I see the necessity for a “Pillar of Protection” every single day.
As the sun begins to set here on the farm, the environment changes.
We can’t just leave the sheep to fend for themselves in the dark; we must ensure they have safe, secure fencing to protect them from the danger of foxes and other predators, especially during lambing season.
For our sheep, that protection looks like an electric fence / boundary that encloses them at night.
As shepherds of our flock of sheep, we know that without a boundary, they may well be attacked and killed.
We Need Protection Too
The same is true for us as daughters of God, and leaders in ministry.
If we don’t put up boundaries of protection around our thoughts, our physical, emotional and spiritual limits, we’re in danger of becoming overwhelmed, depleted, and spiritually worn out.
That’s exactly why we often begin to feel like we’re drowning under the weight of expectations. Expectations we put on ourselves, and the expectations of others.
If we don’t make time to rest and sit at the feet of Jesus so we can be spiritually replenished, to set our limits and priorities, we’re in danger of becoming ineffective in our calling.
Even The Good Shepherd Needed Rest
We read in the Word, of Jesus referring to himself as the Good Shepherd, our Shepherd, but even He needed to create boundaries to protect his own rest and time with the Father.
Let’s look at some of the ways He did that:
Jesus Protected His Own Spiritual Stamina
Luke 5 v 16
So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
We often see this. When he’d been ministering to someone, that person would go off and tell others, even though Jesus sometimes told them not to, and suddenly there were crowds of others wanting His teaching or healing.
But Jesus didn’t always attend to them immediately. He understood that ministering to people can be spiritually exhausting, so He sometimes withdrew to somewhere where he could be alone with His Father.
If you don’t make time alone with the Father a priority, you will soon be trying to serve from an empty cup. If Jesus needed rest, you certainly do too.
He Protected His Mission
John 6 v 15
“Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.”
Jesus knew what His mission was here on earth, but others were trying to make Him carry a load that was not his to carry.
He was clear on what His calling and purpose were and wouldn’t accept anything that wasn’t in line with that calling.
We must do the same. Don’t allow yourself to be tasked with something that doesn’t align with the specific calling God has given you. Not every load is your to carry.
He protected what was sacred from mockery
Luke 23 v 8.9
He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.
It’s important to know when to give and answer and when to remain quiet.
1 Peter 3 v 15
… Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
If someone is genuinely interested in hearing about you faith and hope in Christ, you are always to be ready with an answer.
But, if you sense someone is trying to make a mockery of your faith, or of your calling, sometimes the best thing is to remain quiet.
No every question deserves an answer.
He protected His Physical and Emotional Capacity.
Mark 6 v 31
Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
Jesus was not a “yes – man” who ignored His human limits. He slept in storms, ate with friends, and encouraged His disciples to come away and rest with him when the pressure of ministry became overwhelming.
He was not concerned about hurting anyone’s feelings by taking a step back from time to time. He knew that His ministry would still be there when He got back.
But He also understood that if He didn’t make time to rest and eat, He would be less effective at what His Father had sent Him to do.
You need that same awareness. God does not expect you to be super-human and work until you drop. Taking care of your body and spiritual stamina is not only about protection, but about good stewardship too.
Re-enforcing Your Identity in Christ
In our life on the farm, the electric fence is more than just a deterrent for predators; it is a declaration of what’s inside and who it belongs to.
It defines the space where our sheep are free to be exactly what they are, sheep - safe, fed, and known.
As a woman in leadership, the pillar of protection, your spiritual boundary, acts as a stronghold for your identity.
Without this pillar, the “pull of the world” will start to act like a slow, steady tide, gradually eroding your sense of who and what God has called you to be, until eventually, you’re living a life shaped by everyone else’s demands rather than by His design.
A Pillar of Protection Serves Three Vital Purposes:
It Guards Your Identity:
The world will always try to tell you who you are based on your level of productivity or your “usefulness” to others.
Even though you are called to serve, a spiritual boundary is the barrier that says, “My identity and calling is rooted in being a daughter of God, not on being a servant to all.”
It Protects Your Specific Calling:
It’s easy to feel the need to say “yes” to every request for help, or to every new opportunity that appears, but Jesus was clear about His specific mission and wouldn’t let anything deter him.
By building this pillar, you’re protecting the integrity of the specific flock (calling) God has placed in your hands to shepherd.
When you protect the integrity of your flock by not allowing yourself to be distracted, you’re showing your commitment to keeping your calling pure and undivided, rather than letting it be scattered or thinned out by outside pressures and expectations.
It Builds Resilience Against the Pull of the world:
The world has a way of trying to force us into doing things it’s way.
A spiritual boundary is your internal re-enforcement. It gives you the structural integrity to withstand the pressure to conform to what others expect of you, allowing you instead to focus on what God has called you to be and do.
Romans 12 v 2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
From Passive Observer to Faithful Protector
When we fail to set boundaries, we become passive observers of our own lives - drifting wherever the strongest current takes us.
But when we build a Pillar of Protection, we become faithful stewards of the life and calling Christ died to give us.
Then we aren’t just saying “no” to people; we’re saying “Yes” to the integrity of our calling.
We’re ensuring that when the world pulls, we can remain anchored in Him.
You don’t need to apologize for guarding the life and calling God has entrusted to you.
A leader without godly, spiritual boundaries, is a leader who will eventually be distracted and ineffective in her calling.
“A spiritual boundary is not a wall of exclusion, but a stronghold of identity. It ensures that the world’s expectations never drown out God’s instructions.”
The Three Pillars for Godly Boundaries
Over the last few weeks, we’ve explored what it means to build a life and ministry supported by godly, spiritual boundaries.
These aren’t walls intended to shut the world out; they’re the structural supports that allow you to stand firm in your calling.
Pillar One: Holiness.
Holiness is the foundation. It establishes that you are set apart and sacred to God. When you embrace your holiness, you gain the quiet confidence to say “no” to anything that contradicts who God says you are.
See holiness as your “why” for setting godly boundaries.
If you missed the first in this series, you can read it here.
Pillar Two: Stewardship.
If holiness is your “why” for setting boundaries, then stewardship is your strategy, or your “how”.
It recognizes that your time, energy, and talents belong to Him. By managing these resources wisely, you filter out seemingly “good” opportunities so you can give your best to your specific, God-given assignment – working as for the Lord and not for man.
Good stewardship ensures your life and calling produce the most fruit for the Kingdom.
If you missed the second part of this series, you can read it here.
Pillar Three: Protection.
Protection is your spiritual re-enforcement, your stronghold.
Like the electric fence that protects the sheep on the farm, this pillar protects the integrity of the specific flock the Lord has entrusted to you – your life and your calling.
It guards your identity and calling against the “pull” of the world, ensuring that your mission isn’t trampled by the expectations of others.
To help you practice saying “no”, I’ve created a Godly “No” Cheat Sheet. You can find the link below.
Next Steps: Putting the Pillars into Practice
Learning to set godly boundaries is a process, much like learning to walk in the new life you have in Christ. It’s not a one-time event.
As you look at your life this week, I encourage you to take these three steps:
The Holiness Audit:
Ask yourself, “Is there any area of my life where I’m allowing something to negatively influence me - my thoughts, actions, or decisions - that doesn’t align with who God says I am?
Identify one commitment or habit that doesn’t align with your identity in Christ and decide how you’re going to change it.
It may be a good idea to keep a journal for making notes and keeping yourself accountable as you do this.
The Stewardship Check:
Look at your calendar for the coming week. Which tasks are truly your “entrusted flock,” and which are the “stray sheep” you’ve picked up out of guilt, or from fear of not wanting to say “no”.
Practice saying a “godly no” to one distraction.
To help you with this I’ve created a downloadable Godly “No” Cheat Sheet for you to use.
The Protection Prayer:
Spend ten minutes at the feet of the Good Shepherd.
Ask Him to show you where your boundaries have been compromised, or where you need to work on setting godly boundaries.
Ask for the strength to re-enforce your Pillar of Protection so that you can serve from a place of replenished overflow, rather than from exhausted depletion.
You were never meant to carry the weight of the world - only the beautiful, specific mission God placed in your hands.
Practice standing firm in the pillars of holiness, stewardship and protection, and watch how God uses your healthy, godly boundaries to strengthen you and bring forth a bountiful harvest.
Don’t forget your Godly “No” Cheat Sheet.
If you have any experience or ideas to share on setting godly boundaries, please feel free to share in the comments.