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Living In The Rubble
Nehemiah 1:1-4
1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. (God is ALWAYS Concerned with where you are and what you are going through) (He is always concerned with His people)
3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. (These people were living in horrendous conditions)
4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
How long did the inhabitants of Jerusalem live in this mess?
How long did the people that were chosen of by God live in a state of confusion, affliction and reproach?
How long were the walls in this condition?
It’s amazing what we can grow accustomed to.
Complacent and Content to accept things the way they are, believing that nothing can be done to change it.
And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
The walls of Jerusalem represented…
· Their strength
· Their greatness
· Who they were.
And the Bible says they were broken down. (anybody ever been there?)
Those walls can represent…
Damaged lives
Broken dreams
Dashed hopes
Ruined opportunities
Past failures
And Insurmountable odds
But even though the walls were broken down
· Their strength… gone
· Their greatness… gone
· Who they were… destroyed
Nehemiah said this …, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
God cares enough about where you are…to make you a matter of prayer.
Nehemiah 2:17-18
17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
Thank God! We can do it…We can rebuild the city.
We can start over.
· God still cares about our problems
· God still cares about our dilemmas
How do we know this?… Because Nehemiah had a Word from God!
We don’t have to live without God in our lives anymore.
We don’t have to live…
· In Bondage
· In Distress
· In Reproach
It’s not the will of God for his people to live in want (or in Need)
Philippians 4:19
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
ALL YOUR NEEDS
That means…
If you are sick… God wants to heal you.
If you need the Holy Ghost…God wants to give it to you.
If you need Deliverance… God wants to deliver you.
If we need the money to buy a new church building, GOD WANTS TO GIVE IT TO US!
It’s not the will of God that His people live messed up and junked out lives.
Nehemiah 2:19-20
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?
In just about every story, there’s always somebody who…
· Doesn’t believe it can happen
· Doesn’t believe that God said it
· Doesn’t believe that God can do it
Who are doubters and unbelievers
20 Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
Because you doubted… You have no portion.
Because you didn’t believe God…You have no right
Because you despised us you lost your memorial or (Birthright) to Jerusalem
But those who had faith will have a portion and a right.
Those who believe the Word of God WILL Prosper.
The only one who can take our victory away from us is us!
The devil can…
Fight, but he can’t win.
Tempt, but can’t make us fall.
The devil can try any number of tactics, to get us to fall, mess up, and lose out with God.
But all the devil can do is try…
1 John 4:4
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Nehemiah rebuilt the walls in 52 days.
He used the rubble. He used the broken down stones to rebuild.
He used what was messed up and junked out to build Jerusalem. (The city of God)
God can take the remains of our broken lives and build a bright future.
Ephesians 6:10-18
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
People that make it to the end are going to have to be:
· People of Prayer
· People of Faith
· People of Hope
· People of POWER
· People that are full of the Holy Ghost
Romans 15:13
13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Titus 3:5
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
It’s not by my works…it’s not by my righteousness.
But it’s by the washing, the regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost!
