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The Heart of Nehemiah: The Secret to Rebuilding the Church in America – Part 9
LISTEN NOW Greg, John, and Pat continue their discussion on how having the heart of Nehemiah is the secret to rebuilding the church in America. They continued right where they left off in their previous program regarding the warnings of attending “OH NO” meetings.
God is the one who is kept you from a particular job so that you don’t get dragged into an oh no meeting. You still have to watch out for the Sandy Sand storms that are coming against you.
Nehemiah 6:5
Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written: “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem[b] says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.”
When the walls go up the enemy begins to freak out because they see they are losing control. Social media is often used as a gap that allows Sanballat to peak through the walls therefore using wisdom is important. They were all scared that they were losing all control and they were even telling on themselves by their false accusations against Nehemiah. They continue to discuss that you must face reality.
Nehemiah 6:8
I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.”
You need to deal with them directly and tell them no that they are wrong. That is not going to make Sanballat happy. Nehemiah knew that they were just trying to frighten them. You can’t do it in fear you have to do it in faith. There is a thing called paralyzing fear but Nehemiah didn’t succumb but prayed and asked God to strengthen his hands. This reveals the humility that was in Nehemiah’s heart.
Further Opposition to the Rebuilding
Nehemiah 6:2 When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates— Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages[a] on the plain of Ono.” But they were scheming to harm me; 3 so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” 4 Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer. Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written:
“It is reported among the nations—and Geshem[b] says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.” I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.” They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed. “But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands. “One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.” But I said, “Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!” I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me. He did not succumb to Sanballat’s paid prophet.
They continue to discuss how if you remain faithful and don’t come off the Work- We Win- the Walls are completed
The church is scattered today. She is scattered because of leadership. A rebellion towards satan is good and submission to God is good. If you abide with God, He will tell you what to do. They prophesied to him to go lock yourself up in the building. You need to get outside the walls and preach the kingdom of God. All of lucifer’s tactics have one thing in common and that is to stop the work. Don’t be prideful and acknowledge to God that they aren’t trying to intimidate you. They were not stopped and the walls were built in 52 days. Tell yourself I am not going to leave the work. You can’t listen to fear or you will absolutely stop.
They further discuss that when we close up the gaps and build up the walls the church is in order and protected which will result in our nation having safe walls around the country. The whole thing Sanballat was trying to do is to break their confidence. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:35-38 “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a little while he who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous[g] one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” Are we taking a long journey we don’t have to take? Let’s get outside of the walls.
Nehemiah 6:16
When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.
When they saw the work completed they lost their confidence because they realized they were coming against God. The very thing they were trying to do to you actually happened to them. We must have a heart of compassion like Moses by forgiving those who have come against what God is doing. We can rebuild, we will rebuild if we refuse to stop, remain humble, and put our total trust and allegiance in Jesus.
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