Broke down for the build up

Broke down for the build up

“The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, (Keeslu)in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan (Susaan)the palace, 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. 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.”

Nehemiah 1:1-3 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/neh.1.1-3.KJV

Nehemiah 4:6 NIV

“So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.”

Nehemiah 4:6 NIV

Introduction

I once heard the statement that If you want to go where God wants you, you have to start from where you are. And no matter what the ruin of any life with God there is always a building process.

My brothers and sisters, Im a firm believer that everything that God has us in is for a purpose, every up. Every down serves its purpose in our life. The book says in Romans 8:28 and we know that all things work together for the good of them that Love the lord. When we realize that. We will begin to learn how to appreciate some of the tough times in our lives. Because often times God will send us through certain trials before we get to triumph.

It was Joseph that was thrown in the pit, sold to ishmealites, lied on by potiphor’s wife. Before he became ruler.

He had to be broken down to be built back up.

It was Job that lost everything he had, his cattle, his children, but God restored him double.

He had to be broken down in order to be built up.

It was Jesus who was script of his clothes, whipped pierced in his side, crown of thorns place on his head, before he wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of my peace was upon him and with his strips we are healed, However he understood that on third day he rose again with all power in his hand.

He had to be broken down in order to be built up.

Many of us have a story that you can put in this text as well. You had to go through some things in order for God to build you up.

God has a way of taking the broken down, placing them in his hands and building them back up again.

Jeremiah gives us an example of how God often breaks some things down in order to build it up again. It gives the analogy as God being a potter and his people being the clay, and Jeremiah explains it that sometimes the potter has to break the clay down, when it is not pleasing to him. However he will continue to put us back in his hand and build us up again. He continues this process until the clay becomes what he desires it to be.

Can I encourage you that you may be in a situation that seems as though its about to break down. However, just before you break all the way down God will give you the strength to build back up!!

My brothers and sisters we all at some point or another has experienced a break down. Im not talking about a break down in your car.

I’m not talking about a break down in a natural body.

But I’m talking about a spirtual break down.

A breakdown in your family, A breakdown in your finances, A breakdown in your ministry, A breakdown in your marriage. A breakdown in your mind, A breakdown in your spirit, a breakdown through the death of a love one..

Anybody ever experienced a break down.

Can I just encourage you that everything that has happened in your life is a part of God’s purpose and his plan. We may not understand it but it has a purpose. He is an intentional God. He will not put no more on you than you can bear.

However, it’s important that we don’t give up before we get our breakthrough.

Before we actually get to this text We must understand what got us to this point. We understand that In Duet 12:5 Moses told the Israelites to “seek the place where the Lord you God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put his name for his dwelling place.”

Later, it was revealed that this place was Jerusalem. When Solomon built the temple, Jerusalem was at the height of its glory. It’s fame was known, and God’s name was spread throughout the nations.

However, God allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed because the Israelites were unfaithful to God.

Now we find here in Nehemiah Jerusalem lay in ruins. The once thriving city was in shambles.

The walls of the city were torn down. Their enemies could easily come in and attack them.

Nehiamah begin to pen these words. I was in Shushan (Susaan)the palace, 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. 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.”But we now If you read the entire book of Nehemiah We see Ne·he·miʹah to build the walls again. It was a difficult, but it was necessary if they were to be safe from the attacks of their enemies and if they were going to worship God as His Law commanded them.

As they labored to build the walls, they faced constant opposition to their work. They became weary and they became discouraged, but they never stopped their work. Eventually, they completed the task and were victorious over their attackers.

In a sense this evening you and I are wall builders as well. We have had some broken walls in our life that we are currently trying to rebuild.

But whatever you’ve had that has broken down like the children of Israel you can build it up again.

We notice that God chose Nehemiah out of all people to lead the people. My brothers and sisters God has chosen us not to rebuild physical walls but to rebuild some spiritual broken down walls in our lives.

My brothers and sisters it don't make sense to be put together physically and broken down spiritually.

How many can agree that when you decide that you would like to accomplish a cause there will always be challenges.

Anytime you want to step outside of yourself and accomplish a great thing you can look for the opposition.

But if we work together the better off we will be.

Sometimes in the body of Christ, we allow our slight differences to stop us from achieving a common goal.

We allow what we don't like who we don't like, to stop us from doing what God has called us to do...

Tell somebody we are better together

Deuteronomy 32:20 one should chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight

As a body of Christ, we must be able to set aside differences to complete the work of God we must understand that all of us will not think the same, and all of us will not dress the same. But what we must understand is that we all have work to do In the body of Christ.1 Corinthians 12: 4 confirms this when it says There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and everyone, it is the same God at work.

This let me know that we all have a

responsibility.

We as a body of Christ have to get out of discrimination. "Well I'm not going to over there because their Baptist, I don't talk to the A.M.E. or the Pentecostals

How many know of we are lifting the name of Jesus we should be working toward a common cause.

Jesus said in his word that if I be lifted I'll draw all men to me.

How many know if the enemy could? stop us from working together he would.

We see it with Cain and Able The brothers made Sacrifices to God, each of his produce, but God favored Abel's sacrifice instead of that of Cain.

We see it with Joseph and his brothers how God favored Joseph and his brothers plotted to kill him.

If the enemy has it his way he would destroy the men who are working together for a Common cause.

If he could have me not like you because God is blessing you he would.

How many know that God doesn't have to take my blessings to bless you

God has enough to bless both of us.

Because we are working for the same goals

Just looking at somebody and saying we are on the same team.

As we get to the selected text we see the perfect example of men working together for a Common cause.

The walls of the city were torn down. Their enemies could easily come in and attack them.

How many agree that it is not always easy being a wall builder? It is not always easy building the things that have been broken in our lives. It's not always easy even being in Ministry and the church.

I believe we all can agree that there are times when we too tend to become discouraged.

There are times when we grow weary in the battle to build and be all that God wants us to be.

I believe that there are some truths contained in this passage that can help us remain strong, faithful, and active in the struggle to build the necessary walls of life.

There are three things the people did that every one of us Wall Builders who are working together for a common cause Should Know.

They were willing to work…

Be Willing to work

If you are going to rebuild the broken down walls in your life, in your ministry in your finances. You must be willing to work. Most people who struggle with faith and who have had some broken down walls in their life leave out of the church because they think that because God did not just fix their problems when they came that he does not exist. But how many know sometimes God puts us in a position for a miracle but we must be willing to work for the miracle to come to pass.

But how many know we have some Christians who think that I don’t have to do anything? No miracles God requires our participation. When Jesus healed the blind man he told him to go and clean the pool. It required his participation. The woman with the issue of blood thought she was healed she still had to press.

Sometimes God wants to see how bad we want it. Most people see you now but they don’t know all you had to go through to get where you are at. You were willing to work.

1st thing we must be willing to work on.

They were able to stay focused or know your role

Stay Focused.

The Bible says in the 19th verse the work was so great that they were all separated one from another. We must understand that because they were separated does not mean they were not together. They all know their role no one was trying to do the other person's job. They were separate but on one accord. How many know that if we are going to work together it's important that we know our calling and walk in it? I may not be able to do everything in the church but there is something that I can do. The work that God has for this church is so big. That we don’t have to worry about who’s doing what. However, I'm going to do What God has called me to do.

They were prepared to fight.

If you want to know what it is God is calling you to you must identify what it is that you are willing to fight for.

Many of us come to church because we all are fighting something rather it be our children getting saved rather it be financial problems, Sickness, or Marital Problems. They had their weapons in one hand but they were building with the other. Sometimes we have to be willing to fight. In a spiritual sense I'm not talking about with our fist I'm talking about a spiritual fight. 2 Corinthians 10: Lets us know that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. But mighty through God through the pulling down of stronghold..

Ephesians 6:10 Paul lets us know that we should put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil…

How many know in this Christian fight just like the people in the text we have to be willing to fight? Fight for our Faith, fight for our children, Fight for the ministry, Fight for our family. The Bible says in Nehemiah the 4 chapters 17th verse that on one hand, they were building, and on the other hand, they had their weapon. They were able to multitask. Most of us every Sunday come to church with one hand in the work and the other hand fighting off something. Many people don’t understand how you can lift your hand and praise God when they know all that you are going through. They don’t understand how you can come in clap your hands and give god praise when they know what you have to face when you leave. I believe you can say that I'm not praising God because everything is perfect. I'm praising him because I know if I keep building and keep fighting sooner or later God is going to rebuild the broken walls in my life.

Don’t allow anybody to stop you from working no matter what your issue is God can use you in the kingdom

If we are going to rebuild the walls in our life we must be able to work together. No matter what it is that we are going through no matter what it is that has been broken in our life God can restore it.

We have to understand that we can work together to rebuild the walls despite our past.

God wants us to work together despite our imperfections.

God does not call the perfect but he perfects those who are called. Some people will look at your past and try to say what you used to be but I came to encourage you to Continue the Work…

Because the enemy would sometimes put doubt in our minds. But God said don’t question the call on your life. Because God will use those who others may look at as unqualified and make them be who he wants them to be. If you don’t believe me Let's look at the characters in the Bible

~ Noah was a drunk but God used him

~ Abraham was too old But God used him

~ Isaac was a daydreamer But God used him

~ Jacob was a liar But God used him

~ Leah was ugly But God used her

~ Joseph was abused But God used him

~ Moses had a stuttering problem (Moses stuttered)But God used him

~ Gideon was afraid But God used him

~ Samson had long hair and was a womanizer But God used him

~ Rahab was a prostitute But God used her

~ Jeremiah and Timothy were too young But God used him

~ David was an adulterer and a murderer But God used him

~ Elijah was suicidal But God used him

~ Jonah ran from God But God used him

~ Naomi was a widow But God used her.

~ Job went bankrupt But God used him

~ Peter denied Christ But God used him

This Goes to prove that no matter what you’ve experienced Continue the work.

No matter what people may say about you Continue

They may take about you but continue

They may scandalize your name but Continue to work for a Common cause

You may get tired sometimes but Continue

You may feel like throwing in the towel at times But keep working.

I'd like to bring you another person who kept working for a Common cause A man by the name of Jesus. They tried to break down his natural temple as they did the wall. But he did not quit he kept working because he had already told them that if they destroy this temple in three days I would raise it.

He understood that if he could keep working for the common goal to save a sinner like you and me.

Were he was pierced in his side crucified and put in a tomb

When he was betrayed by Judas

He approached Jesus and said greetings to Jesus and kiss him.

they took him to the high priest and the pilot…

But they could not find any fault in him

However, they continued to mock him and

They stripped him of his clothes

they Put a crown of thorns on his head

They led him to his called Golgotha.

The crucified with him to robbers on his left and the others on right at about three in the afternoon Jesus cried Eli lama Sabactaani.

God, why how though forsaken me.

and he gave up the Ghost They took him to the tomb he stayed there one day. he stayed there for two days.

But early on the third day morning, he got up with all power in his hands.

Power to make time sit still.

Power to build up broken Wales in our lives

Power to make time turn a sinner into a saint.

Power to make time to wipe away our tears.

Alter Call. It does not matter where you're at n your life we all have some Walls that have been destroyed. But When Jesus died on the cross whatever broken walls we dealing with he has the power to rebuild…

There may be one that can say I would like to accept christ as my savior.

We are working together for a common cause. pray for the the District.

This let me know that we all have a

responsibility.