Always Be Ready
Notes
Transcript
Handout
woke up on Saturday and saw a bizarre text.
Mean lies from someone
Such discouragement
At times like these we have a choice to take up arms and come out swinging, or to remember what we know that there is so much more.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
There is so much more to life than just what we see.
There is so much more to life than just what we see.
I know this week has been hard. For some of you filled with grief, prayers for healing, prayers for fixed relationships.
Today’s worship of our amazing God is not to sell you on an idea that God will remove all these things from your life.
He likely won’t. But there is a way. God has provided a way.
He is faithful and we can depend on him
He is faithful and we can depend on him
when people Hate us, when things go wrong, when everything falls apart, when people fail us, … in all of this God never will fail us.
When the times are tough so many go looking for ways to get out.
God shows us HE is the way through.
God shows us HE is the way through.
his words the Bible, He takes us through!
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.
These things are simple truths. As simple as
I have been preaching through the book of Nehemiah. We have seen that God allowed Nehemiah to face the crisis of his own people without any security, having to make requests of an emperor, having to rebuild a city when people of other cities and areas where willing to kill them for rebuilding their city wall.
In each and every step,
Nehemiah would see that God is faithful.
Nehemiah would see that God is faithful.
They would overcome and face more challenge from their enemies.
Let’s pick up where we left off last.
14 After I made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes.”
Nehemiah 4:15–23 (CSB)
15 When our enemies heard that we knew their scheme and that God had frustrated it, every one of us returned to his own work on the wall.
The schemes were discouragement, intimidation and lies.
They didn’t try a full attack, instead the enemies picked on the weakest those traveling to the city. And yet they could do nothing to stop God’s plan.
Then the people went back to work.
Application:
Didn’t stop to convince the others.
CLAIM THE VICTORY
CLAIM THE VICTORY
Didn’t focus on the threat, focused on the work.
Faith and Victory are not separate
16 From that day on, half of my men did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers supported all the people of Judah,
17 who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.
18 Each of the builders had his sword strapped around his waist while he was building, and the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.
A Military Plan and Readiness
Plan for emergencies in your own life for your responsibility and to help others
Plan for emergencies in your own life for your responsibility and to help others
Have AAA. Have other stuff
Sword of the Spirit
19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is enormous and spread out, and we are separated far from one another along the wall.
20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”
A warning system
Laziness is not Faith; Planning without prayer is not wisdom
God will fight for us
21 So we continued the work, while half of the men were holding spears from daybreak until the stars came out.
22 At that time, I also said to the people, “Let everyone and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.”
23 And I, my brothers, my servants, and the men of the guard with me never took off our clothes. Each carried his weapon, even when washing.
Everyone is in it together.
They literally had to have people on guard to get anything done.
Imagine instead of locking things up so they don’t get stolen, to actively having to have someone always ready to kill or attack others to prevent attack or theft.
The armed guards of Paraguay
What does this have to do with us?
Faith is in reality. If you think prayer eliminates hard conversations, doctor appointments, or work than you are wrong.
Hard conversations, doctor appointments, and work do not eliminate nor determine the blessing and direction of God.
Mom’s Leukemia
Our Grief
Court Cases
This next week
20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”