Building The Wall of Prayer
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1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah.
It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel, 2 that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
3 And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”
4 So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
Background: Jerusalem’s Broken Down Wall
A City with Broken Down Wall is a city in.. (ppt slide)
Danger
Shambles
Disgrace
Spiritual Analogy.. Spiritual walls that are down mean:
Danger from the attacks of the enemy
Life in shambles (no order, no direction, no meaning, no real success)
Disgrace in the eyes of people (mockery, judgement, God is not honored)
How do we build or rebuild the walls of our spiritual life?
It starts with a burden. Is there a burden that God has put in your heart?
Be Open to Divine Burden
Acknowledgement: I need to fix my life, God
What should I do?
What do I need to get this accomplished?
There is a blessing in divide burden, and lamenting to God
"Our tears water the “seeds of providence” that God has planted on our path; and without our tears, those seeds could never grow and produce fruit." (Warren Wiersbe)
Praying and fasting
Lift the Burden to God then Take Action
Nehemiah did not turn to the human king.
In Nehemiah’s story, we learn not only lessons in prayer but also how we act in accordance with our prayer.
We also need to do something. We hear from the Lord and we obey.
When we pray a prayer of repentance, we do something — we repent and turn from our sinful ways.
When we pray for someone grieving, if they are within reach, we come alongside them and comfort them.
When we pray for someone struggling and in need, we reach out and help them
Stay in Prayer
Nehemiah was constantly praying. You can never be too busy to pray.
He had this huge burden - He prayed
He acted on the burden and started the task of building the wall - He prayed
He completed the task - He prayed
Elements of Nehemiah’s prayer and how it led Him to act:
Adoration of God
Praised God
Ascribe glory to the Lord
5 And I said: “I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments,
Elements of Nehemiah’s prayer and how it led Him to act:
Confession of Sins
6 please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned.
he identified with a generation before him and their sins! We cannot extricate ourselves.
There was an integrity crisis - we are one body,
verse that says if one is hurting in our family we all hurt
“I will not look at the people”
He interceded for his people
He reminded God of His promises to forgive.
Elements of Nehemiah’s prayer and how it led Him to act:
Supplication based on Trust
In our weakness, God is strong
In our frailty God is powerful
Confidence in God’s faithfulness
-God would send help (examples in the church)
When you are being challenged to help out, it should not be a burden.. consider it being enlisted in God’s Royal Army!
-God would provide what he needs:
Favor with the human king
God can use human government and people outside the church to bless His work. (Examples at the work place - my personal experience)
Nehemiah needed the King’s authorization, resources for materials (home depot) and protection.
We have to live a life of prayer by living our prayer (explain)
Nehemiah volunteered to go. (took a leave of absence)
He could have stayed and lived a life of comfort..
The immigrant drawn to his native land (examples). More because of people.
We have been delivered from darkness to light, we should not be drawn to the WORLD by any other reason than the people we left behind.
Identify with people in their greatest need. “I once was lost”
DO NOT BURN SPIRITUAL BRIDGES!
Don’t burn “spiritual bridges” - talk about burning bridges.
Nehemiah was born in the exile, but he cared for his heritage.
NEHEMIAH CONFRONTED ENEMIES.
When you rebuild Spiritual Walls, EXPECT OPPOSITION!
Mockery (could be someone close to you, your spouse)
Discourage you
Try to stop you
Try to Destroy you (Satan)
Nehemiah never stopped praying
Nehemiah’s story is a picture of the need for us to build our own wall of protection through prayer!
Keep the Godly things in and Keep the undesirable things out! Dabbling in alcohol, drugs..
Problem with recreational marijuana.. (research why intoxication is bad)
12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Has that wall been breached, is the wall broken down?
As we read the prayer of Nehemiah, in our minds, replace the words:
“Children of Israel” with “Myself and My family”
“Father’s House” with “My house”
“You have commanded Your servant Moses” with “The Lord Jesus has commanded me”.
5 And I said: “I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, 6 please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned.
7 We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. 8 Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations;
9 but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.’ 10 Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand.
11 O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”
For I was the king’s cupbearer.