Build His Kingdom 9
BUILD HIS KINGDOM • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Announcements
Announcements
Welcome to all those who are new here at Refuge Aviano
3 Service Challenge - and Next Steps (Today is Welcome Home Party)
Church on the Mountain, September 1st - standby for more information
September 6 & 7 - Known Conference
September 15 - Back to Church Sunday, to coincide with the Fall Semester
October 18-20 - European Fall Retreat
Recap
Recap
Ezra 1 “…build the house of the Lord, the God of Israel…”
Nehemiah 2:18 (CSB)
18 …They said, “Let’s start rebuilding,” and their hands were strengthened to do this good work.
BORDERS AND BOUNDARIES - what we have been talking about the last several weeks.
How good and necessary it is for we who have experienced God’s grace and mercy in our lives and claim Him as Master and Lord - to build borders and boundaries to protect what is holy and sacred.
Protecting primarily the presence of God, where we meet Him - often in the secret place - where on a regular basis we are one on one with God Almighty .
We draw a line between what is righteous, and what is unrighteous; between what is holy, and what is unholy. We protect the things the are holy and righteous in our lives - and we resist the things that are unholy and unrighteous. The man and woman of God yearn for these things.
It is imperative for the life of a Christian to protect our relationship with God, our time with God, our bond with God.
This is a key element as a Kingdom Builder - because this is the goal, to be used of God for His Kingdom purpose and His Will be done in Aviano as it is in Heaven.
Two Gates: The Water Gate & the Horse Gate
Two Gates: The Water Gate & the Horse Gate
26 and the temple servants living on Ophel made repairs opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the tower that juts out. 27 Next to him the Tekoites made repairs to another section from a point opposite the great tower that juts out, as far as the wall of Ophel.
28 Each of the priests made repairs above the Horse Gate, each opposite his own house. 29 After them Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. And beside him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, guard of the East Gate, made repairs.
Pray through the Spirit of God
Interestingly enough, for either of these Gates, there is no record of them being repaired specifically. No structure needed to be placed or repaired. No bolts or bars needed to be established or refastened. The Water Gate stood established and intact for the generations of exile, and remained near the source of the Gohan Springs.
It is suggested that the Water Gate was well-maintained because the Gohan Spring was a source of life in the region.
The Water and Horse Gates as well as the last gates nearest the Temple are prophetic examples of the position of provision God takes in the life of the Believer in Christ.
God provides from Himself and through Himself for every need in your life. He doesn’t need you to source that. As a matter of fact, this where the idea of you and I “manifesting” blessings in our lives is heresy and witchcraft. You and I can’t “manifest” or make something out of nothing. Only GOD can do that.
The adjoining walls needed to be repaired, however. They were repaired and maintained by the Nethinim and the Tekoites, and then moving towards the Horse Gate, by the priests.
The Nethinim was the name for the “servants of the temple”. The name means “given ones” or “those set apart”. They were people that have a life service to the duties of maintaining the Temple of God and assisting the Levites in service to the temple. They were the door holders, the water carriers, the wood-cutters, the grocery-getters… they were a resourceful people connected. The Priests were responsible for taking care of the Lord’s Tabernacle, and the Nethinim assisted them towards that effect.
The Tekoites, if you remember, were the descendants of David’s mighty man, Ira - one of King David’s mighty 30 that led men.
Beyond them, when looking towards the Horse Gate, the priests made repairs there - and in front of where their own house was.
As I reflected on my studies and searching how this applies to you and me today, it was almost immediate in how this correlates to to us.
You and I have servants of God, Most High, that are diligently working to help you build your life on Christ.
To help you build spiritual boundaries in your life so that you can live free in Christ Jesus. God has appointed people in your life - people like pastors and evangelists, also people who are completely devoted to God and serving Him with a holy lifestyle, and you have people around you that are spiritual warriors, prayer warriors who have learned how to pray and intercede and want to teach you.
God has put these faithful saints in your life to help you know Him deeper, fuller, richer - and in that live a life that is holy and pleasing before the Lord.
Now I said earlier, that the Water Gate and the Horse Gate, there’s no record of them needing to be rebuilt or repaired.
Again when we look at this series through the prophetic lens and the application of a Believer in Jesus - we’ve got to the point where the application of this Word is no longer dependent on our role and responsibilities, but on Who Christ is.
When reflecting on the Water Gate and thinking about what Scripture talks about regarding water, my first thoughts are normally where in John 4, Jesus meets the woman at the well.
Reflect on the story of the woman at the well
Jesus’s encounter with this Samaritan woman ends with:
26 Jesus told her, “I, the one speaking to you, am he.”
Jesus here is telling her who He is…the Great I AM.
Exodus 3:14
14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.”
I can only imagine - that moment, that declaration - like in Luke 24 where the people who listened to Jesus talk about the Word (literally Himself), they said “were our hearts not burning within us” as He spoke?
The same One, the Anointed One - our Messiah, is the One who brings fresh water, through the Word of God.
Jesus is the Word of God.
And Ephesians 5:26 says this well-spring of Living Water flows from the Word of God and washes us clean before God
Eph 5:27
27 He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.
Its God in our life - through His Word - and the well-spring that gushes from the power of the Holy Spirit -
This was the reaction of the Samaritan woman! She was released - all of her guilt, all of her shame from her life choices - it was gone, because the Word of God was spoken to her. And the same is available for us this morning:
Jesus stands ready this morning crying out
John 7:37-39
John 7:37–39 (CSB)
37 …Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.” [the ESV translation says, “Whoever believes in me, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”] 39 He said this about the Spirit. Those who believed in Jesus were going to receive the Spirit, for the Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
So the Father’s Promise, is that through the power of the Holy Spirit, the life of the Son - that comes just like living water - washes over us and cleanses us - even deep within us to where it’s cleansed our hearts and out of the abundance of our hearts WE SPEAK, and WE TESTIFY to who Christ is and what He has done for us.
How He has set us free. How His forgiveness of yours and my sins are available to us, if we believe and receive.
His Word that washes, scripture also calls a Sword. And its sharper than any double-edge sword
Eph 6 and Heb 4:12
12 For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
The Word of God judges the thoughts and intentions of our hearts and is able to even cut it out and remove it.
That being said, sometimes the Word of God is a pressure washer in our hearts - sometimes it can sting as it cuts. But the results are it’s made us clean and holy and blameless before Almighty God; without even a spot or wrinkle of what was once our sinful life before.
Jesus is the source at the Water Gate. And He doesn’t need help with the supply. Jesus, the Word of God Himself, is enough. He gives us Himself. Won’t you let Him in your life? Won’t you let Him in your heart? Won’t you let Him set the record straight for you?
The Water He gives you will become a well of water springing up in you for eternal life. We’re talking about the power of the Holy Spirit operating in and through you! For eternity!
He’s also reflected in the Horse Gate.
From the Water Gate through the next three Gates, these were closest to the Temple. What does the Temple represent? The presence of God.
The Horse Gate is the area of the City where Jeremiah proclaimed it was holy before God.
The Horse Gate is referenced in 2 Kings 11 as the gate where Athaliah was brought in for judgment and killed. After King Jehu died - he was one of the righteous kings of Israel - after he died, Athalia tried to kill off the royal family and actually took control of the throne. All the Star Wars fans in the house could say she executed Order 66 on the royal family of Israel, and of course one member of the royal family, the young boy Joash, was saved and would become King.
Athalia seized control of the region around Jerusalem. Her life exemplifies Satan and the spirit of Anti-Christ that seeks to have its control in this world - where the Kingdom of Darkness currently has its reign.
Just like what happened to Athalia, the true King - King Jesus, will establish His Throne in your life and do away with the spirit of Anti-Christ.
There is a day that is coming when He will do away with all the nonsense of this world. He will completely destroy and dismantle the kingdom of darkness and remove Satan from his rule.
He will do so permanently on that glorious day of the Lord -
Revelation 19:11-16
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and with justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a fiery flame, and many crowns were on his head. He had a name written that no one knows except himself. 13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. 14 The armies that were in heaven followed him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. 15 A sharp sword came from his mouth, so that he might strike the nations with it. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God, the Almighty. 16 And he has a name written on his robe and on his thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Church, our Champion, King Jesus, will be returning soon. It could be morning, night, or at noon.
15 For we say this to you by a word from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
Maranatha! Jesus come quickly!
And when it comes to the evil of this world - there is the Rider on a white horse, the Rider is called Faithful and True, and with justice he judges and makes war. The days of satan’s kingdom are numbered. The Lord is coming for glory and victory. There’s no competition. Look, satan and his minions are on borrowed time! There’s no “hoping” Jesus is going to win.
The battle has already been won - and Jesus is the Victor! In light of who Jesus is, you can’t make satan small enough - and the kingdom of darkness must be obliterated for all eternity.
This morning, I proclaim a blessing over all who would receive it this morning:
"For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring." Isaiah 44:3 (NKJV)
God’s desire this morning is to quench your spiritual thirst, and bring blessing where satan has robbed you blind. And this blessing is for you, and your household, and for all of your future generations.
Transition to Jed’s Baby Dedication