Let us Rise up and Build Having Victory over Discouragment!
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Text: Nehemiah 4:9-12.
Intro: Last week we considered the things in Nehemiah 4 that can weary us as we rise up and build. Those things that weary us, also have a tendency to discourage us if we let them. We looked at the three things that the nation of Israel were met with in the beginning of chapter four. How they were mocked by the words of their enemies, we looked at the constant warring that they faced, and then we looked at how the constant worry of their enemies attack was wearisome.
Today, we are going to consider the rest of the chapter, I’d like us to look the actions of Nehemiah and how it helped the people overcome and sustain victory over their discouragement.
If you remember last week that Nehemiah, had said nothing to the opposition, but instead he prayed, he watched and he continued in the work. All of this was set for an example before the people to encourage them, but the continued barrage of threats from the enemy discouraged the people.
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
My prayer today, is that through what Nehemiah does as the people get discouraged, we would gain some insight and encouragement as we rise up and build having victory over discouragement.
(Vs. 13)
Unity through relationships - Nehemiah establishes unity with the people, by putting families together to fight for each other and their homes. What a picture.. As the church of the living God, it is bigger than that. Listen I sometimes go to other churches and preach, but you know what… it isn’t the same because it isn’t my family.
We have a church family, that we are to be united with, for the purpose and work of Christ! Look around the room, we are not enemies, one with another, but brothers and sisters in the family of God! Yeah, but… this is less important because we are not blood relatives… were not?
How did you become part of this family of God? Have you been bought with a price?
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
We are a family, and what an opportunity we have to serve the Lord together. Sometimes that means that we must fight, well let’s do that together instead of against one another.
The result in Nehemiah, was that the enemy was deterred and the people were encouraged.
2. Unity through remembrance… (verse 14)
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
We are not fighting alone! We are fighting unified as the family of God, and most importantly God is fighting on our behalf!
When discouragement comes there are in general two types of people…
Those who cannot see through the discouraging situation, and lose sight of God.
Those who see God, and lose sight of the discouraging situation.
What gives us the encouragement to carry on? Realizing that we are not in this fight alone… When everything is falling apart in our lives, we come together as a family, we equip ourselves together as a family, we strengthen and train together as a family, we fight together as a family, we serve together as a family, we worship together as a family and we remember the Lord together as a family!
There is no greater encouragement then coming together with the people that you love, to serve the God you love together! On one mind, one spirit, focused, working, and purposed in the same endeavor. What a joy!
3. Unity through reinforcements (vs. 15-17)
(vs. 10) Remember how Judah was discouraged? Look at how the people respond! (vs. 16)
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
The enemy would love to distract us all, from the task at hand. There outside these walls, jumping up and down, trying to draw our attention away…
What I love about this part of chapter four, is that they didn’t all have the same job…
And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Some work, some pray, some watch… By the means the Lord has equipped us with… If we rise up and build, then we will fight, and if we are going to fight then we must unite.
Spurgeon 1865 - Magazine (Sword and Trowel) Based upon this chapter - he wanted it to encourage people in their conflict with sin, and their labour for the Lord!
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
4. Unity through renewed perspective: (vs. 19-23)
Notice that there is not mention of the names of the enemy…
Neither give place to the devil.
They work with an ear open… Do you see what they are listening for? Not the enemy… The trumpet! It is the same thing that we are listening for!
(vs. 20) “our God shall fight for us.”
Just like he did for them, in Ex. 14, Deut. 3, Josh 10, 1 Sam. 25, 2 Chron. 20, 2 Chron. 32, and like He will in Zech. 14...
Nehemiah puts a second shift on… (vs. 21-23)
Often times it is at our weakest moments is when we are attacked…
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
When we let our guard down… It is why we need unity!
(vs. 22) Nehemiah wasn’t asking them to do anything that he himself wasn’t willing and ready to do!
As we build up the church, we are met with opposition, we learn to fight, we unify through that fighting, and through it all, we grow!
As we grow, we establish Biblical truths, that will help us day by day…
(vs. 6) They had a mind to work...
(vs. 9) They had a heart to pray...
(vs. 9) They had an eye to watch...
(vs. 20) They had an ear to hear...
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
There is not greater encouragement keep fighting then knowing Christ is coming for us!
I want to encourage us today to stay faithful… Sometimes we make the enemies job easy… (Judah, vs. 10) One day, we will see that all time spent worrying, was wasted, and all the things spent worrying about, were worthless…
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Those anticipating the return of Christ… live differently than those who are not… Do you know why?
They live with a renewed perspective! Allowing them to see, hear, think and then therefore, live differently!
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
