NEHEMIAH 2:17-20 GET UP AND FIGHT

INTRODUCTION

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAD BEEN TAKEN CAPTIVE AND THEIR CITY HAD BEEN DESTROYED, BECAUSE OF THEIR DISOBEDIENCE AND REBELLION

AFTER MANY OF THE XILES OFFERED PRAYERS OF REPENTANCE, THE LORD STIRRED UP THE HEART OF A HEATHEN KING TO GIVE FAVOR TO THE JEWS TO RETURN AND REBUILD THE TEMPLE AND CITY OF JERUSALEM

HE AWAKENED THE HEART OF A HEATHEN KING TO THE PROPHETIC UTTERANCES OF GOD’S PROPHET

YOU DON’T NEED THE FAVOR OR THE GOV’T TO BE CHRISTIAN TO OBTAIN FAVOR, GOD CAN GIVE YOU FAVOR FROM UNBELIEVERS

THE PEOPLE THAT YOU EXPECT TO HELP THE MOST, USUALLY HELP THE LEAST AND THE PEOPLE THAT YOU NEVER EXPECTED TO HELP ARE THE ONES THAT HELP THE MOST

THE KING HAD GIVEN LEAVE FOR THE JEWS TO RETURN TO ISRAEL AND REBUILD THE TEMPLE

HOWEVER, 90 YEARS HAD PASSED AND THE JEWS HAD FAILED TO COMPLETE THE TASK

OPPOSITION FROM THE ENEMY AND MISPLACED PRIORITIES HAD CAUSED THE WORK FROM BEING DONE

YOU CAN EXPECT OPPOSITION FROM ENEMIES TO COMPLETE THE PURPOSE OF GOD, BUT ONE OF THE MOST OVERLOOKED REASONS FOR COMPLETING THE WILL OF GOD ARE COMFORT AND MISPLACED PRIORITIES

HOWEVER, THROUGH THE PROPHETIC VOICES OF HAGGAI AND ZECHARAIAH, THE TEMPLE WAS REBUILT

THAT IS WHY YOU NEED PROPHETIC VOICES IN YOUR LIFE

PROPHETIC VOICES WILL BRING PROSPERITY INTO YOUR LIVES

Ezra 6:14 KJV 1900

And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

EZRA

2 Chronicles 20:20 KJV 1900

And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

LIFE CAN HIT YOU SO HARD THAT YOU FALL DOWN AND DON’T WANT TO GET UP

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN HIT BY LIFE AND NOW YOU DON’T WANT TO GET UP

YOUR ENEMIES HIT YOU AND YOU FALL FROM THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD, BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOU GET COMFORTABLE WHERE YOU ARE DOWN AND BEGIN PRIORITIZING OTHER THINGS

BUT, THANK GOD FOR THE REAL FRIENDS THAT WE HAVE IN LIFE

THE BIBLE SAYS, FAITHFUL ARE THE WOUNDS OF A FRIEND BUT THE KISSES OF AN ENEMY ARE DECEITFUL

TRUE PROPHETIC VOICES UTTER THE WORDS OF GOD INTO OUR LIVES AND WHO IS A FRIEND THAT STICKETH CLOSER THAN A BROTHER?

Haggai 1:3–6 KJV 1900

Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, And this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; Ye eat, but ye have not enough; Ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; Ye clothe you, but there is none warm; And he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

HAGGAI 1:3-6

STOP FOCUSSING ON YOUR COMFORT AND FINISH THE TASK THAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU

AND THEY FINISHED REBUILDING THE TEMPLE BUT THE CITY STILL REMAINED DESTROYED

SO, GOD SENDS NEHEMIAH TO JERUSALEM TO REBUILD THE CITY WALLS

UPON ARRIVAL TO JERUSALEM, NEHEMIAH SEES THAT THE PEOPLE HAD BEEN KNOCKED DOWN AGAIN

THIS TIME THEY WERE NOT COMFORTABLE, THEY WERE MISERABLE

TO GET THE PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION, THEY HAVE TO SEE THE NEED

HOW COULD THEY HELP SUCH A GREAT NEED

THE CITY LOOKED WASTED, THE GATES WERE BURNED, AND THE WALLS WERE BROKEN DOWN

IT WAS TIME TO RISE UP AND FIGHT

1. OPPOSITION

WHENEVER YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE LORD, YOU CAN ALWAYS EXPECT OPPOSITION

WHEN NEHEMIAH WAS IN SUSA, HE RECEIVED WORD THAT HIS PEOPLE WERE IN GREAT TROUBLE

THE TROUBLE EXISTED BECAUSE THE WALLS WERE IN RUINS AND THE GATES WERE BURNED DOWN

THE GOAL OF THE ENEMY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE DEFENSELESS

WHEN YOU ARE DEFENSELESS, THE ENEMY CAN MAXIMIZE HIS ATTACK UPON YOU

YOU CANNOT CONCLUDE THAT LIFE IS A PLAYGROUND

LIFE IS NOT A PLAYGROUND

LIFE IS A BATTLEGROUND

THIS IS WHY YOU CANNOT TAKE THINGS SO EASILY

YOU HAVE TO GET SERIOUS AND EQUIP YOURSELF

SINCE THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL AND WE BATTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD

THERE ARE EXTREMELY POWERFUL BEINGS THAT STRATEGIZE AND CARRY OUT PLANS TO STOP OR HINDER THE BELIEVER’S CALL IF GOD IN THEIR LIVES

THEY ARE CRAFTY AND ATTEMPT TO SET UP A BASE OF OPERATIONS IN THE BELIEVERS LIFE

THAT IS WHY THEY WORK ON YOUR WEAKNESSES

THEY CANNOT PUSH THEIR WAY WAY INTO YOUR LIFE

THEY NEED TO BE GIVEN ACCESS BY YOU

THE SERPENT COULN’T FORCE ADAM AND EVE TO EAT OF THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT

HE NEEDED THEIR CONSENT

AND ONCE HE OBTAINED THEIR CONSENT, HE WAS ABLE TO DERAIL GOD’S PURPOSE FOR THEIR LIVES

YOU ARE STRENGTHENED THROUGH YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST

THAT IS WHY CHRIST SAYS ABIDE IN ME SO MANY TIMES

PAUL TELLS US TO BE STRONG IN THE LORD

THROUGH GROWING DEEPER IN A RELATIONSHIP OF DEPENDANCE UPON CHRIST, I GET STRONGER AND STRONGER

AND SINCE I HAVE COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I AM A NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST, I CAN EXERCISE MY FAITH, WHICH QUENCHES ALL OF THE FIREY DARTS OF THE ENEMY

THIS MEANS THAT HE CANNOT BURN DOWN MY DEFENSES

AND WHEN I AM STRENGTHENED IN MY INNER MAN BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, I CAN STOP THOSE ENEMIES THAT OPPOSE THE WILL OF GOD IN MY LIFE

THAT’S WHY, PAUL IN EPHESIANS USES AN EXTENSIVE SET OF MILITARY METAPHORS TO SHOW THE IDEA OF SPIRITUAL POWER

PAUL GOES TO THE EXTENT OF USING MILITARY METAPHORS, WHICH MEANS YOU ARE IN MORE THAN A BATTLE, YOU ARE AT WAR

I DON’T NEED NATURAL WEAPONS, WHICH IS WHY I NEED TO BE IN CHURCH

I GET EQUIPPED IN THE HOUSE OF GOD

I GET EQUIPPED WHEN I STUDY THE WORD

NEHEMIAH USES STRONG LANGUAGE TO IMPRESS THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PEOPLE’S CONDITION

THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN BURDENED ABOUT THEIR BROKEN WALLS AND THEIR BURNT DOWN GATES

HOWEVER, PEOPLE THINK THAT THEIR BAD SITUATIONS ARE NORMAL

THEY THINK THAT THEIR HABITS ARE NORMAL, THEIR LYING IS NORMAL, THEIR JEALOUSY IS NORMAL, THEIR ANGER IS NORMAL, THEIR LUST IS NORMAL, THEIR ADDICTIONS ARE NORMAL

BUT, BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD

BUT, JUST LIKE JERUSALEM, PEOPLE GET USED TO SEEING THEIR SURROUNDING LYING WASTE

WASTED TIME, MONEY, EMOTIONS, ATTEMPTS, LIVES

NOTHING THAT GOD GIVES YO IS TO GO TO WASTE

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

FOR NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST YOU SHALL PROSPER...

GOD IS NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF WASTED LIVES, DREAMS, VISIONS, HOPES

GOD IS IN THE BUSINESS OF RESTORED LIVES, DREAMS, VISIONS, MONEY, TIME, INVESTMENTS

THIS MEANS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO GET IT BACK

TELL YOU NEIGHBOR, YOU’RE GOING TO GET IT BACK

YOU HAVE TO RISE UP AND FIGHT AS PAUL SAID, BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT

STRENGTHEN YOUR HANDS FOR THIS GOOD WORK

2. DIVINE WEAPONS

AS SOON AS THE ENEMIES HEARD THAT NEHEMIAH WAS REBUILDING THE WALL, THEY BEGAN TO INSULT THEM

YOU CANNOT ALLOW THE INSULTS OF THE ENEMIES TO STOP YOU

MOST OF THE TIME, THE ENEMY’S BARK IS MUCH STRONGER THAN HIS BITE

IF YOU READ THE STORY OF GOLIATH CLOSELY, YOU WILL ONLY READ ABOUT HIS INSULTS

YOU NEVER HEAR ABOUT HIS VICTORIES OR READ ABOUT HIS VICTORIES

YOU ONLY READ AND HEAR ABOUT HIS SIZE AND HIS INSULTS

THE ENEMY ONLY ATTEMPTS TO SOUND BIG AND STRONG AGAINST YOU

GOLIATH WAS THROWING INSULTS AT THE ISRAELITE ARMY, AND HERE COMES DAVID

THEY TRIED TO PUT SAUL’S ARMOUR ON DAVID, BUT DAVID HAD PUT THEM OFF

AND WENT TOWARDS THE GIANT AND THE GIANT KEPT THROWING INSULTS AT DAVID

BUT DAVID SAID, YOU COME AGAINST ME WITH A SWORD, SPEAR, AND A SHIELD, BUT I COME AGAINST YOU IN THE NAME OF THE LORD MY GOD

HIS WEAPONS WERE NOT CARNAL

DAVID USED DIVINE WEAPONS-THE NAME OF THE LORD

THAT WHAT YOU NEED TO FIGHT WITH

THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD

SHALOM FOR PEACE

SHAMMAH FOR PRESENCE

RAPHA FOR HEALING

ROHE FOR SHEPHERDING

JIREH FOR PROVISION

M’KKADESH FOR HOLINESS

TSIDKENU FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS

NISSI FOR BANNER

TSAVAOTH FOR LORD OF HOSTS

FOR EVERY SITUATION, THERE IS A NAME

HE SAID, I AM WHO I AM

PAUL GIVES US A LIST OF DIVINE WEAPONS TO FIGHT THE ENEMY WITH BUT WHAT CATCHES THE EYE IS PAUL REPEATS A WORD TO FOCUS ON A CERTAIN IDEA

HE REPEATS THE WORD STAND TO POINT TO THE NEED FOR DIVINE ENABLEMENT AND THE GOAL OF THE STRUGGLE AND MAKES SURE HIS READERS KNOW THAT DIVINE POWER IS AVAILABLE IN THE MIDST OF THE BATTLE

IN VERSE 18, PAUL USES 4 DIFFERENT GREEK TERMS FOR PRAYER TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER

PRAYER IS FOUNDATIONAL TO DRAWING ON GOD’S POWER, GIVES SUCCESS IN RESISTING DEMONIC ATTACKS, AND GROWING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

GOD MAKES HIS POWER AVAILABLE AND DIVINE RESOURCES SO THAT YOU CAN ACCESS HIS ENABLING POWER

LATER, NEHEMIAH WOULD HAVE TO BUILD WITH A TOOL IN ONE HAND AND A WEAPON IN ANOTHER HAND TO COMPLETE THE TASK

TO OVERCOME THE ENEMY WE HAVE TO BELIEVE IN GOD’S POWER TO PROSPER US

3. PROSPERITY

GOD HAS MADE A LIFE OF PROVISION AGAINST ALL OF THE ENEMY’S OPPOSITION AND THE ENEMY HAD SEEN THAT THEY WERE UP AGAINST SOMEONE THAT WOULD FIGHT

I’M GOING TO FIGHT FOR MY FAMILY, FINANCES, MARRIAGE, NEIGHBORHOOD, CITY

I’M GOING TO FIGHT AGAINST ALL THE GARBAGE, TRASH, ADULTERY, FORNICATION, PORNOGRAPHY

DEVIL, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DEFEAT ME AS THE HAND OF MY GOD IS UPON MY

I’M NOT FIGHTING IN MY OWN POWER

I’M NOT FIGHTING IN MY OWN STRENGTH

IT IS THE SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD THAT IS FIGHTING FOR ME

I DON’T NEED SAUL’S ARMOUR

I DON’T NEED MAN’S WEAPONS

THE ONLY THING THAT I NEED IS THAT THE HAND OF THE LORD

IT IS THE HAND OF GOD THAT LED THE CHILDREN OUT OF EGYPT

IT IS THE HAND OF THE LORD THAT BROUGHT DEFEAT TO EVERY ENEMY

I DON’T NEED A GRENADE, BOMB, MACHINE GUN, FIGHTER JET, ALL I NEED IS THE GOOD HAND OF MY GOD AND YOU WILL SEE VICTORY

VICTORY IN MY HOUSE, JOB, MARRIAGE, EMOTIONS, MIND, BODY, CHILDREN, PRAYERS, WORSHIP, PRAISE

CLAP YOUR HANDS ALL YE PEOPLE, SHOUT UNTO GOD WITH VICTORY

IF YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE VITORY, GIVE HIM A SHOUT

NEHEMIAH FIRST TOLD HIS PEOPLE THAT THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS UPON HIM

THEN, WHEN THE ENEMY TRIED TO CREATE FEAR, NEHEMIAH RESPONDED WITH FAITH

HE SAID, THE GOD OF HEAVEN WILL PROSPER US

GOD HAS NOT GIVEN YOU THE SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER......

NEHEMIAH DID NOT REFER TO THE KING’S DECREE, HE TALKED ABOUT FAITH IN GOD’S POWER

EXAMPLE OF MEGHA’S USA MARRIAGE VISA

THE REAL ISSUE IS NOT THE DECREE OF MAN BUT THE POWER OF GOD

IF YOU PUT YOUR TRUST IN THE KING’S DECREE, THE PRESIDENT’S WORDS, THEN THAT’S ALL THE ENEMY HAS TO FIGHT

BUT WHEN YOU PUT YOUR TRUST IN GOD’S POWER, THE ENEMY HAS TO FIGHT YOUR GOD’S POWER

IT’S TIME TO RISE AND FIGHT

THE ENEMY’S ATTACK WILL NOT CAUSE YOU TO GIVE UP BECAUSE GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD

DON’T GIVE UP BUT ARISE AND FIGHT

DON’T FEEL, DISCOURAGED, DISAPPOINTED, TIRED, FRUSTRATED, BUT IT IS TIME TO ARISE AND FIGHT

SHOUT VICTORY, VICTORY, VICTORY