When God Won't Let You Quit

A month of ago, during the convening of the House Financial Services Committee, secretary of Treasury, Steven Minuchin was call in to give an account for the state of international financial affairs and gathered in that meeting was a senior stateswoman from California, Representative Maxine Waters better known to black

Millennials and black social media as Auntie Maxie.

And when Auntie Maxie’s time was allotted she had but one question.

She wanted to know why Stephen Minuchin had ignored and not responded to a letter she had pinned to him requesting information about 45 ties to Russia.

She asked him repeatedly, why haven’t you responded to my letters.

Trump appointee Stephen Minuchin in an attempt to sidestep, begin his answer with a long list of platitudes, congratulating Maxine Waters on her work in California.

Maxine Waters quickly ascertained that not only had he not responded to the letters but now he didn’t plan on answering the question and so in the midst of his dodging the question, Maxine Waters hollered out these words, “I’m reclaiming my time!”

And by doing so she showed her awareness of house procedural rules section 11, subsection B, which gives rules about conduct in the debate in the midst of a house meeting that when a representative has been allotted an amount of time and someone else is speaking the representative has the right to reclaim time at which point the other person speaking has to be quiet.

Representative Waters said, I’m reclaiming my time and Minuchin in an attempt to bully her tried to loud talk her and keep dodging the answer to the question.

To which she then raised her voice because Minuchin doesn’t understand – you ain’t gonna loud talk a sister.

So, she said again in a louder voice, reclaiming my time.

Minuchin didn’t get it and then Maxine Waters said again with a finger raised and I wish I could’ve been there to give him a lesson is ‘sister-ology’ because there are leves of communication with a black woman.

She’s gonna say it once, she’s gonna to raise the voice the second time, then the finger is going to go up and when the hands starts clapping that’s when it’s time….

Minuchin tried to loud talk her and she hollered out again, reclaiming my time.

At which time the gentleman running the meeting reminded Minuchin that he needed to be quiet.

My brothers and Sisters, we are living in an era where privilege is emboldened in a time when accountability is rare and in a season when disrespect is high.

In a time when lies are sold as fact and collusions are covered up and everyone is thrown under the bus.

In a time when bigotry and hatred are no longer scared about coming out the

In a time when bigotry and hatred are no longer scared about coming out the closet.

closet.

In a time when job security in the administration is a joke.

Maxine Waters with the phrase reclaiming my time made a bold statement to the world, reminded us in this ear you will not loud talk me.

You will not avoid my question.

You will not disrespect my voice.

You will not ignore my position.

You will not bully me with your privilege.

You will be little my gender.

You will not devalue my ethnicity and as a matter of fact, you will not waste my time.

I just stop by Antioch East to tell you that Rep. Waters dropped some gospel good news that day,

I just stop by Greater Saint Mark to tell you that Rep. Waters dropped some gospel good news that day,

When she reminded us that when you’ve got an assignment on your life and when there are things you got to get done and when time is limited and the clock is ticking you can’t allow folk to divert the agenda of your life by side stepping the stuff that you need to get done.

Listen, there are some people you cannot waste time on and can’t allow them to waste the time of your life.

I don’t know who I’m preaching to this morning, but you can’t waste time with some people or somethings.

Now, I know, I’m not preaching to everyone today.

Now if you’re here and you aren’t trying to do anything with your life I’m not preaching to you.

If you’re here and you stopped pursuing any dream for your life, if there’s no purpose you’re trying to get to, if you’re just handing out with Otis Redding, sitting on the dock of the bay, wasting time – then I’m not preaching to you.

If you know that there is stuff some stuff you are trying to get done before they lay you out in a casket

If you still have a dream that you’re chasing

If you still got a business you’re trying to start

If you are still trying to make a name for yourself

If there is still a trophy you’re trying to put on the shelf of your life

If you still got work to do from God

Then I need you to get some Auntie Maxine in your spirit and learn how to stop wasting your time with stuff that can’t get the job done.

Don’t Quit.

Start staying on the wall.

In our text, Nehemiah is an example of someone who knew how to stay on the

In our text, Nehemiah is an example of someone who knew how to stay on the wall.

wall.

If you walked with us at the beginning of the year in bible study you will notice that the children of Israel had been released from their Babylonian captivity the Bible says that 50,000 of them had returned to Israel only to find Israel and particularly Jerusalem in ruins.

It is then, that we are introduced to a brother named Nehemiah.

Nehemiah is a Jew and he serves as the cup bearer of King Artaxerxes he asks Artaxerxes for permission to go to Jerusalem and when he gets there he is absolutely devastated by the devastation of his home city.

He’s particular perturbed by the status of the walls and the gates, the walls which represent the protection of Jerusalem have been broken down

And the gates which represent the glory of the city of God have been burned to the ground.

And while he’s there the Lord lays it upon Nehemiah’s heart that his divine assignment is to rebuild the walls and restore the gates.

I want to make sure you don’t miss this; he’s got an assignment from God to rebuild the walls and restore the gates.

want to make sure you don’t miss this; he’s got an assignment from God to rebuild the walls and restore the gates.

The bible teaches us from the very beginning, he’s got opposition from three prominent men in the city who are non-jews.

He’s got a problem with Sanballat, who’s a horinate • He got a problem with Tobiah, who’s an ammonite and He’s Geshem who’s an Arab – watch this!

He’s got a problem with Sanballat, who’s a horinate • He got a problem with Tobiah, who’s an ammonite and

He’s Geshem who’s an Arab – watch this!

He got trouble with Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem.

Young people, let me pause, and tell you this one for free – that whenever you are about something you’re gonna have some opposition.

Anytime you’re in divine favor – you’re going to have opposition.

Anytime you’re walking in assignment; opposition is par for the course.

That’s the bad news, however, the good news is spirt of Sanballat, Tohiah, and Geshem – the text reminds us that in 52 days Nehemiah rebuilds the wall!

Which reminds me that even though you may have opposition when the hand of God is on something – no one can stand against what God has purpose and planned and achieved to accomplish.

I wish I had some witnesses in Greater Saint Mark on this morning!

That knew that if God be for me, (HEY) he’s more that the world against me! They reach a point where the walls have been rebuilt and all he’s got to do now is finish the gates.

But what’s so funny is that even though the walls are finished, opposition ramps us because the gates aren’t completed.

This is when Sanballat, Tobias, and Geshme – repeatedly try to get Nehemiah to stop the work he is doing, come down off the wall and entertain their foolishness. In three ways they invite him to come on down and meet in the plains of (OHNO) only for Nehemiah to say oh on.

They write a letter accusing him of trying to rebel against the Emperor and he doesn’t come down.

They try to set up with a brother name Shemiah who came into the temple and Nehemiah won’t come down.

Repeatedly, Nehemiah tells them why should I stop the work that God has assigned on my life to come down and deal with you.

In the real sense, Nehemiah said, I’m staying on the wall.

You will not divert my purpose, you will not disrespect my assignment, you will not waste the time that God has given me to get the work done to deal with your nonsense.

I don’t know who I’m talking to this morning, but the Lord said, you’ve got work to do – but time is limited!

Time is running out!

I know your young now – but just keep on living!

Your time is limited and when your time is limited there are some things and some people you cannot entertain and still get the work done that God has called you to do and you’ve got to learn when to shut some folk up and declare I’m staying on the wall!

Listen, if you are going to stay on the wall and be the church that is working right, this text teaches us three things.

Number One you have to have clarity of when your assignment is complete.

In a real sense, you got to know when you have reached the finished line.

Watch this, Nehemiah has two assignments: to build the walls and restore the gate.

Now notice when he begins the process of rebuilding the walls his enemies don’t attack him, they just ridicule him.

They are really not worried when it’s just a vision, they’re not upset when it’s just a dream, ain’t nobody doing nothing but laughing, while he’s sitting at home developing a business plan.

But when the walls are built that’s when the opposition comes now remember the walls are built but the gates have not been restored and when the opposition comes and tries to get Nehemiah to come down

one of the reasons he says now is because he knowns I’m not down yet the walls are just part of my assignment.

The gates have to be finished and I cannot come down off of the wall to deal with your foolishness until the gates are up, so that the divine assignment can be completed.

Because the enemy will always try to get you to sacrifice completion in the name of progress.

Let that soak, the enemy will try to get you to look back at how much you’ve done and forget that you ain’t crossed the finish line yet and have you give up and rest

on the fact that you’ve done so much but you have yet to complete what God has assigned because the devil understands – watch this…

God doesn’t get glory when you get an incomplete.

There’s no glory for God in what you start but don’t finish.

There’s no glory for God in what you envision, but won’t endure to the end.

There’s no glory for God in what you commit to but won’t stick through.

There’s no glory for God in what you dream about but never make a reality

God only get’s glory when you finish the assignment God has given you.

God gets his glory when you cross the finish line.

Notice this, the closer he gets to finishing the more his enemies show up.

The level of your opposition is inversely proportional to your proximity to the finish line.

Which means the closer you get to the end – the more hell breaks loose.

The closer you get to finishing the more obstacles you got to deal with.

The closer you get to checking it off the list the more the enemy tires to stop you because he knows once you cross the finish line – God gets glorified.

It’s almost like running a matron race; you are either a rookie or veterans – you know you can tell a rookie because when they get to the hill they get discouraged, when they see the hill, they get upset that they got to run up the hill, when they see the hill they want to quit.

But then there are the veterans and the veterans are different from the rookies because when the veterans see the hill they get excited when the veterans see the hill they dig in deep and start running harder, when the veteran see the hill they get motivated and excited.

But then there are the veterans and the veterans are different from the rookies because when the veterans see the hill they get excited when the verterans see the hill they dig in deep and start running harder, when the veteran see the hill they get motivated and excited.

The reason that the vets get excited and the rookies give up is because the vets understand that the hill is always right before the finish line.

Antioch East there are some rookies on your pew, who don’t get excited about opposition but there are some veterans who know that the more opposition

Antioch East there are some rookies on your pew, who don’t get excited about opposition but there are some veterans who know that the more opposition have, I must be closer to end.

have, I must be closer to end.

Secondly, you have to be critical of the sources of your counsel.

You can’t listen to everybody.

Nehemiah, recognizes that when you are on assignment from God you can’t listen to everybody.

Nehemiah, is on the walk working and shemiah comes to him and says we ought to go to temple.

Stop what you are doing and let’s me and you go to the house of God, have a little talk with Jesus.

He says let’s go to church – this sounds godly, this sounds biblical, it sounds like it got some holy ghost in it.

However, Nehemiah doesn’t come down because he learned that you can’t listen to everybody who tells you what God told them to tell you.

The bible says that Nehemiah discerns that God ain’t sent him.

This is not a word from the Lord.

Don’t you ever reach a place, when someone’s title, their ability to quote scripture – leads you to believe that everything they tell you, God told them to tell you.

Ask the Lord for a spirit of discernment.

Listen you will mess yourself up listening to everybody.

Nehemiah says no that’s not from God.

This is why a prayer life is critical in the life of a believer.

Because received his assignment in prayer.

I can I teach for a moment: often times, not all the time, when prophet come to share a message, they are simply bringing confirmation for things that God has already pressed inside of you – weather you have been listen or not, prophet reaffirm the voice of God speaking to you.

They come to bring correction, set the course of action, tear down stronghold, rebuilding hearts and restore faith!

Number Three: Criticism doesn’t demand commentary.

You don’t have to respond to everything people are saying.

Can I make this live?

Sanballat wrote a letter to Nehemiah and here’s what the letter says, I know what you’re up too. You are trying to rebel and make yourself king and everybody is talking about it.

So, you need to come down and deal with this because everybody knows and I’m gonna tell the king what you are up too.

It’s sort of like this, I know what you are doing, everyone is talking, if you don’t come down, I’m gonna tell the king.

Nehemiah won’t come down and he’s not afraid!

Why does Nehemiah stay on the wall?

It doesn’t make mathacial sense.

It doesn’t make mathacial sense. Nehemiah recognizes that Sanballat doesn’t know everybody.

Nehemiah recognizes that Sanballat doesn’t know everybody.

What I have found – criticism is always guilty of flase advertising.

What I have found – criticism is always guilty of false advertising.

Criticism always inflates its numbers to make you think it has more than it actually has!

And don’t nobody know everybody!

Now here’s what Nehemiah understand.

If you peep out Chapter 3, it lists 48 names, groups, and individuals who got behind Nehemiah because of the work that he was doing.

However, If you skip over chapter 3, with the supporters, get to chapter 6 with the one who stood in opposition you may give more credit to the “one” who stands against him, rather than the 48 who got his back.

Because what the devil will attempt to do is waste your time dealing with the folks who don’t have your back instead of dealing with the ones that do.

Why would I stop a work that is blessing thousands to deal with three?

Here what Nehemiah says, none of that is true – I know I’m not rebelling and I know you made that up in your mind.

You have no evidence; you have no facts and composed a fictional story in my mind.

Sometimes you have to let people remain in their own imagination.

You have to be content to let folks think whatever they are going to think.

I’m not chasing down rumors.

Listen – we have to reach a point where we don’t care what folks think.

If I know I’m not guilty of what you said, then I’m not gonna waste my time trying to prove a lie to be fact.

Nehemiah looked at those who were standing against him and put them in the hands of God.

Can’t nobody deal with lying lips, like God.

Can’t nobody handle rumors, like God.

Can’t nobody handle opposition, like God.

He puts them in the hands of God.

I’ve stop by to tell you that the next time you go down in prayer – don’t ask for a new car, a new house – but give God every person’s name who is working against the work and the will of God and allow God to work on them.

Are there is a witness in the house that understand, God will handle it!

Do I have a witness in the house that God will handle your opposition?

“Greater is He that is in me, than He that is in the world,” and “if God be for us who can be against up”.

Nehemiah prays in verse 14 and they show up again in 15-18, he gives them over to God and they still show up – he prays and they still running their mouths.

God why it is that when I pray – they still show up?

Well, can I share this with you… when you turn your enemies over to God and they show up, is because God may not shut their mouths, but he will tie their hands.

Talk about the neighbor dog.

God may not stop the bark but he will stop the bite.

just stop by to tell somebody that no weapon formed against me shall prosper and every lying tongue shall be cut down.

I just stop by to tell somebody that no weapon formed against me shall prosper and every lying tongue shall be cut down.

Don’t waste your time responding to every criticism, don’t waste your time listening to everybody and don’t waste your time coming down before you are finished.

You got to stay on the wall.

Stay on the wall – Keep pushing, keep pressing, keep reaching your goals.

Stay on the way – I’m pressing on the upward way new heights I’m gaining every day, still praying as, I’m upward bound – plant my feet on higher ground.

Stay on the wall – …because the enemy wants to distract you, he will do everything he can to keep you from finishing, whether it is false praise, lies, or fear; do not give in – keep to the task.

Stay on the wall - Keep a steady hand…don’t compromise your walk with Christ; do not give in – keep to the task.

Kirk Franklin said, I've gone through the fire and I've been through the flood

I've been broken into pieces seen lightnin' flashin' from above

But through it all I remember that He loves me

And He cares and He'll never put more on me than I can bare

Well, Jesus went to Calvary to save a wreath like you and me,

But that’s not how the story ends – three days later – he rose again!

don’t know about you, but I’m the way the up and I’m staying on the wall!

Don’t know about you, but I’m the way the up and I’m staying on the wall!

Shout! Stay on the wall and go all the way up!

Shout!

I’m gonna go all the way up!

Stay on the wall and go all the way up!

I’m gonna go all the way up!

How can I all the way – through fasting, prayer, tithing, staying connected and praising.

Is there anybody here that has a praise that will take you all the way up.

I’ve got a praise, I’ve got a song, I’m all the way up! Turn down for what!

Shout, I’m all the way up! I’m staying on the wall, say yea!

•

Let’s pray: God our time is limited to much so much to be wasted with the #45’s of this life, I’ve got too much to do waste my time with someone who is trying to divert the agenda. I prayer for everyone who has listened to this series and I pray that something will cause them to change.