God Wins! Don't Lose Faith!
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Introduction
Introduction
Confession time! I tend to be the kind of person who is very optimistic on the front end of a project or opportunity, but then as the realities of the difficulty crush in, I tend to want to throw in the towel.
Following God’s call to leave a well paying design engineering position to becoming a Youth Pastor. It was such an exciting proposition! God was finally opening the door for me! Sure the pay was drastically lower than what I was currently making, but how hard could this be?
When I told my parents, they cried! And they were not tears of joy!
It turns out that this transition was hard. Not just the cut in pay, but the rigors of ministry life of which I had no idea!
Did you know that in ministry not everybody likes the decisions you make?
That not everything is sunshine and rainbows? I remember one evening in particular when I was taking a full load in seminary and working full time as the youth pastor (with three young children) - my wife was helping me study for a Greek exam - she burst into tears and said - I can’t take this any more!” And honestly, I was feeling the same way!
What had I done? I left a great job with amazing benefits that had a bright future for this? It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. It was hard. Harder than I imagined! We were ready to throw in the towel and give up!
Maybe you are in a simular place. Life, and the decisions you have made are proving to be very difficult.
But God will see you through whatever you are facing and He will use this part of your journey to bring Himself great glory! Yes, your difficulty will make Him more famous! This is the story of !
They started off with great passion! Very optimistic! If we just had up to chapter three, we’d think all the people got together under the leadership of Nehemiah and rebuilt the wall - Just like that! But God gave us chapter 4 to show us that following His will most always comes with challenges and difficulties.
But for those who persevere to the end, there will be great victory!
And ultimately, you will receive victory for all eternity - there is no greater hope for us to cling to!
What do the hearers need to know?
Main Textual Idea:
Main Idea: Victory is on its Way, No Matter How Hard Your Situation is Today!
There are three ways this project got very hard for Nehemiah and the Jews, but (in point four) we see the hope that awaits because of the victory we will receive.
Transition:
Body
1. It’s Hard When You Are Mocked (vs. 1-6)
Lead in…Have you ever been mocked or ridiculed? I have! In sixth grade through JH, I was overweight, short, glasses, had a bad hair cut, braces - I was a weird kid! And my contemporaries had no problem sharing their opinion about me to everyone. I was an easy target to be mocked. It’s not fun. I laughed on the outside and was mortified on the inside.
Being mocked is no fun - in fact it is hard. It is especially hard when you are mocked for serving the Lord! This is what Nehemiah and the Children of Israel experienced.
Text -
1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. 2 And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” 3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” 4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. 6 So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
Sanballat, the governor of Samaria was not a happy camper when he found out the Walls in Jerusalem were being repaired and reconstructed.
In fact the Hebrew word used here is “greatly enraged!”
Why was he so upset? One author said this...
“A secure and independent Jerusalem would threaten his hold on the area and undermine his control of the trade route through the region, thus hurting his economy. So for the time being, he dropped his differences with the Ammonites to the east, the Arabs to the south, and the Philistines to the west. In anger over what Nehemiah was doing, they all came together, threatening to stop the work by violence if necessary. This new work of God in Jerusalem threatened their lifestyle, and so they got angry.” (bible.org)
So, how did Sanballat take his anger out on Nehemiah and the Jews? He and his friends mocked them!
What are these feeble Jews doing?
Will they restore it for themselves?
Will they sacrifice?
Will they finish up in a day?
Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?
Yes, what they are building — if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall (Tobiah)!
And I will tell you, it’s hard to stand around and receive verbal mocking and abuse.
And our natural tendancy is to respond in kind!
“Oh yeah? Well, your momma wears combat boots!”
Or something like that...
But that is not how Nehemiah responds. He doesn’t mock back. Instead the first thing he does is pray. And what an interesting prayer he prays.
4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.
“Hear, O Go
Now, if you noticed, this prayer doesn’t really fit with what the Lord says in .
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
So how should we understand this prayer?
Nehemiah prayed as a servant of God. He was very concerned for the Glory of God.
Sanballat and company were openly opposing God.
“He was not requesting personal vengeance but official vindication for God’s people (Wiersbe).”
God already pronounced judgment on Israels enemies and Nehemiah was praying that it would happen now.
This opposition against God’s people was really opposition against God Himself.
Nehemiah was praying the promise that God gave to Abraham about those who cursed God’s people ().
Let me be clear - As followers of Christ, we should pray that God would DESTROY our enemies - by CONVERTING them into lovers of Jesus and followers of the Most High God!
Nehemiah realizes and prays that vengeance belongs to God alone.
I think it is powerful for us to see that Nehemiah’s instinct when mocked for following the directive of God is first and foremost, prayer!
How did Nehemiah respond?
Illustration -
And then? The people got to work!
6 So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
Nehemiah Prayed and they had a mind to work!
Illustration -
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
When mocked, Nehemiah prayed on behalf of everyone and the people worked! What a great model for us today!
What is your response when you are mocked, bullied or treated terribly? Especially when you are serving the Lord? Is it to retaliate and seek revenge? Or is is to Pray and then to get back to the task at hand. How you respond will show you the focus of your heart.
Review - Victory is on its Way, No Matter How Hard Your Situation is Today!
It’s Hard When You Are Mocked - Pray and get to work!
2. It’s Hard When You Are Threatened (vs. 7-9)
Lead in…Well, the enemies of God were not going down without a fight - and so, they threatened to do just that...
Text -
7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. 8 And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. 9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.
So the mocking didn’t work and so they decided to amp up there opposition by threatening to bring a fight to them! Notice too that Sanballat’s crew increased and the represented Judah’s eneimes from the North (Sanballat/Samariah), the South (Arabs), the East (Ammonites) and the West (Ash-dod-ites).
Now remember, Nehemiah is working under the authority of King Artaxerxes. So Sanballat and his partners in crime needed to be careful not to go too far in their attacks lest the King get involved and squash their rebellion. They needed to be more subtle.
But threatening violence would mess with the Jews. Little bands of terrorist activity would cause the Jews to be fearful and not know when the next attack might take place. By trafficking in fear, the enemies of Judah, could paralyze them from accomplishing anything for the Lord!
Here again, we see Nehemiah’s profound response. He doesn’t bust out the Rah Rah speech and attempt to motivate everyone with his captivating, motivational words. He doesn’t threaten or respond in kind. The first thing Nehemiah does is leads his people in more prayer.
In the beginning of verse 6 it says, “And we prayed to our God...”
Prayer is the believer’s single most powerful weapon in his or her arsenal. Nehemiah understood this and employed it often.
As you might imagine, the looming threat of these enemies would really mess with the minds and the confidence of the Children of Israel. Nehemiah knew the source of their power and confidence rested squarely on the shoulders of God Himself. And so he prayed.
W. Clement Stone said, “Prayer is man’s greatest power!”
Why can he make such a bold proclamation? Because...
God is the POWER of Prayer!
The all powerful God of the entire created universe is the power behind Nehemiah’s prayer.
The surrounding enemies were threatening to use their power against the Children of Israel. Nehemiah wasn’t intimidated - He had the ultimate, endless power source as his disposal! The Great I AM!
And this Same Omnipotent God is the power behind your prayer as well. Prayer isn’t some magic formula! No! It is talking about the only one who can actually do anything about your situation!
Review - Victory is on its Way, No Matter How Hard Your Situation is Today!
God’s Faithful will be Mocked
God’s Faithful will be Conspired Against
So many of us, like the Children of Isreal, wrestle with the threat of imminent disaster. It’s the never ending “What if” syndrome!
3. God’s Faithful will Face Discouragement (vs. 10)
What if I lose my job?
Lead in...What is the tension here?
What if my spouse has an affair or leaves me?
What if my children don’t turn out right?
What if I get cancer?
What if, what if, what if!!
It can be exhausting and debilitating! Satan loves to use the “What if” syndrome against God’s children. (What if we don’t raise enough money…)
Fear, worry and anxiety about what might be will paralyze you. God has a much better way!
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Fear, worry and anxiety are ways of expressing your sovereign control over any given situation.
Prayer and trust in the all-Powerful God who can actually do something about any given situation, is recognizing His Sovereign control!
No matter your situation, Trust the One who has all the power!
10 In Judah it was said, “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.”
Review - Victory is on its Way, No Matter How Hard Your Situation is Today!
Text -
Explanation -
It’s Hard When You Are Mocked - Pray and get to work!
Illustration -
Argumentation -
It’s Hard When You Are Threatened - Pray and set a guard!
Application -
Review - God’s Faithful Servants Will Be Opposed, But Victory is On its Way!
God’s Faithful will be Mocked
God’s Faithful will be Conspired Against
God’s Faithful will Face Discouragement
3. It’s Hard When You Become Discouraged (vs. 10-12)
Lead in…Although Nehemiah led them confidently and prayed two powerful prayers; overwhelm at the enormity of their task, coupled with the impending threat of their enemies was taking its toll on them!
10 In Judah it was said, “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” 11 And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.” 12 At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.”
N
11 And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.” 12 At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.”
This mid-point of any project is always the hardest. The initial excitement produced a camaraderie between the Jews that propelled them forward!
And, when the end of the project is in sight, a thrust of energy will carry them to the end!
However, it is the malaise of the middle that can stop the forward motion of a project.
The focus changes from what can be to fixating on the harsh challenge of what is!
Anything worthwhile is hard!
It was worthwhile to rebuild the wall, because it was for God’s glory! Anything for God’s glory is worth our time and energy!
But the Jews were beginning to lose sight of this! Unfortunately, it is easy to do (Peter walking on water)!
Look at what they were beginning to focus on...
They focused on the physical (they were exhausted) - “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing.”
They focused on the work (the work seemed never ending and hopeless) - “There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.”
They focused on the threat (the enemy was real) - “And our enemies said, ‘They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.”
They were focused on those who refused to participate - “At that tome the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten time, ‘You must return to us.’”
There is a lesson to learn here...
He focused on the area of vulnerability - “Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places...”
He focused on families - “…posting them by families...”
He focused on protection - “…with their swords, spears and bows.”
He focused on TRUTH - “After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, ‘Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.’”
There is a lesson to learn here...
H.B Charles addresses the remedy for discouragement...
We all face quitting points in life. The question is: What do you do when you are tempted to lose heart? How should you respond when your faith begins to faint? Is there any counsel from the Lord to face those times when you feel like giving up?
The answer appears in Luke’s introduction to Jesus’ parable [of the persistent widow in ]: “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” Did you hear the answer in the words of that verse? Prayer is the remedy for discouragement. Period. You should pray when you begin to lose heart. This is not a recommendation. It is not a suggestion that you can accept or reject at your discretion. It is not optional. The call to prayer is a moral imperative. “They ought always to pray,” Luke says. It is wrong to give up at life’s quitting points. You must pray your way through.
Of course, this is not an easy thing to do. Such diligence requires more than sporadic, halfhearted, or reactionary prayer. You ought always to pray. You are to continue steadfastly in prayer. You ought to pray until something happens. Diligence defeats discouragement. Continual prayer will keep you from losing heart. Persistent prayer revives the fainting heart. This is why exhorts us to “pray without ceasing.” What does this mean? Does it mean that you should do nothing but pray? No. It means that you are to do nothing without prayer. Don’t take a step without prayer. Don’t make a decision without prayer. Don’t take a step without prayer. Don’t take action without prayer. You ought to always pray and not lose heart. (It Happens After Prayer by H.B. Charles)
Illustration - “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success.” - Thomas Edison
Argumentation - The Children of Israel had so much going against them and they were in the middle of the project and could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. What should the do? Pray and trust the will of God.
Application - This is as true for us today as it was thousands of years ago! Pray and trust! God will get his will accomplished in your life! Believe me! You are no powerful enough to change the will of God!
Review - Victory is on its Way, No Matter How Hard Your Situation is Today!
It’s Hard When You Are Mocked - Pray and work~
God’s Faithful will be Mocked
It’s Hard When You Are Threatened - Pray and set a guard
God’s Faithful will be Conspired Against
God’s Faithful will Face Discouragement
It’s Hard When You Become Discouraged - Pray and trust!
4. It’s Hopeful! Because You Will be Victorious (vs. 13-23)
Lead in…Yes, ministry and serving the Lord is hard! Very hard! But the hard gives way to the possible because of Hope!
I said it last week and I’ll say it again! “It rises and falls on leadership!”
Nehemiah isn’t about to allow the negativity get to him! He sees it as his leadership responsibility to rally the troops in some very specific and helpful ways to ensure the people finish the task they started for the Lord. Look at the leadership steps he takes...
13 So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” 15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. 18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” 21 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. 22 I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” 23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.
-24
In order to counteract the negative and discouraging focus of the children of Israel, notice the several things Nehemiah focuses on!
Notice Nehemiah’s Focus -
He focused on the area of vulnerability - (vs. 13) “So in the lowest part of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people...
He focused on families - “…I stationed the people by their clans...”
He focused on protection - “…with their swords, spears and bows.”
He focused on TRUTH - (vs. 13)“And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, ‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.’”
What is the result of Nehemiah’s Focus?
The work resumes! - (vs. 15)
15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work.
A new work strategy - (vs. 16-18a)
16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. 18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me.
Neh
Sound the alarm and we’ll come running - (vs. 18b-20a)
18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
Neh 18-20
God’g got this - (vs. 20b)
20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
Labor now and rest later - (vs. 21-23)
21 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. 22 I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” 23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.
21-2
Never underestimate what God can accomplish with a people who are full of the hope of God. Nehemiah was first and consistent in believing God. He was a hope filled leader. And when the leader is filled with hope, the people will soon be as well. And when the people are filled with the hope that only God can give, victory is inevitable.
Listen to what Spurgeon has to say about the hope filled follower of Christ...
Blessed is the fact that Christians can rejoice even in the deepest distress; although trouble may surround them, they still sing; and like many birds, they sing best in their cages. The waves may roll over them, but their souls soon rise to the surface and see the light of God's countenance; they have a buoyancy about them that keeps their head always above the water and helps them to sing amid the tempest, "God is with me still." C.H. Spurgeon
The Children of Israel were facing a seemingly impossible task. They had so many things going against them! But they had this one thing going for them.
“Our god will fight for us!”
Do you believe that our God will and does fight for you? That He fights for us!
Do you know where the biggest fight took place? At the cross!
The ultimate battle took place on Calvary where all the forces of Hell prevailed against God himself as He hung seemingly helpless and hopeless.
As the blood drained from His feeble body, the hope of his promises being fulfilled drained from His disciples hearts. They failed to hear what He had told them so many times in His ministry...
22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
21 And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
Jesus was not helpless! His death was part of the strategy of the Godhead! He was not hopeless, His death and burial were part of his plan to satisfy the wrath of God and defeat the works of the Devil. He would not remain dead, He, as He promised, would be raised again from the dead - declaring victory over death and giving hope to a desperately lost world that they too could be raised to eternal life as well!
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow! Because He lives, all fear is gone! Because I know He hold the future! And life is worth the living just because He lives.
And listen, you need to hear this! IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BECAUSE OF FAITH IN CHRIST, YOU HAVE NO HOPE!
This life is a good as it will get for you. And this is why Christ came! To offer Himself in your place - to pay for your sin debt that you must pay!
But because of His great love for you, He offered himself up, shedding His blood and absorbing God wrath on the cross so you would not need to for all eternity in Hell!
This ultimate Hope is because of the AMAZING Victory we have in Christ.
Nehemiah led the Children of Israel to victory as they build the Wall for the Glory of God.
Jesus led us to victory by dying in our place and rising from the dead.
This victory gives us the ultimate hope!
Review - Victory is on its Way, No Matter How Hard Your Situation is Today!
It’s Hard When You Are Mocked
It’s Hard When You Are Threatened
God’s Faithful will be Mocked
It’s Hard When You Become Discouraged
God’s Faithful will be Conspired Against
God’s Faithful will Face Discouragement
God’s Faithful will be Tempted to Give Up
It’s Hopeful! Because You Will Be Victorious!
Conclusion (Visualization)
I started off this morning talking about how, a long time ago Angie and I thought about throwing in the towel and giving up. Praise God He didn’t allow that to happen!
There have been other challenges along the way that have created simular feelings, but each time I realize that God has called me to something greater than my comfort and ease. God has called me to serve Him and bring Him as much glory as I can with this feeble life I have.
By the way, that call isn’t just for me. It is for all of us here this morning who name the name of Christ. And the beauty of this call from God is, no matter the outcome in this life, because of Christ we will be forever victorious!
Action they should take - Talk about the RUAB Campaign.
Land the Plane
Connection Group Reflection Questions
What did you learn about Nehemiah’s leadership in this chapter?
Why can mocking be such an effective tool of the enemy? How should we combat this tactic?
The Jews were living under the threat of attack. What can this looming possibility do to our capacity to endure? What is the remedy?
Discouragement is prevalent today even among believers. What did this chapter and sermon teach you about dealing with being discouraged?
Why is hope so powerful? What can we do to increase hope in our lives?
Who are you sharing the hope of Christ with?