Obstacle of Principalities
Nehemiah No Weapon Shall Stand • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 5 viewsNotes
Transcript
Obstacle of Principalities
INTRODUCTION
When government is the obstacle to sharing the gospel.
China in 2020
took down 900 crosses from state licensed churches.
Outlawed the sale of Bibles - even online.
Bulldozed churches that didn’t submit to government control.
Closed many house churches
Demanded children of christian parents denounce their faith.
What if your employer is the obstacle or someone else in authority?
Set Up
Around four months since he received word from his brother.
1 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.
2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid.
3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.
5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.”
6 And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time.
7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah,
8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
Nehemiah had someone in authority over him that controlled his actions.
Artexerxes was a pagan who worshipped many gods.
Artexerxes respected the Jews but was faithful to Persians first.
Nehemiah needed to convince him to let him go fix the walls.
7 Ways to Influence Those in Authority
1- Be Patient (1)
1- Be Patient (1)
1 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.
Wait and pray- waiting on the Lord is an investment. - 4 months.
How do you invest for retirement?
Slow and steady.
Stand Firm - Patience doesn’t have to be passive.
13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.
Let God show his power. There are times to stop doing and just wait.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
2- Be Loyal (1)
2- Be Loyal (1)
1 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.
Continued to serve wine.
“When wine was before him”= it was time for Nehemiah to do his primary responsibility to the king.
vs. 3 “king live forever” - He was loyal to the king.
Much like Daniel. They were loyal until they were told to do something against God’s Word.
Daniel had a great relationship with King Darius. He was sick that he was tricked and threw him in lion’s den. Ran to check on Daniel the next morning.
Our battle is not against people
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
3- Be Sincere (2)
3- Be Sincere (2)
2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid.
He was not fake- he was real.
1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
Don’t try to be someone you aren’t in order to manipulate your boss.
Hypocrisy is deception/ lying.
You do not have to lie for God.
Passive-aggressive = pretending to agree with the boss to make him happy by not intending to comply.
Don’t try to manipulate others by insincere flattery.
4- Be Reverent (2b)
4- Be Reverent (2b)
2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid.
He feared the king because he held his life in his hand.
But he feared God more.
13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Fear is the opposite of faith. However, he overcame the fear through faith.
He was afraid but he didn’t let the fear control him.
Principalities of this world are not our enemy.
1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.
6 and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.
Fear God or Fear Man?
16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Colossians 2:15
Be Bold (3)
5- Be Bold
5- Be Bold
3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
Made his request when asked
No fear when you understand you have behind you the authority of heaven and earth.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
He worked within the system.
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,
14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
We are not to act like we are superior or better than them.
However, we must influence them.
God gave him support to give him strength.
vs 6 (The queen set beside him) = Queen Esther
They served in the king’s court together.
More than likely friends.
Esther was respected by Artexerxes or she wouldn’t have been sitting in such a position.
Title does not always mean wife. Wife of former King would have still had the title.
You are never working alone. God has other people working that you may have never met.
Be bold like Esther - What a person to have encouraging you.
14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Maybe Hammon wasn’t the only reason God had Esther in a place of influence. Maybe she had a huge role in the rebuilding of the temple and now the walls of Jerusalem.
6- Be Prayerful (4)
6- Be Prayerful (4)
4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.
quick prayer in the moment- but ready to speak
This shouldn’t be our only prayers but very powerful when part of a regular prayer life.
Always be talking to God.
Nehemiah had four months of intense praying.
He prayed without ceasing. -
8 times in the book we have Nehemiah issuing a quick prayer to God in the middle of a situation.
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.
9 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.
a strong prayer life makes these quick prayers powerful.
Inhale prayer= pray while you take a breath to be obedient.
He didn’t have time to stop and think when king asked him.
He was prayed up, it was time to take action.
7- Be Prepared (5-8)
7- Be Prepared (5-8)
5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.”
Nehemiah was not just praying for four months, he was planning for the prayer to be answered.
6 And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time.
He was ready with a plan.
7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah,
8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
It was detailed.
He made it easy on the king.
Confident and detailed.
The king gave him the opportunity to influence policy and he was ready.
CONCLUSION
God has given us all influence “for such a time as this.”
God is always working around us. He wants us to join him.
Are you using your influence to further God’s kingdom or your own?
Are you using your influence to further God’s kingdom or your own?
For whose glory do you live?
If Jesus is Lord, you will live to make him known.