Overcoming Obstacles

Good morning, everybody. Would you stand to your feet? Let's worship the Lord this morning. Lord, you are good, God. There's peace that outlasts darkness. We sing. Hope that's in the blood. There's future grace that's mine to make, that Jesus Christ has made. So I can't face tomorrow, but tomorrow's in your hands. And all I need you will provide, just like you always have. Here we go, we sing. Every voice. I'll fight the battle that you've always won. There's mercy. There's mercy in the way you make, manner for today. And when it's gone, I know you're mine. You are my hope and savior. And when the sea is raging, sing, your spirit is mine. You'll fix my eyes on Jesus Christ. I'll say that is well. I know that it is well. I'm fighting a battle that you've already won. No matter what comes my way, I will overcome it all.

Don't know what you'll do. But I know what you've done. I'm fighting a battle that you've already won. Oh, yes, you have, God, that is goodness. I know how the story ends. I know how the story ends. We will be with you again. And you're my savior, my defense. No more fear. No more fear in life or death. Sing that again. I know how the story ends. I know how the story ends. Oh, we will be. We will be with you again. Jesus, he's our savior, our defense. You're my savior, my defense. Oh, no more fear in life or death. Come on, one more time, sing it out. I know how the story ends. We will be with you again. Oh, and you're my savior, my defense. No more fear in life or death. Cause I know how the story ends. Oh, we know how it ends. I'm fighting a battle that you've already won. I'm fighting. ♪ I'll fight your battle, you already won ♪ ♪ No matter what comes, I'll overcome, I will win ♪ ♪ I don't always know what you do and got ♪

♪ I know what you did, but I know what you've done ♪ ♪ I know what you've done, I'll fight, I'll fight your battle ♪ ♪ You've already won, I'll fight your battle ♪ ♪ Say, you've already won ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ You've already won, I'll fight your battle ♪ Man, good news. We know that he's won the battle. Good morning, everybody. It's good to see you this morning. Why don't you take a moment to meet your neighbor, to greet your neighbor? Be right back. ♪ All right. Well, we're gonna continue to worship, but I'm gonna enter us in through prayer, and then we'll keep going. Lord, thank you for this morning, God. I love seeing just a full room of your people gather to praise you, God. Lord, I pray that as we worship this morning through a song, through prayer and fellowship together, and as the words preach this morning, Lord, I just pray that you'd move in our hearts, God. So would you open our eyes, open our hearts to hear from you, to see you? God, we are here for you this morning. We're not here because it's just a part of our routine. We're not here just because it's something

we know we should do, Lord, but we're here for you, God. Lord, I pray that you would just meet us with your love and mercy. I pray that we would see you in your gospel, shining in the light of its glory, Lord. We love you, in Jesus' name, amen. Let's sing together. ♪ Light of the world Sing light of the world. Light of the world, you step down into darkness Open my eyes, let me see Beauty that made this heart adore you Hope of a life spent with you And we'll sing together. Here I am to worship Here I am to bow Here I am to bow down Here I am to say that you're my God And you're altogether lovely Altogether worthy Altogether wonderful to me King of all days Oh so highly exalted Glorious in heaven above Humbly you came to the earth you created ♪ All for love's sake became whole ♪ ♪ Thank you, Lord ♪ ♪ And here I am to worship ♪ ♪ Here I am to bow down ♪ ♪ Here I am to say that you're my God ♪

♪ You're altogether lovely ♪ ♪ Altogether worthy ♪ ♪ Altogether wonderful to me ♪ ♪ Thank you, Lord ♪ ♪ Oh, you're altogether wonderful to me ♪ ♪ And I'll never know how much it costs to see my sin upon that cross ♪ ♪ And I'll never know how much it costs to see my sin upon that cross ♪ ♪ And I'll never know how much it costs to see my sin upon that cross ♪ ♪ And I'll never know how much it costs to see my sin upon that cross ♪ ♪ And I'll never know how much it costs to see my sin upon that cross ♪ ♪ And I'll never know how much it costs to see my sin upon that cross ♪ ♪ And I'll never know how much it costs to see my sin upon that cross ♪ This is our response. ♪ So here I am to worship, here I am to bow ♪ ♪ Here I am to say that you're mine, you're altogether mine ♪ ♪ Altogether lovely, you're altogether worthy ♪ ♪ Altogether wonderful to me ♪ ♪ Here I am to worship, here I am to bow down ♪ ♪ Here I am to say that you're mine, you're altogether mine ♪ ♪ Altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me ♪ ♪ Altogether wonderful to me ♪ ♪ Oh you're wonderful to me Jesus we sing ♪ ♪ In all hail King Jesus ♪ ♪ All hail the Lord of heaven and earth ♪ ♪ All hail King Jesus ♪ ♪ All hail the Savior of the world ♪ ♪ There was a moment when the lights were down ♪ ♪ When death had claimed its victory ♪ ♪ The King of love had given up his life ♪ ♪ That darkest day in history ♪

♪ There on a cross they made a sentence ♪ ♪ For every curse his blood had torn ♪ ♪ One final breath and it was finished ♪ ♪ But not the end they could have known ♪ ♪ For the earth began to shake and the veil was torn ♪ ♪ But sacrifice was made as the heavens roared ♪ ♪ All hail Jesus ♪ ♪ All hail the Lord of heaven and earth ♪ ♪ All hail Jesus ♪ ♪ All hail the Savior of the world ♪ ♪ He's the Savior of the world ♪ ♪ There was a moment, there was a moment when the sky lit up ♪ ♪ A flash of light breaking through, yeah ♪ ♪ When all was lost, He crossed eternity ♪ ♪ The King of life was on the moon ♪ ♪ But in a dark hole too, where all was bleak ♪ ♪ Where all was bleak, that wasn't the end ♪ ♪ What miraculous grace would forever change, all hail ♪ ♪ All hail to Jesus, all hail the Lord of hosts ♪ ♪ All hail to Jesus, all hail the Savior of the world ♪ ♪ All hail to Jesus, all hail the Lord of hosts ♪ ♪ All hail to Jesus, all hail the Savior of the world ♪ ♪ All hail to Jesus, all hail the Savior of the world ♪ ♪ There will be a day when every knee will bow and all will confess, we say ♪ ♪ There will be a day when every knee will bow and all will confess, we say ♪ ♪ While every knee he'll come down before the King of kings ♪ ♪ Every tongue confess that he's the Lord ♪ ♪ You all shall see and nod joyable though pathetic ♪ ♪ Singing ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho ♪ ♪ Singing ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho ♪

♪ Singing ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho ♪ ♪ Singing ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho ♪ ♪ All hail the king Jesus ♪ ♪ All hail the Lord of heaven ♪ ♪ All hail the king Jesus ♪ ♪ All hail the savior of the world ♪ ♪ The one ♪ ♪ We thank you Lord ♪ ♪ We give you thanks and praise ♪ ♪ We know you're where our help comes from, yes ♪ ♪ We'll sing God I look to you ♪ ♪ And God I look to you and I won't be overwhelmed ♪ ♪ Give me vision to see things like you do ♪ ♪ And God I look to you, you're where my help comes from ♪ ♪ You give me wisdom, you know just what to do ♪ ♪ We know you're where our help comes from Lord ♪ ♪ We give you praise, thank you Lord ♪ ♪ And God I look to you and I won't be overwhelmed ♪ ♪ Give me vision, give me vision to see things like you do ♪ to see things like you do. And God, I look to you, cause you're where my help comes from. ♪ And God I look to you and I won't be overwhelmed ♪ ♪ Give me vision, give me vision to see things like you do ♪ Give me wisdom, Lord, you know just what to do. And I will love you, Lord, my strength will sing. And I will love you, Lord, my strength. And I will love you, Lord, my rock. Forever all my days, I will love you. Oh, we thank you, Lord, cause you're where our strength comes from, Lord. Sing God, I look to you. And God, I look to you, and I won't be overwhelmed. Give me vision to see things like you do. And God, I look to you, cause you're where my help comes from. Give me wisdom, Lord, you know just what to do. And I will love you, Lord, my strength. And I will love you, Lord, my shield. And I will love you, Lord, my rock. Forever all my days, I will love you, God. Come on, we'll sing again. And I will love you, Lord, my strength. Every voice, I will love you. I will love you, Lord, my shield. And I will love you, Lord, my rock. Forever all my days, I will love you, God.

Hallelujah, our God reigns. Hallelujah, our God reigns. And hallelujah, our God reigns. Forever all my days, hallelujah. We'll sing it again. Hallelujah, our God over every situation. Hallelujah, our God over every nation. Hallelujah, our God reigns. Forever all my days, hallelujah. Oh, we thank you, Lord. You're where our help comes from. Yes, Lord. Yes. Oh, we give you all the glory, Lord. We give you all the praise. We sing this song, Lord. And I will love you, Lord, my strength. And I will love you, Lord, my shield. And I will love you, Lord, my rock. Forever all my days, I will love you, God. We'll sing this again. Oh, oh, oh, oh. ♪ Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart ♪ ♪ Not be allowed to be safe at Thou art ♪ ♪ Thou my best thought by day and by night ♪ ♪ By night, waking or sleeping, my presence, my light ♪ ♪ Be Thou my wisdom and Thou my truth ♪ ♪ Through earth, high ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord ♪ ♪ Thou my great Father, Thou my true son ♪ ♪ Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee, Lord ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Be Thou my battle shield, sword for the fight ♪ ♪ Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight ♪ ♪ Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high tower ♪ ♪ Raise now me heavenward, O power of my heart ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Which is thy kingdom, O man's empty grave ♪ ♪ Thou my inheritance, now and always ♪ ♪ Thou and Thou only, first in my heart ♪ ♪ High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art ♪ ♪ High King of heaven, my victory won ♪ ♪ May I reach heaven towards bright heaven's sun ♪ ♪ Heaven towards bright heaven's sun ♪ ♪ Heart of my own heart, whatever befall ♪

♪ Still be my vision, O ruler of all ♪ ♪ Still be my vision, O ruler of all ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ Thank you, Lord, for this time where we've been able to just sing to you, God. Thank you for being the wisdom and the vision, God, that sees our days laid out in front of us. So, God, when it's not easy, when it is hard, when it is challenging, when it seems hopeless, Lord, or when we don't have any strength left, God, we will look to you, our refuge, our strong high tower. We know that you will be our defense. No matter what comes our way, God, and we know that you've won the battle, Lord. You have won the battle of life and death, God, and we know that we have eternity certain with you, Jesus. So would you help us, God? Would you meet us in our hardship? Would you meet us where we're at this morning? Maybe we're not going through anything hard right now, but we just need to resurrender our hearts to you, Lord. Because we know by our own strength and our own doing, Lord, we will fail, we will fall short. So God, we look to you. In Jesus' name, amen. You may be seated. Hope the mission moments continue to be a help to you to think about ways that you can be a part of serving in your city or serving in your neighborhood and then across the globe and through church planting a number of ways. We just want to continue to expose you to opportunities that we have and the way we're partnering as a church and ways that you can be involved with us. If you're turning your Bibles to Nehemiah, we'll be in chapter four today and

Nehemiah is about a quarter of the way through your Bible or you can follow along on the screen. As you've noticed, people send me things quite a bit and somebody sent me this out of their social media feed the other day and I think this is pretty cool because we know that the algorithms are feeding us and this says to me what this person looks at if this is what they were receiving in their feed. So this is a good descriptor of Nehemiah chapter four as we move into it. So as soon as the work began, so did the opposition. Criticism, ridicule, threats, discouragement, but Nehemiah didn't stop. Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God. Then I noticed something. Nehemiah didn't just pray, he kept building and when the enemy tried to distract him, he answered with these words, I'm doing a great work so that I cannot come down. Nehemiah teaches us a pattern. When God gives you a great work, don't come down. No matter who tries to distract you, no matter who misunderstands you, no matter who criticizes you, stay faithful. That's a good word for us as we think about the opportunities that God might give us to be sent. Whatever those things are that we don't allow any kind of outside or inside discouragement or obstacles to stop us from being a part of what God's work is. In Hebrews chapter 10, we're told to stimulate one another with love and good deeds and to not forsake our gathering together as is the habit of some. You're here, that's awesome. So we're gathered together and we encourage one another and we're stimulating one another to love and good deeds. That's our hope that we would be sparked from God's word and from what God is doing among us to do all the more the things that he would have for us to be a part of. I've loved hearing stories. I've mentioned since I've returned from sabbatical that one of the heartbeats that God gives me afresh is that we would see 60, 70, and 80 year olds sparked with the gospel. We have so many that are about that in our body here. But we would see more and more that we would be hearing about nursing homes where people are coming to Christ. That we'd hear about retirement communities where people are coming to Christ and baptisms are happening and swimming pools at the clubhouse. And that we would see where people have second homes, that those communities would be sparked with the gospel. And that we would see more and more 60, 70, and 80 year olds in their neighborhoods and in their cities come to know Jesus. I believe that we probably have the greatest missionary force ever at our fingertips at no cost. It's just a matter of will we accept the assignments in this age and be the ambassadors and the ministers of reconciliation that God has called us to be. And then I'm encouraged by our young adults this afternoon at 12 30. They'll be having an evangelism training and there is just a contagious spark of

wanting to see more and more 20-somethings come to know Jesus. And so I love it all across our church body, neighborhoods, cities, and an excitement to hear about Jesus. And we can encourage one another. So what I'd like us to think about in Nehemiah today, the wall has been built in chapter 3. We see it described as being built. Now we're going back and seeing some of what happened as it was being built. And what I'd like us to think about from an overall theme is overcoming obstacles. And there's no doubt that anything that God would have us to be a part of in our neighborhoods, in our cities, that there will be a beginning to it and then there will be obstacles in the middle of it. There might be obstacles to ever getting it started. There'll be opposition. We find this in all of life. This isn't something new for us to consider. But what we do want to consider this morning, is there something that God sparked in your heart for your neighborhood, for where you work? where you play, that there have been obstacles to it, whether external or internal, and you've stopped the work. And I hope today you'll be encouraged from Nehemiah in how to continue on with the work that God has given. If there's not something you have in mind that God has given you, my hope and prayer is that it would be sparked within us today that God would give us a heart for our neighborhoods and cities to be actively sent into them with the message of Jesus. And then for those who are going after it, I hope you'll be encouraged today if you're facing any obstacles and ways to overcome those. So how is it that you personally work through obstacles and opposition? How do you do that? What do you do with it? Does it knock you out? Do you just self-sufficiently rise up

and you figure it out and you take care of it? Do you lean into God for help? What do you do when obstacles or opposition comes your way? Well, let's see what Nehemiah did and see if we can be encouraged by him. There's three ways I've broken this down in chapter four. And then what I'd like to do at the end is come back with more of the application for us today and what this might look like for us in today. The first is in verses one through six of chapter four. To overcome obstacles, we need to resolve to withstand attacks. If there's not some kind of inner resolve to withstand opposition and attacks that come, I believe we'll probably fall or fail most of the time. At some point, there has to be some kind of grit in us, some kind of grind in us. It's easy sometimes to start things. Sometimes it's hard to start things. But once we start things, there can be a grind as we move through it. And will we have the resolve and the grit to move through when there are attacks against that, which we believe God has invited us or commanded us to be a part of? Chapter four, verse one. Now it came about that when Sambalat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews. There's an interesting progression of anger here.

I think all of us have experienced angry people. We might be an angry person today. But in chapter two, we see that Sambalat is displeased with Nehemiah's plan to come rebuild the wall. He's just displeased with them. At the end of chapter two, when he realizes that Nehemiah has managed to rally the people in Jerusalem to start rebuilding the wall, now he's really displeased and he starts mocking them, accusing Nehemiah of rebelling against the king. By the way, the king gave him permission to come and rebuild the wall. We arrive at chapter four, and Sambalat has increasingly gotten more and more angry because he's not getting his way. He hasn't been able to stop Nehemiah. So he becomes furious and very angry and mocked the Jews. In Proverbs 22, 24, and 25, it says, do not associate with a man given to anger or go with a hot tempered man, or you will learn his ways and find a snare for yourself. Wisdom from the Proverbs is to not hang out with angry people. Why? Because we start to be angry as well. That's exactly what Sambalat has accomplished. He has his buddies and they're now all angry. In verse two, he spoke in the presence of his brothers

and the wealthy men of Samaria. That word wealthy could also mean the army of Samaria. And he said, what are these feeble Jews doing? What are these pathetic, few in number group of people who probably aren't skilled at building? What are they doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Do they really think they're going to pull this off? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? There's no way they've thought this through. They don't understand the amount of work it is. They don't understand the detail of the work. No way they can do it. Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble, even the burned ones? There's not even material here for them to build the wall. How are they going to do it? So when you're angry with someone, what do you try to do? Intimidate them, cast doubt for them, ridicule them. It's exactly what Sam Ballat and his friends are doing. In verse three. Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, even what they are building, if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down. Even if they're able to pull this off and get the wall rebuilt, it'll be such pathetic workmanship that a small little furry animal like a fox will go across it and the wall come tumbling down.

Incidentally, archeological digs show that a nine foot thick wall was what Nehemiah and his friends in Jerusalem built. That wall was going nowhere. Attacks come, these are verbal attacks towards them. If you follow Jesus, Jesus said expect that that's what will happen. Expect persecution. It's what we see in the book of Acts when they're bringing the gospel, expect it. It could raise the question today if we never receive ridicule, mocking, or some kind of persecution for our faith, one question we might possibly ask is, am I living it out loudly enough, verbally enough, that it even invites opposition? Does even people at work know that I'm a follower of Jesus? Who in my neighborhood knows that I love Jesus? Who on the baseball team knows that I love the Lord? Our faith is not intended to be a private faith. It absolutely drives me nuts when somebody says their faith is private. It is not a private faith. Nowhere can you find in scripture that it's a private faith is to be lived out loud, in public, being a bold witness in the power and the name of Jesus Christ. Nehemiah is a great example for us. So the opposition is coming. What does Nehemiah do in verse four?

Hear, O our God, how we are despised. Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity. Nehemiah is not happy this time, so when he's praying, he's praying what, like a psalm that's kind of a psalm of complaint or a psalm of lament. Psalm 79 would be an example of that. The psalmist prays and said, the nations have defiled your temple, laid Jerusalem in ruins. Pour out your wrath on the nations which do not know you. Help us for the glory of your name. We're going to hang out in the psalms as a church. Starting in January, we have a team that's written a Bible study for our life groups, and we'll have things for our time alone with God as a piece of concerted all-church effort around multiple psalms. We'll look in this more detailed in the coming months, this kind of a psalm. What Nehemiah is not doing is bringing personal vengeance against his enemies. He's asking God, who is the judge, who is the God of justice, to bring this for the sake of his own name. Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before you, for they have demoralized the builders.

He's not happy with what they're doing, and he's asking God to take care of the enemies. What do we do today? One of the ways we know we pray, Jesus tells us in Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount, we're to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you. So what would we pray? I'll pray at times that God would bring justice on people if he's not going to, in his mercy, draw their heart to himself. If someone doesn't know Jesus, I can't expect them to act like they're a Christian. I would expect that people are about injustices because the human heart is wicked and sinful against God. But I can pray that God would bring justice and would bring his name glory, however he chooses to do that, and it's okay for us to express our emotion towards him, and we can trust that God will take it and do with it what he will. In verse six, so we built the wall, and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. They had a heart to work. And when I talked about a resolve to withstand attack, the people at this point, they had a heart, they had a mind to work, that they were willing to work, and there was a resolve within them to do this.

They believed God had given this to them to do, and they're doing it. They are praying and working. They have a heart and a mind and a resolve. It would be like. Colossians 3 23 whatever you do do your work heartily as for the Lord rather than for men when we do our work we're not doing it for your pleasure we're ultimately not doing it for our boss we're not doing it for anybody else we're doing it heartily for the Lord and all of us can give our very best at work when we know that we're doing it for God and for his glory in his name no matter what circumstances we might find ourselves in but whatever the assignments are it's for his name and we resolve to do it there are times though that we have a very clear plan and we're moving along in that plan and then obstacles come I asked a friend who served in the military to read this passage and work it through for me from a military perspective some of these things are obvious but it's just good to be reminded if you're in the military you're training relentlessly and then when you're on assignment and you're going into enemy and hostile territory you're training while you're there and then when you literally go on the assignment every detail is mapped they know how to read maps they've mapped it they know where they're going they know the route where they're going the roads where they're the roads they're going to take the time they're going to arrive what food they need what the details are that they need they have down to the detail and then inevitably the Intel is not has changed a couple hours before they arrive at a particular road and that's no longer passable so now it's a different route there's adjustments that are made do they stay on the mission yes but there's adjustments that have to be made so any kind of mission that we're on any kind of assignment that God gives us there will be obstacles there will be opposition we can make our plans we can detail it and then as we're moving we need to be ready to adjust and it's far easier to adjust off of a plan if I'm well trained and planned then I can

adjust in the thing that God would have me to adjust what adjustments to DMI make verse 7 now in some ballot to buy the Arabs the Ammonites and the Astrodites heard that the repair the walls of Jerusalem went on and that the breaches began to be closed they were very angry so their anger continues because they're not able to stop the work that they were able to build at this point a portion of the wall and I'll show you a picture that I received this week from a guy Randy Wynn who leads our Texans on mission and then also does work in Haiti this is a clinic in Haiti six years ago 121 was able to fund the foundation for this clinic this picture is recent it's taken six years because of gangs that overtook the country that's opposition and obstacles it hasn't been done and it's getting to the point where this clinic will be able to be utilized in Haiti obstacles overcome adjustments made over time the plan was for this to be done years ago it began they didn't quit now it's going up sometimes God gives a plan and it may take some years before it takes fruition but we don't let the obstacle stop we stay fixated on what it is that God has given us to do all of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it so here's this massive group of people aligning against to fight against Jerusalem here's a map to give you a picture of what's happening so yahoo that would be Judea and Jerusalem is in that part so that's where we find ourselves the wall being rebuilt Ammon up over here it's one of the enemies Samaria is an enemy Ashdod is an enemy it's all over them just just like today you can read the news and the enemies are all around Israel in Israel is their enemy but they're there have this all this opposition against them in verse 9 what is Nehemiah do what are the people do but we prayed to our God so my question for us is when we encounter opposition and obstacles is our go-to prayer to God asking him for help asking him to give the creativity asking him to overcome the obstacles but we prayed to our God and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night night. Here's their first adjustment. Now there'll be a guard day and night. This has just become a 24-7 operation. That's not what it was before this moment. But

then we see internal discouragement. We get it externally, sometimes it's internal. Thus in Judah it was said, the strength of the burden-bearers is failing. Yet there is much rubbish and we ourselves are unable to rebuild the wall. They were exhausted. They were tired. There was concern about the external enemies. Now inwardly they're starting to doubt whether they can do it or not. And that's what happens when we have onslaught of evil against us and opposition. It can start to weary us from the inside. Verse 11, our enemies said they will not know or see until we come among them, kill them, and put a stop to the work. Now there's the expectation of a surprise attack. They have no idea. They just know their enemies want to stop the work and kill them. Verse 12, when the Jews who live near them came and told us ten times they will come up against us from every place where you may turn. Ten times. Kept the news coming. Here's bad news. Enemies are coming. They're coming. Keep repeating the bad news. Sounds like our news cycle, doesn't it? Just keep bringing the bad news. You wonder if there's anything good going on out there because there's this ongoing onslaught of bad news. In verse 13, adjustments made for Nehemiah. He doesn't let all this get him down. He has that resolve. He's leaning into God for direction. Then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears, and bows. Now everyone is armed. Families are together to be protected, and then exposed places along the wall are covered. He's making nice adjustments. Verse 14, when I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials, and 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 houses. Nehemiah saw their fear. He's in tune with the people, and what does he tell them? I wonder if maybe this is like a gladiator moment or choose one of those movies where the leader's just out front riding his horse, getting everybody all amped up, ready to go, let's go get him, we can do it. But where does Nehemiah lean? He tells them not to fear. Why? They have all these enemies around them. He says remember, remember the Lord who is great and awesome. God is

the one that will fight for you. Nehemiah lived this out in so many ways. In chapter 6, we see that Samballot and his buddies tried to draw Nehemiah out of the city. They sent him messages four different times and told him to come down, and he refused to do it. Then they said that he wanted to be king. They were trying to plant lies. He said, I'm not coming. And in Nehemiah 6, 9, for all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking they will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done. But now, oh God, strengthen my hands. He keeps turning back to God to strengthen his hands. He's not leaning into a strategy, although he's being strategic and he's making the necessary adjustments. But where his confidence lies is in God himself. Have you made necessary adjustments in the things that God has for you? This can be day-to-day conversations. This can be thinking about, all right God, you've placed me in this neighborhood and I've tried this and I've tried this. I can't seem to make any headway to build any relationships in my neighborhood. I sure haven't had any open doors to the gospel. What else could I do? I'm leaning into God. I'm not afraid of it. What else can I do? And make the adjustments. And I'm leaning into God to give me what those are to keep moving. The third thing that, verses 15 to the end of the chapter, is to be on constant alert. Part of the adjustment made for Nehemiah is 24-7 be on the alert. In Proverbs 4.23, the Proverbs writer says, watch over your heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life. Even watching over our hearts 24-7 because there's an enemy coming after the heart. It's a constant alert. We are not in domestic times. We are in spiritual warfare. It is hostile against God and that is the 24-7 reality. And we can either be on constant alert and be walking in victory and winning the skirmishes and the battles. The war is already won in Christ. Or we can be suffering defeat day after day, getting surprise attacks and wondering how do we keep getting taken out one thing after another. So are we on the alert? How was Nehemiah on the alert? When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work. So God frustrated their plan. This would be

like Jehoshaphat in 2nd Chronicles 20. He kind of plays this same scenario. He looks to the east. He sees an enemies are coming. He's afraid. What does he do with this fear? He turns his attention to seek the Lord in 2nd Chronicles 20 verse 3. And then from there he gathers all the cities to fast and pray. Imagine if we were to gather cities together to fast and pray for all that's going on in the cities, for the gospel to spread. That's what Jehoshaphat did. And then he prayed. You know what he prayed? God, we're helpless. This is the king. We're powerless. We don't know what to do. But God, we know you have the power and we're asking you what to do. Nehemiah did the same. And God frustrated the plan of their enemies. From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears. Now the work's cut in half. No doubt slowing down the work, but an adjustment made. Half are military now. Half are builders. They held their spears, shields, bows, and breastplates. And the captains were behind the whole house of Judah. Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon. So a little bit challenging. Weapon in one hand, working with the other. The builders, they each wore their sword girded at his side as he built while the trumpeter stood near me. Now why the trumpeter? I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, the work is great and extensive and we're separated on the wall far from one another. So we don't know what's happening at the other end. Whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet rally to us there, our God will fight for us. This is what happened with Jehoshaphat. You know what the answer to his prayer was? This isn't your battle. This is the Lord's battle. And Jehoshaphat worshipped God. And then he put the singers out in front of the army to go take on the enemy. Great strategy. And you know what God did? He caused all the enemies to start fighting against each other and they all took each other out and Israel never had to get in the fight. All they did was praise and worship God. They were in the fight, in the praise. And then for three days they collected the plunder. They didn't do anything for it. God did it. The battle is the Lord's. Nehemiah says the battle is

God's. Our God will fight for you. And then in verses 21 through 23 they continue to go at it night and day. They're on constant alert. Nehemiah provides a good pathway for us, but let's fast forward to right now. We might have people ridiculing, we might have people threatening, we may have people making fun, we may have people distracting. Our primary enemy and adversary today is the devil. And I don't know if you really believe that or not. One thing I realized a few years ago, that unless I could sit and ask you one by one, I don't really know if you believe that or don't believe that. I know you hear us talk about it, I know you would read it if you read scripture, but I don't know if you really believe it or not. And I think that's one of his best tactics today, is to make us think it's foolish. And by the way, media has helped that with all the caricatures over the years because it looks like he's just this little dragon with pointy ears and a tail and a sword and that's nowhere close. But that's part of the ridiculing to take out the gravity of what's going on. So our primary adversary is the devil, but he can be overcome by leaning into the overcomer. So I just want to work through a few scriptures to help us here. First Peter chapter five, verse eight. Peter writes, he says, be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. My friend who helped me with the military looks and once you're in hostile territory, your weapon is never more than arm's length away from you. If it is, you're going to be in trouble and you'll probably end up getting your others around you in trouble, but your weapon is always with you. Our weapons have to always be with us and I'll get to that part, but it's 24 seven nonstop. The devil is lurking around. He's prowling about like a roaring lion. He is seeking to devour you. That's what he wants to do.

He wants to take you out. Jesus said this in John 10 10, he said, the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. There's two options. Satan is trying to steal, kill, and destroy you. Jesus wants to give you life and give it abundantly. These two are at odds. There is a war going, there's a fight going on between that which is good and that which is evil. One of the ways that Satan fights, and this is what he's done to your neighbors and my neighbors, to those you work with, to those you play with, and those I play with. I'm working, our staff's all Christian, so I have a different workforce. 2 Corinthians 4 4 says, in whose case the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God. Satan is actively blinding the minds of people so that they can't see Christ. He's deceiving, attacking, scheming, lying. The good news is 1 John 3 8, the Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. In 1 John 5, 4 and 5, the way we overcome the world, if we're born of God, we overcome the world. This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. But who's the one that overcomes the world? He who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. We can be overcomers of the world. Satan uses the world, he deceives us with all the pleasures of the world to take us off task. He uses our flesh, our pride, our selfishness, our lusts, our sensuality, all the stuff, he uses it against us. But we can overcome through Christ, Romans 8 31 and 32.

So what then shall we say to these things, Paul says? All these glorious things about Christ. God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, how we not also with him freely give us all things. So we have everything we need in Christ. In John 16, 33, he said, take courage, I've overcome the world. So in Christ the world is overcome, in Romans 8, 37, but in Him we overwhelmingly conquer in all these things. So do we one, believe that Satan is for real, and then do we believe that we are overcomers in Jesus Christ? I had one of my favorite lunches this week with Mike Hooks. Mike is 74 years old, and in this last year he told me he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Seventy-four. I asked him if I could share his story, he said, if it could be a help for sure, it will be a help. His 62-year-old friend gave him his first ever Bible at 74 years old. He did say, I wish it had a little larger print. So they make those, your friend just didn't give you one of those. But his life has changed. I said, what, what caused you to consider faith in Christ at 74? And he said, all the neighbors that I have that know and follow Jesus, he said, I'm intrigued by their faith. It's working together, a section of the wall, and just seeing people love each other, hearing their faith, seeing their lives being different, he wanted to know. His life has totally changed, he's just looking forward to what God has ahead, he's excited about being baptized. I mean, he's just, it was so much fun, 74 years old. Well, Revival Awakening breaks out with 74-year-olds, like Mike Hooks. When we know Jesus, though, what we've entered into is a war.

In Ephesians 6, verse 10, we're told, finally, brethren, put on the full armor of, be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God. So we put on the full armor of God, because there's a battle. And in this battle, we don't want our weapons to be any more than arm's length. Matter of fact, we don't want it arm's length. We want it on us. And in verses 17 and 18, we're told what that is, that we are to have the shield of faith in order to extinguish the fiery darts of the enemy. There's other parts, but for our purposes today, that's one part. How do I extinguish the lies of the devil? By responding in faith, in the Word and promises of God. And I can go one-to-one with every fiery dart he throws from his Word. I win with the truth against the lie. And then we pray at all times, and we have the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, always on us. I've tried to figure out a more polite way to say this, and I don't know that I have it figured out today. But a five-minute devotion every day is not going to create someone that wins the war. If you're just getting started in your faith, that's fantastic. I mean, we just want to get rolling, but somewhere we need to be so immersed in God's Word that it just rolls out of us, and we will win day in, day out, when the Word of God is deep within, and it is taking hold of us, and it's what comes out. And when this lie comes, no, there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Satan, you don't get to condemn me today. That's taken care of. That was done at the cross. Try again. Give me your best shot. You keep messing up.

No, Philippians 1, 6, I'm confident in this very thing that he who began a good work in you will complete it in the day of Christ. It might not be a perfect trajectory, but he is going to complete what he finished. Give me your other best shot, Satan. Keep bringing them, and we're just going to bring the Word against him. But that's all of us being immersed in God's Word. It's taking classes like how to study the Bible that starts this week. It's being in life groups. It's wrapping ourselves with people who know the Word so we can learn the Word, and this I know today. I know everybody can because if you want to be good at pickleball, you're going to spend three to five hours every day. You're going to hire instructors, and you're going to figure it out. If you want to... be good at golf, you're going to be there every Saturday morning at 8 a.m., come hell or high water, you're there. And you're going to take lessons and you're going to hang out at the pro shop until you figure out how to get your swing, and then you're going to have to tweak it again because you got off. You're just going to keep going at it so you get better and better. It's the same with God's Word. There are people that will gladly help. Hang out at the Bible store, whatever it takes, but just get in there until you know how to handle God's Word. We listened to a sermon of John Piper's last night, and I love what he said. He just said at 22 or 23, I don't know, 21 maybe, he said, I just wanted to know how to handle accurately God's Word, and then he put his mind to it, and that's what he's been about. I mean, when you listen to that guy, it just comes out of him. But all of us can do that, and it's how we'll have victory, and it's how we'll see neighbors

come to Jesus, and it's how we'll withstand attacks, and it's how we'll know the adjustments to make, and it's how we stay on the alert because it's just flowing in there. So however I could cheer you on today, to be immersed in God's Word, it's the best weapon we have in this battle. Let's pray together. Father, thank you for our time this morning. So grateful for this part of your Word, the encouragement that we receive in Nehemiah, and God, I pray today that we would be a people, one that are in on what you want us to be in our neighborhoods and cities. And Father, that we would be a people that are willing to lean into you and that we know how to adjust and overcome opposition. And Father, that we'll be on the alert, and Lord, that we'll be in the battle spiritually for the lives of other people. So help us, God, know what our sections of the wall are, and then to go after building those. And Lord, bless us that you're the living stone and that we are living stones one by one being placed and built into a spiritual house. So God, I pray that we would see more and more living stones rise up so that the house is bigger and bigger in the kingdom. And we love you and pray in Jesus' name. If we could, let's be quiet for just a moment before the Lord. I'm not sure what he might be saying to you today, but we just want to let it settle in for just a moment.