Sermon by Pastor Andre’ Bean Sunday, August 11, 2013 Text: Nehemiah 4:14-18 (read) Topic” “Fight For Your Family” 1. ME – The enemies in my life; which taught me how to fight 2. WE – The enemies in our life; which taught us how to fight 3. GOD – How the Bible teaches us to fight 4. YOU – If you study, practice & apply 5. WE – Will over come our enemies plots How do you practice to fight? The Troubles (4:1–6:14): • WE – Face spirital warfare, we need to learn to fight that? • GOD - After 70 years of Babylonian captivity, King Artaxerxes the Persian gives Nehemiah leave to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Why do we run into opposition in our own home? • Whenever the people of God start doing God’s work, there will he opposition. A worker of weak faith and purpose will quit, but a person of resolution and confidence will overcome the opposition and finish the task. • Nehemiah was such a person. Notice the opposition that he faced (from both within and without the city) and the victories that he won. • As people of God rebuilding the walls around your house, you will encounter various struggles along the way. • So you need to know how to fight for your family! A. Ridicule (4:1–6) a. Ridicule is a device used by ignorant people who are filled with jealousy. b. People of God will always have enemies. Do you know who your enemies are? c. 1. The Pagans’ Scorn (4:1–3): Sanballat and Tobiah, enemies of the Jews, mocked at the Jews’ efforts to rebuild their wall. d. Vs 2 “Feeble Jews; Will they fortify themselves; Offer sacrifices; complete it/wall in a day; Revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish; Burned stones?" e. Kata # 1 – We don’t listen & buy into confrontation & failure! f. 2. The Prophet’s Supplication (4:4–5): Nehemiah prays to the Lord, asking him to punish the enemies for opposing the work. g. Kata # 2 We Pray for God to deal with our enemy & ask Him to reveal their plan of attack against us h. 3. The People’s Straining (4:6) : After intense effort, the workers rebuild the wall to half its original height. i. Kata # 3 We stay focus and work our plan B. Conspiracy (4:7–9) a. What Satan cannot accomplish by deceit he attempts to do by force. b. When you are half way finish the enemy will raise up to fight you c. 1. The Plot (4:7–8): Sanballat= strength a Moabite; Tobiah = Jehovah is good, Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites try to stop the work by making plans to lead an army against Jerusalem. d. Kata # 4 We don’t get afraid God’s on our side e. 2. The Prayers (4:9): The Jews pray and post a 24-hour guard. f. Kata # 5 We Pray and take action to Protect yourself C. Discouragement (4:10) : • Some of the Jews become discouraged about the amount of rubble that must be cleared away. People like me get frustrated and want to give up working in a cluttered environment • Kata # 6 We use what we can & organize as we go D. Intimidation (4:11–23) a. 1. The craftiness of the enemy (4:11–12): The enemies of the Jews make plans to swoop down upon them and kill them & also tell other Jews. b. Kata # 7 We not intimidated & study their fighting style c. 2. The challenge of the prophet (4:13–14): Nehemiah places armed guards in exposed areas and encourages the Jews to trust in the Lord. d. FIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILY!! e. Kata # 8 We Counter & move from defense to attack f. 3. The commitment of the workers (4:15–23): Nehemiah divides the workers in half. One half stands guard while the other half works. When you hear the trumpet come together. V 20 “Our God will fight for us.” They labor from sunrise to sunset, being ever vigilant. g. Kata # 9 We hear from God, sent up 24 x 7 task force; ½ work ½ stand guard; yet still work it from sunrise to sunset; get the leaders support E. Internal strife (5:1–19) a. 1. The Ruthlessness (5:1–5): During difficult times some of the wealthier Jews loan money to the poorer Jews and charge interest. When they cannot repay the loan, their property is repossessed, and they become slaves to the wealthy Jews. b. Kata # 10 Be careful high interest loans; Live within your means c. 2. The reprimand (5:6–11): At a public hearing Nehemiah demands that the wealthier Jews restore what they have taken from the poor. d. Kata # 11 Fight to get back what is legally yours e. 3. The Repentance (5:12–13): The wealthy Jews agree and do what Nehemiah demands. f. Kata # 12 Get it in writing & someone to witness g. 4. The Role Model (5:14–19): Nehemiah is an excellent example for those in positions of authority or influence. i. a. What he does not do (5:14–16): Nehemiah refuses to accept any salary during his 12 years as governor of Judah. ii. b. What he does do (5:17–19): Nehemiah regularly feeds 150 Jewish officials at his own expense. h. Kata # 13 We Teach & model prudently, so your children won’t fall prey to the tricks of your enemy F. Ruse/Scams (6:1–4): G. Four times Sanballat and Geshem attempt to meet with Nehemiah so they could harm him in the plain of “Ono”. Realizing their evil plot, Nehemiah refuses each time, saying his work is too important to stop. a. Kata # 14 Ono We Develop the gift of discernment to block all of their advances H. Slander (6:5–9): I. Fifth time Sanballat and Geshem show Nehemiah a letter to King Artaxerxes that claims Nehemiah and the Jews plan to rebel. a. Kata # 15 We Don’t believe what we read in the paper. Your not power hungry. You know you have the kings consent! H. Treachery (6:10–14): • The enemy uses a prophet named Shemaiah to try to persuade Nehemiah to seek refuge inside the Temple. Nehemiah sees through the scheme to intimidate and discredit him, and he refuses. • Kata # Don’t take council from false religious people The Triumph (6:15–19): • Despite the many obstacles, Treachery, Slander, Scams, Internal Strife, Intimidation, Discouragement, Conspiracy, & Ridicule the Jews complete the wall in 52 days! The Jews’ enemies are fearful, realizing that this project had indeed been done with God’s help. • Kata # 16 Stick to God’s fight plan and you’ll win if you don’t quite!
Posted on: Mon, 12 Aug 2013 17:21:45 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015