Armor of God

You Got To Build and Fight!

LISTEN NOW! Greg and Pat discuss how the heart of Nehemiah is the secret to rebuilding the church in America.  They continue to discuss how that even today Israel still has to build walls to keep Sanballat out.  It was not just their reality at the time but it is our reality for the church as well.  Israel has to do the same thing.  The technique of continual attack is one that Lucifer has perfected.  Don’t be naïve.  Just because people tell you that they are for God and for you but their fruit is knocking you up the head this is not good.  If the enemy can’t get you to stop he will try to get you to leave your ministry work.  One tactic that Sanballat used was the scheduling of meetings to get Nehemiah to just stop. They further discuss how the church is living stones being built up together.  We are building material for the house of God.  We are not the house.  It’s about Him.  Jesus is the one who is worthy.  If you know that everything you are doing you are doing it unto the Lord then in then you will be okay.   Your reward does not come from man if so that’s all you are going to get.  Revival is about reviving the people not the building or the program.  They further discuss how we are called to build the house of God with people.  Anything that divides the church is of the enemy and anything that brings the church together is of God.  Nehemiah never left the work.  They even discuss how it is being reported that TBN is allegedly removing prophesy programs from their network.

Nehemiah implemented strategy from heaven on how they were to complete the rebuilding of the walls which resulted in part of their life was going to be spent defending and the other was going to be spent building.  If you are going to survive this thing you will need a sword in one hand and a trial in the other.  Pick up the sword, which is the word of God, and set out to build.  If you abide with the sword the word of God you are arming yourself.  You got to build and you got to fight.  There are mighty soldiers in God that God is rising up to fight this spiritual battle.  In Nehemiah 4:16 we find that  “From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.”  They also gave this instruction that wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet our God will fight for us.  “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” Nehemiah 4:19-21

If you don’t join what God is saying you will not be part of the battle and a part of the victory.  When God is speaking there is a protection.

“So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out.” Nehemiah 4:21

You can’t build God’s spiritual house just 15 minutes on a Sunday.  We live and function in God all 7 days of the week.  They continue to discuss the importance of being a part of a praying community.  They continue to discuss how many people lose what God is has done in the day during the night.  Stay steady, get rightly related and build.  If you are going away in dark times then you left your position leaving the walls unprotected.  None of Nehemiah’s men ever took off their clothes or their weapons.  They encourage us to remain fully dressed, armed for battle.  We are the temple of God not a building.  God’s spirit dwells inside of us.  Nehemiah had the right perspective; we are in bondage because we screwed up.

“So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?” Nehemiah 5:9

Don’t take advantage of your brothers.  Nehemiah had to confront the greed and the idolatry of the people.  Just as I shake the wrinkles out of my robe should you be shaken out of the kingdom for wanting to keep your brother in bondage?

“…Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised.  I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!” Nehemiah 5:12-13

Don’t leave the Work for an “OH NO” Meeting

When anyone rejects authority than you are left with chaos and disunity.  It boils down to who are the spiritual fathers who can speak into this.

“When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates—” Nehemiah 6:1

Don’t be an access and don’t give access to the enemy.  Everything was built up except the gates and doors and Sanballat came again.  There is going to be a day people are going to be used to kill you thinking they are doing God a favor.  So they plan for Nehemiah not to be about his work.

“Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages[a] on the plain of Ono.”” Nehemiah 6:2

He is invited to an “Oh NO” meeting because Nehemiah never left the work.  They were scheming to harm Nehemiah.  At some point you got to stop going to Oh No meetings.  Nehemiah sends them a message.

“I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.” Nehemiah 6:3-4

Don’t leave the work.  Stay faithful working and building. Why would you leave the work?  The fact they are asking you to leave the work points to the fact that they don’t know the season they are in.  Whatever you do, don’t leave the work.

Nehemiah 4, Nehemiah 6, John 16:1-3
The Heart of Nehemiah SERIES: The Secret to Rebuilding the Church in America