What a Great First Week!

Spring session 1 Intro Power of God's Word Gods Word proverbs 30:6 Every Word of God is flawless He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Even In understanding the Book of Nehemiah Review so many new people Three main thoughts and questions: 1. Is God calling you to restore a remnant in your life? Chapters 1 and 2 2.. We will encounter opposition and warfare Chapters 3 4. 6 3.God makes all things new. Chapter 7 and 8 Overview: God raises up people to accomplish his purpose. Introduction. Nehemiah model for men/we need Nehemiah was the man for rebuilding wall of Jerusalem The people had lived in exile for 40 years and a few had come back but weren't protected because the wall had been torn down. Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 1:2 NIV) Remnant a : a usually small part, member, or trace remaining b : a small surviving group —often used in plural Illustration: maybe something ing your life has devastated you and you want to continue on but you feel weak and unprotected. Pray and ask God to help you rebuild that wall His way. Chapter 1/ God lays deep burden for Nehemiahs people on his heart Nehemiah has heart for His people but most of all for God. 1. Cupbearer to the king= faithful honorable and trusted 2. He understood his heritage=history Born to tribe of Judah in exile 3. He was a loyal son/broken heart for his people 4 . He was a defender of the weak "How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. (Psalm 82:2-4 NIV) 5. Most importantly He was a man of prayer and had a heart that turned to God to strength and wisdom You see all of who he was in his prayer. His prayer shows his heart but it also tells us how to pray. All kinds of prayers Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. (Ephesians 6:18 NIV) Chapter 2/ Nehemiah grieves deeply for His people Downcast I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. (Psalm 118:5 NKJV) Often it's when we are in greatest distress that God shows up! Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:10 NIV) But at the appointed time the king noticed his sadness. Which frightened Nehemiah because being sad in front of the King could cost him his life. But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV) Remember Nehemiah prays all sorts of prayers. The sort of prayer he prays is quick Lord HELP AND GIVE ME FAVOR. Point Nehemiah doesnt look immediately to the king for help but cries out to God for favor. Operate in strength of the Lord and not fear. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. (Psalm 94:19 NIV) God gives it to him. Nehemiah: Prays/ all kinds of prayers Chapter one: prayers of Praise, repentance, request and yielding Chapter two: prayer of request and urgency Specific request: rebuild the remnant What are the remnants in your life that need to be rebuilt? Proclaims Chapter one: proclaims who God is and the needs of his own people confidently Chapter two: the needs of His people, his compassion for them and his willingness to rebuild their land Prepared/prepared what God put in his heart/Nehemiah quiet until he had the lay of the land This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength Isaiah 30:15 NIV) Chapter two: request permission to survey the situation but quietly already had a plan in his heart. Stands up against opposition Protected / asked for protection of God and man Chapter two: he knows he is protected by God but asks for documents to signify protection from the King Persistent God/in spite of opposition Chapter two: Persistent in his burden and request. Nehemiah did not let the wait for answered prayer or human opposition discourage him. Even when you are doing what God wants you get resistance from men that operate by there standards. Conclusion God will give success. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; (Lamentations 3:25 NIV) Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." (John 7:38 NIV) Chapter 3 and 4/ Nehemiah's opposition and spiritual warfare Whenever you set out to do what God has called you to do you can count on a peace in your heart but great opposition from man. Many times opposition comes from the most unexpected places. Battle in the seen and unseen world Battle in the seen. Nehemiah's case in the seen world he had everything he needed. He had the blessing of His heavenly king and the blessing of his earthly king. He had protection both from God (chapter 2 God will give me success) and he had written protection from the king. He had heavenly provision for his heart and spirit because he knew God was with him and he had all the men and supplies that he could possibly need provide by the king. He had all he could possibly need! And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19 NIV) He set out to complete the building the wall and immediately faced human opposition. Have you ever been there? I have .....example. Chapter 5/ Nehemiah has Gods favor Chapter 6/Nehemiah character in face of opposition Opposition=The situation of two heavenly bodies when longitude or right ascensions differ by 180 degrees. Tides Opposition to building of wall from people that had no rights and most unsuspecting place. People whose only connection was a mixed marriage. (Sanballet, Tobiah and Arab) Sometimes inadequacy stirs up conflict. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. (2 Corinthians 3:5 NIV) Opposition could see that the gates were about to be put on and were feverish trying to distract Nehemiah and stop the work. Their last chance Chapter 7/ Nehemiah has a heart that knows when God speaks to him Two important topics stare me in the face when I read this chapter. That's what we are going to talk about today. 1. The Bible says God laid a plan on Nehemiah's heart. 2. Restoration of the wall doesn't make the restoration complete. What goes back inside the walls is as important as the rebuilding. A lot of times we think we can't hear God speaking to us or into our lives because we haven't given him our whole heart. Chapter 8/The power of Gods Word on the new city 1. The power of Gods Word on those that hear it and understand it. It is possible to hear it and not understand it. This is the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." (Matthew 13:19-23 NIV) Gods spirit was allowing all that came and understood to take it deeply to heart 2. Ezra and Nehemiah knew deep grieving and mourning. There are seasons for everything. The bible says there is a time to mourn and a time to dance. This was a season for rejoicing. a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, (Ecclesiastes 3:4 NIV) Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4 NIV) Thankfulness for crops and all God had done and put work aside. Grieve is work. Time not to focus on self but God. 3. God makes ALL things new Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB) Glenda