Thursday, July 22, 2010

Rebuilding the Walls

Nehemiah 1:1-11
1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel, 2 that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” 4 So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 And I said: “I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, 6 please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. 8 Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; 9 but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.’ 10 Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand. 11 O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” For I was the king’s cupbearer.
1. Recognize We Need Healing
Nehemiah 1:1-3
We can't expect healing if we don't know something is damaged.
Just like Nehemiah asked men from Judah how his country/country men were, we need to ask God what habits, sins, and hurts need to be healed in our lives.
2. Ask God to Heal and Rebuild
Nehemiah 1:5-11
Just like Nehemiah we need to recognize their need and than ask God to work in us.
We need to cry out to God, pray for guidance, wisdom and his favor as we do His will.
3. Accept the help of those God surrounds you with during the rebuilding
Nehemiah 2:1-5,8, 15-18 (Chapter 3)
Nehemiah asked the king to allow him to go rebuild the walls, the King obliged and than Nehemiah had help from his fellow countrymen.
When we are being rebuilt/healed God will use others to help us along the way. Don't turn down their help or be afraid to ask for it.
4. Be prepared for obstacles while your healing is being done
Nehemiah 4:1-3
Just because we've released the hurt to God doesn't mean the enemy is going to leave us alone.
5. Willing to fight off the enemy while rebuilding
Nehemiah 4:6-23
Nehemiah and His help worked together to fight off the enemy.
We also need to put on the armor of God daily and be ready to fight at anytime.

No comments:

Post a Comment