Leadership
The entire book of Nehemiah is a practical handbook for restoring the Glory of God to the church and the people. Many times, the church falls into a state of laxity, therefore becoming comfortable and losing the vision. When this happens, there must be a spiritual awakening or the people will remain in a backslidden state (to revert to moral wrongdoing or sin) as in the case of the Church of Laodicea.
“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write: `These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth.” Revelation 3: 14-16.
To be lukewarm is to be comfortable and relaxed. If you run cold or hot water under your hand, it causes a reaction. You either freeze or burn your hand, then you withdrawal it. If the water is lukewarm, you just leave your hand in it and relax. If the church is cold or hot it will cause some kind of reaction, but if it is lukewarm, people just get comfortable and do nothing to fulfill the great Commission.
A spiritual awakening (to which we will refer to as a revival herein after) is an emerging or a coming to a keen awareness of the spiritual condition of one’s soul or the church as a whole. It is a reinvigoration of energy and strength. To bring back something that became dormant or simply died. It is to reinstate the freshness of life to, as in our case, the soul. Rev. Charles Finney states in his book, Lectures On Revivals of Religion: What is Revival? “A revival consists in the return of the Church from her backslidings and the conversion of sinners.”
We will be analyzing the physical restoration of the city of Jerusalem and applying it to the spiritual element of church growth. It is during this rebuilding that we can comprehend and apply the systematic sequence employed to rebuild our own churches in the spiritual character.
A Leader Is Born
Nehemiah was the royal cup bearer in the palace of the Persian King in the 20th year of Artaxerxes’ I reign. He was a Jew of the postexilic period and son of Hachaliah (Neh 1:1). He was the appointed governor of Judea by Artaxerxes I. He was an essential and trusted servant of the king. He had a comfortable job with a comfortable salary and a comfortable home. He was a godly man and could have lived there happily ever after. However, one day he received a visit from his brothers, after a brief conversation he made an interesting inquiry.
“The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in the palace at Shushan, that Hanani one of my brethren came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who were left behind from the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.” Nehemiah 1:1-2
Nehemiah had a heart for the restoration of Jerusalem. He had a burden in his heart concerning the Jews who had escaped. His inquiry was proof that his concern was genuine. He could have left the issue alone and not asked his brothers anything, but he chose to follow his heart.
The first step to revival is to have a burden in your heart concerning the status of the people.
His brothers informed him of the condition of those who were left from the captivity.
1.The remnant of the Jews that remain are in the province,
2.They are in great affliction.
3.They are in great reproach.
4.The wall of Jerusalem is broken down.
5.The gates are burned with fire.
“And they said unto me, "The remnant who are left behind from the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire."“ Nehemiah 1:3
This describes a perfect portrayal of the condition of a backslidden church. When the church is not living in the glorified state that God has intended for her to be in, it falls under the shape listed above.
1.What is left of the church is in spiritual captivity or imprisonment. The church is not free and therefore has fallen out of God's protective umbrella. When an inmate is in prison, he is confined to what the system says he can have, say or do. The inmate looses all the privileges of being a productive citizen. In the same manner, when the church is confined to the prison of Satan, she looses all the privileges of being a citizen of heaven. The devil has stolen their health, healing, prosperity and blessings.
2.To be in affliction is to live in continuous suffering under the emotional strain of misery. The church in this state is of no use to itself and much less to anyone else. People who live in affliction usually spend most of their time complaining and self absorbed in their pain. God does not want His church to be in this condition.
3.To be in reproach is disapproval with disappointment. When a person is in reproach he is accused of failure with constant reprimand. We cannot be witnesses of the Gospel in this status.
4.The wall of Jerusalem is broken down. The walls were in ruins since 586 BC. The wall of a city serves as a barrier of protection from the enemy. They are the means of defense. They are practically indestructible. Without the walls there is no protection from enemy attack. The vulnerability is wide open for outside intrusion. We must always be hid in Christ in whom we have complete protection.
5.The gates were burned with fire. Gates open and close to let people and equipment in and out. Without spiritual gates in the church, people will not be able to come in and be saved or go out and be witnesses for Christ.
When Nehemiah heard of the condition of Jerusalem his reaction was the same one we should have when we learn of our church’s spiritual condition.
“And it came to pass when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven” Nehemiah 1:4
1.He wept.
2.He mourned.
3.He fasted.
4.He prayed
He was in distress because he loved his people. It was that love that served as a motive for his inquiry. He did not have to inquire about his people but he choose to. God’s people should embrace that same distress and sadness when they realize the church is backslidden. Nehemiah 1:5-7 says:
“..."I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and fearsome God, who keepeth covenant and mercy for those who love Him and observe His commandments, let Thine ear now be attentive and Thine eyes open, that Thou mayest hear the prayer of Thy servant, which I pray before Thee now day and night for the children of Israel Thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against Thee. Both I and my father's house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly against Thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments which Thou commanded Thy servant Moses.”
As soon as he learned the condition of the remnant, he took positive action. It is only through the genuine repenting of the heart and soul that revival can occur. Nehemiah claimed the promise of God and became an intercessor on behalf of the people of Israel. He began his prayer with praise. He made prayer and asked God to soften the king’s heart and allow him to find grace in his eyes.
He made confession on behalf of the Israelites for the sin of complacency. Even though he was not in captivity, he allowed it by sitting back and not doing anything. Allowing the sin is just as bad as commiting the actual sin. In his confession he was explicit as to the sin. This included:
A. We have sinned against thee; both I and my father’s house have sinned.
B. We have dealt very corruptly against thee.
C. We have not kept thy commandments.
D. We have not kept thy statutes.
E. We have not kept thy judgments.
Be specific when confessing your sins to God. That way, when He restores the church he will specifically meet the needs.
It is like an architect constructing a building. He draws a blueprint and list specific measurements, altitudes, and planes before the commission is actually started. In the same manner, the church leader who has a burden for the revival of the church must list individual prayer requests according to the vision God has given him.
We have established so far that the King’s royal cupbearer, Nehemiah, had a burden in his heart because the walls of Jerusalem were broken down and the people were in great affliction. We saw how he made a choice to inquire about the people’s condition and how he interceded on behalf of the Israelites. We studied his response to the distressing news he received. He was sorrowful. He was not able to hide his sorrow even in the presence of the King.
“And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him; and I took up the wine and gave it unto the king. Now I had not before been sad in his presence. Therefore the king said unto me, "Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart." Then I was very sore afraid.” Nehemiah 2:1-2
Cupbearers were important and trusted servants of kings. They were close advisors to the king, and their responsibilities included preventing the king from being poisoned, whether accidentally, or as part of an assassination. For a cupbearer to be sorrowful in the king’s presence was a serious matter. Often times it could be considered high treason for the king’s life depended on the cupbearer. That is why Nehemiah was sorely afraid when questioned by the king. After four months Nehemiah spoke with the King. He entered through the door of opportunity God was opening for him and responded in the following manner:
“And said unto the king, "Let the king live for ever. Why should not my countenance be sad when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchers, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?” Nehemiah 2:3
Remember that he had been praying and fasting for when this time arrived. His plan commence with prayer. God had touched the kings heart and the timing was essential. We must recall that there is a time and place for everything, and we must wait on God’s timing to complete His will. Think of it like an engine in a vehicle. In order for it to run smoothly the timing must be correct. The piston number 1 has to be at top dead center with the crankshaft and camshaft gear at the correct degrees. If it is not lined up correctly, the timing will be off and the engine will not start. If it does start it willl backfire and run badly.
God operates in the same fashion. He has a plan and will execute it in the right timing. If we try and rush it or do it in our time it can backfire and not work properly.
Not only did Nehemiah inform the king of the situation but requested a leave of absence in order to take care of the state of affairs concerning his people.
“Then the king said unto me, "For what dost thou make request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king, "If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchers, that I may build it." And the king said unto me (the queen also sitting by him), "For how long shall thy journey be? And when wilt thou return?" So it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a time. Nehemiah 2:4-6
He had a plan and God was on his side. There is no specific time on how long Nehemiah’s leave of absence request was. We do know that to rebuild the walls of a city is not done over night. He also asked for political favors and privilege letters for travel and free timber. He had found grace before the king because he was an honest man who’d prayed his battle before Almighty God who turned circumstance and opportunity into a promotion.
“Moreover I said unto the king, "If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over until I come into Judah, also a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city and for the house that I shall enter into." And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.” Nehemiah 2:7-8.
God’s grace was so amazing that the king sent Nehemiah with the Persian Calvary Officers and horsemen to Judah to carry out God’s work.
“Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.” Nehemiah 2:9
Herein lies the power of prayer. God is able to work the impossible through his servants who want to do His will. Prayer is a powerful medium and cannot be substituted with anything. It is a must if one is to have a relationship with God. This cupbearer had found grace in the sight of God and the king because of the power of prayer. The long and difficult journey that Nehemiah was about to begin would transform the history of Israel for ever.
So far we have added to our study that Nehemiah prayed and fasted and waited for the perfect opportunity in God’s timing to make his request known. We also have established that he took the circumstance and turned it into opportunity by waiting on God, so he received a promotion. As we become prayer intercessors for our church, we must wait on God’s time to execute the plan. Now we shall see how to begin the work set before us.
Developing The Plan
“When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant the Ammonite heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there had come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.” Nehemiah 2:10
There are always those who are not going to be happy with our intentions. Word will get out and people will talk and criticize, especially if we are doing God’s will. Expect it because it will happen. Sanballat, a prominent Samaritan (a non-Israelite who settled in Samaria), and Tobiah the servant, an ancestor of a family of Babylonian captives, and Ammonite, a descendant of the son of Lot (closely related to the Jews in blood and language), were enemies of the Jews.
These people immediately voiced their opposition and feeling. They were exceedingly upset that someone would seek the welfare of the children of Israel. They failed to realize that Nehemiah was no longer the king’s cupbearer but the master architect commissioned by God to rebuild Jerusalem.
When he arrived at the city he was there 3 days before he did anything. In those 3 days we can safely assume that he prayed and surveyed the land. He did this in the privacy of his circle. No one knew what his plan was.
“So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days. And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me. Neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem; neither was there any beast with me, except the beast that I rode upon.” Nehemiah 2:12.
Before he could start rebuilding he need to survey the land and design a plan. He knew he had obstacles to face greater than the ruins of the city.
Step 1: Make an assessment of the condition.
Nehemiah mounted his horse and took a handful of men in the middle of the night to survey the place. He did not tell anyone because he knew people would try and discourage him by pointing our the enormous amount of rubbish. He was aware that if the wrong people knew his intentions of rebuilding the city, an assassination could occur.
When God gives us a vision for the revival of the church we are to pray and develop a plan. A spiritual inventory is needed. It is an evaluation of our motive and intent as believers. An examination of the sincerity of our heart based on our singleness of purpose. The city laid in ruins in the same manner the church is in spiritual laxity. In this state, the church is in the same condition as Jerusalem was: in captivity, affliction, great reproach, no protection and no guard. The church can still exist as a congregation but will not function. It will only be a shell without the power of the Holy Spirit, similar to a stick of dynamite with no gunpowder. Members will still gather and do the ceremony rituals (sing, pray, preach, etc…) but without effect.
If God gives you the vision of revival, enter into your prayer closet until you receive direction from God It is His work so you must receive blueprints from Him.
Step 2: Get on Your Knees and Pinpoint the Problem.
“And I went out by night by the Gate of the Valley, even before the Dragon Well and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire. Then I went on to the Gate of the Fountain and to the King's Pool, but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass. Then went I up in the night by the brook and viewed the wall, and turned back and entered by the Gate of the Valley, and so returned. And the rulers knew not whither I went or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest who did the work.” Nehemiah 2:13-16
He personally verified what his brothers informed him of. Here is his survey:
A.The wall was broken down. (No protection)
B.The gates were consumed with fire. (No guard)
C.Rubbish and debris was everywhere. (No direction)
What he viewed:
D. The gate of the valley.
E. The dragon well.
F. The dung port.
G. The walls of Jerusalem.
H. The gate of the fountain.
I. The king’s pool.
J. Back to the wall. Turned back and entered by the gate of the valley.
“Then said I unto them, "Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. Come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.” Nehemiah 2:17
K. The city was in distress. (anxiety, affliction and suffering)
L. The city lies waste. (weak, exhausted, destroyed)
M. The gates are burned with fire. (no guard)
Nehemiah did a thorough investigation of the city’s condition. He was in places where there was so much rubbish that there wasn’t space for his horse. So he had to get off and get on his knees and crawls into fox holes just to be able to get from one point to another. He got down in the gravel, concrete, iron and metals. He found that the city was completely desolate and every aspect of it personified the people’s attitude and state. There was no protection, no guard and no direction.
How many times do we find our church in a similar condition and we just sit back, nod our heads and wait for someone else to start the job. Well, the truth of the matter is that it is time for church leaders to arise and begin a survey of the church’s condition and put some prayer into it. It is time to do some knee bending and crawling to find potential ministry assignments. It is time to get off the horse of pride and be obedient to God.
We need to find out where the weak link is. What caused the church to become backslidden? Who allowed it? When did the laxity begin? At what point was the congregation operating when slumbering began? Why did we not see the spiritual downfall coming? If we cannot seem to pinpoint it accurately, we must remain in prayer and fasting until an answer is found. Confess the sin of neglect. The “I don’t care attitude”
Step 3: Make the plan to restore.
“Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me, as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, "Let us rise up and build." So they strengthened their hands for this good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn and despised us, and said, "What is this thing that ye do? Will ye rebel against the king?" Nehemiah 2:17-18
Nehemiah decided to do something about the problem.
Here is the choice: The church can
1. Stay in reproach, or
2. The leaders and members can restore their first love and relationship with God.
We are God’s children and He is our Father. No matter what we do, he will not disinherit us. If we choose to live out of God’s will, we will live in sin, poverty, sickness and destruction. But God will never stop loving us.
Nehemiah made a proposal to his people, "Let us rise up and build," then encouraged them to follow through. “Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me.” After hearing of the great things God had done, they “strengethened their hands”. An action requires a reaction. The action was the decision Nehemiah made, and the reaction was the people’s preparation.
Step 4: Be ready to face repetitive opposition.
Once again, word of Nehemiah’s actions quickly spread and the enemy counteracted. Opposition will always follow God’s work and its intended goal is to stop the work through setbacks.
“But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn and despised us, and said, "What is this thing that ye do? Will ye rebel against the king?” Nehemiah 2:19
Here is the enemy’s first counterattack:
1. They laughed us to scorn. The enemy really thought that the work was too great of a load capacity for a few Jews to construct. He saw it like giving a shovel to a handful of kids to build a schoolhouse so he made fun of them.
2. They despised us. The enemy hated the Jews for he knew that when they were strong, they had God on their side and were indestructible.
3. They question their political intention. The enemy suggested a Jewish revolt against the established king.
Nowadays, they would probably say, “Does the church council approve of the revival that is happening?” Nehemiah did just as David did and answered the enemy with God’s word. One answer for each of their three attacks.
“Then answered I them and said unto them, "The God of heaven, He will prosper us. Therefore we His servants will arise and build; but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.” Nehemiah 2:20
1. The God of heaven, He will prosper us.
2. We His servants will arise and build.
3. You have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.
Nehemiah worked for the master builder. The greatest contractor that has ever been and never gone bankrupt. The Almighty God of Heaven whom is rich without imagination. The same God the Apostle Paul said would supply all our need according to his riches in glory. (Philippians 4:19). The God whom these three enemies of the Israelites did not know and had no part of. They were not of God’s covenant nor participants of the Kingdom of God.
As we prepare for the revival approaching the latter day church, we must rely on the above 3 facts. God is our master, we are His servants and the enemy has no part of our contract.
Step 5: Begin Teamwork Building.
“Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They sanctified it and set up the doors of it; even unto the Tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the Tower of Hananeel.” Nehemiah 3:1
Herein is the order of building:
1. The gate: to keep enemies out and post guard duty.
2. The door: to let people in and out. Security control.
3. The tower: To observe to a far distance.
In the spiritual we ask God to put a hedge of protection around us. We are to remain in constant prayer and put on the amour of God to protect us against the fiery darts of the devil (Ephesians 6:18). It is important to protect the builders and their families so they can remain strong and stay focused in the work.
If you read Nehemiah 3:2-32, you will see the building strategy they employed. They worked as links in a chain, one next to each other. This kept the morale support high. There were over 51 families, skilled tradesmen, priests, and labor hands all working together in a synchronized team effort towards one goal.
God is calling for the church to be spiritually rebuilt for the end days. He wants the believers to be as they were on the day of Pentecost, in one accord. Everyone building together to go out into the world and preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15) and bring them to the church. Of course there will always be the untouchable Christians who as the Noblemen of the Tekoites, will not do anything because they think themselves to be better than anyone else (Neh 3:5). The church must work together as a body with many different members and not be too proud to get our hands dirty.
Resisting Opposition and its Form
“But it came to pass that when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was wroth and felt great indignation and mocked the Jews.” Nehemiah 4:1
The established council was offended by the new and rising movement. Therefore he bought on a moral character attack.
1. He was wroth. (In a furious rage)
2. He took great indignation. (righteous anger in response to something considered unjust or unworthy).
3. He mocked the Jews. (To express scorn or ridicule).
He then proceeded to divulge his anger with his brothers and the army of Samaria.
“And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they make sacrifice? Will they finish it in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, "Indeed that which they build, if a fox go up, even he shall break down their stone wall."” Nehemiah 4:2-3.
The enemy could stand by himself so he incited a riot. Once again it was a character assault which is the tearing down of the distinguishing attributes and qualities of a person.
Here are the seeds of doubt the enemy planted:
1. What are these feeble Jews doing?
2. Will they fortify themselves?
3. Will they make sacrifice?
4. Will they finish it in a day?
5. Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
6. Indeed that which they build, if a fox go up, even he shall break down their stone wall.
They enemy’s strategy was to try and discourage these people by ridiculing them with unkind mockery and planting doubt in their work. He called them “feeble Jews”. This refers to one without strength or vigor, physically, mentally or morally. He wanted the Israelites to see themselves as a people without any hope.
“Will they fortify themselves?” he sarcastically asks. Here he implies that the Jews are weak and cannot provide resistance for a military attack. The enemy wants you to see yourself as a weakling without hope.
“Will they make sacrifice?” Here the enemy suggests that their weakness will not allow them to finish the rebuilding of the city, thereby not being able to finish the temple for sacrificing. His tactic is to blur our long term spiritual vision and thereby cause us to fall short of the Glory of God.
“Will they finish it in a day?” The enemy judged the Jews by pointing to their flaws and mocking them.
Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Here the enemy points out the enormous load of work and the destitution of the Jews. He wants them to accept his perception of defeat. The enemy paints the picture of what he is wanting to accomplish.
Indeed that which they build, if a fox go up, even he shall break down their stone wall. This is contemptuous and unkind mockery. The enemy does not really know what we are capable of and can only suggest the contrary in the hope that we believe the lie he is saying.
The purpose of this character assault is to bring discouragement to the people and stop the work. Discouragement which is hopelessness leads to lack of faith, which leads to laxity, which ends in a backslidden heart.
The real test of leadership is not what kind of assault is thrown at us, but how the leader reacts to the position and resists it. Let’s examine how Nehemiah dealt with it.
“Hear, O our God, for we are despised; and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them as a prey in the land of captivity. And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before Thee; for they have provoked Thee to anger before the builders.” Nehemiah 4:4-5.
Nehemiah’s reaction was prayer. I cannot stress it over and over. The power of prayer is the credential to victory.
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help! My help cometh from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2
The builders did not stop or deviate form their work in spite of the opposition. They did not deviate from their work. They turned to God in prayer and let Him guide them day by day.
How many times has someone or something distracted us from God’s work? We can stop what we are doing and become discouraged by loosing faith, or we can resist the enemy and continue God’s work as we keep our eyes lifted unto the hills waiting for God’s help.
“So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto half its height, for the people had a mind to work.” Nehemiah 4:6
The wall was half completed when the enemy saw that the people had a single purpose and were committed to the job. He became extremely angry. He began to feel threaten for he saw the Jews becoming stronger each day and soon enough they would regain their political status.
“But it came to pass that when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabians and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being rebuilt, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, and conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem and to hinder it.” Nehemiah 4:7-8
It is the same notion in our lives with our enemy the devil. He wants the work of God stopped. He does not care if we go to church 7 days a week and quietly sit in our pews listening to sermon after sermon. But he does react when we are preaching the Word of God and winning souls for the kingdom of heaven. Remember that the stronger we get, the more noise the devil makes to distract us from the work of God. Revival comes at great sacrifice. The sacrifice of our lives each and every day as we give up our time in prayer.
The Jews were not moved by the enemy’s reaction so he began to conspire and plan an attack.
“and conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem and to hinder it.”
The people’s reaction was to set a 24-hour guard duty, each man armed and ready to defend their home. Faith operates in the same manner. We pray and believe but we also act in that faith. We must stand guard with the complete armor of God on and have the shield of faith activated at all times.
“Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:11-12.
Building a spiritual church is just as; or even more difficult than building an actual physical building. There are obstacles, city opposition, neighbors complaining, pipes getting broken, materials do not arrive in time, bad weather, delays, workers quitting, etc… Nehemiah 4:10 shows a minor obstacle that could have become a major catastrophe.
“And Judah said, "The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish, so that we are not able to build the wall."“
1. The strength was decayed. They were tired and had no energy left. They were dragging.
2. There was much rubbish. The people were overwhelmed. They began to see how much work was to be done.
3. We are not able to build the wall. They gave up. Not only were they rebuilding the city, they were also fighting the enemy.
The workers became discouraged by their own physical weariness and the strain of the enormous amount of work. Here is when the heavy and life- threatening assault takes place. When it comes from within. When our church workers dismay and lose focus because they become weary from battling the enemy.
These Israelites began to hear what Sanballat and the rest of the enemies were instilling. They began to see the immense rubbish around them, and believed that they were not physically capable of finishing the work.
This happens when we take our eyes off God and begin to look at the circumstances around us. Hebrews 12:2 says:
“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Our eyes must be fasten on Jesus the entire time. It is the driver who takes his eye off the road for a split second who ends up wrecking. He looses his focus for a second. We must focus on God and not be distracted by the negative and unpleasant situation we see. Jesus did not set his eyes on the mirage Satan showed him in the desert, but rapidly quoted what was written in the Word of God. (Matthew 4)
Verbal Intimidation
“And our adversaries said, "They shall not know, neither see, until we come in the midst among them and slay them and cause the work to cease."“ Nehemiah 4:11.
Here the enemy engages in verbal threats. It was the same technique Goliath employed when the Philistines were at war with Israel in the reign of King Saul.
The conflict was in the fact that the Jews heard these threats and panicked for they said it ten times..
“And it came to pass that when the Jews who dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, "From all places whence ye shall return unto us, they will be upon you."“ Nehemiah 4:11.
As I mention in my book “The Call to Spiritual Battle” “If faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, the fear comes by hearing and hearing by the word of the devil.”
This is how Nehemiah dealth with the situation. As any good leader, he was determined to keep the morale up, so he set up a defense system where everyone would be secure. He did it by having the workers with a shovel in one hand and a weapon in the other hand (Nehemiah 4:17). Half the men were warriors and the other half were warriors (Nehemiah 4:16). He had a 24-hour guard beside him with a trumpet so that at the sound of it the people would rise to combat (Nehemiah 4:20). They even slept in their clothes (Nehemiah 4:23).
A warrior must be ready to engage in combat at all times. The enemy never sleeps so we must keep our guard up continuously. In order to do so we must do as the Apostle Paul instructed young Timothy.
“Endure thou therefore hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” II Timothy 2:3.
How many times do we find ourselves enduring or resisting a thought of discouragement or intimidation along with ridicule? How many times do we need to meditate on God’s Word in order to bring down strongholds that may deprive us from the prosperity of God’s victory? This is all part of the daily spiritual battle that we are engaged in. We do not have to be in a church building in order to endure as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. No matter where we are, we fight the battle and prepare ourselves for victory whether it be through prayer, praise and worship or the meditating of the Word.
Passive Opposition
As revival is attempting to regain its position in the church, there are those that passively bring resistance to the congregation by taking advantage of the circumstance.
Nehemiah faced problems with the nobles and rulers; people whom obtained their aristocrat status by birth. They put their interest first instead of God’s. They did not seek the welfare of the people but of their own pockets. They had no passion for God’s work and put the people in oppression and hardship because of their greed. They were committing social injustice against their own brethren.
“And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.” For there were those who said, "We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat and live." There were some also who said, "We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn because of the dearth." There were also those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already; neither is it in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards." Nehemiah 5:1-5.
Here is the people’s (outcry) complain:
1. They had no money to buy food.
2. They were mortgaging their fields to buy food.
3. They had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax.
4. They had lost their fields, sons and daughters.
These people had all the right in the world to complain. If you and I were in the financial situation these people were, we’d cry also. They worked day and night in rebuilding the city but were loosing their properties and children due to extreme high taxes and usury (exceeding bounds of interests) imposed by their own rulers and nobles. The problem with this is that complaining which is the expression of dissatisfaction, leads to resentment and resentment ends in abandonment. In other words, when a person is dissatisfied with something, he will complain time after time, and usually stomps out of the situation never to return, such as an angry customer at a store. This is what the enemy is after: an abandonment of God’s work.
When we begin to spiritually restore our church, there will be those who will take advantage of the people and financially extort the church. They feel they need to be compensated for the time and effort they are putting into the work.
As any competent leader, Nehemiah examined the problem and confronted the troublemakers. This is the attitude we must take with these kind of people; direct confrontation.
“And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles and the rulers and said unto them, "Ye exact usury, every one from his brother." And I set a great assembly against them.” Nehemiah 5:6-7.
He told them they were doing the same things as the heathen did. He was not intimidated by their social position or their wealth. He demanded justice be bought against these workers. Basically, he interceded for the people. The nobles agreed to his request and Nehemiah made them take an oath before the priests. This was a subtle form of admission to guilt before the people (Nehemiah 5:8-13).
As a good leader you must intercede on behalf of your congregation when you see the enemy is overpowering and they are beginning to get tired. You must oversee the financial matters and how it affects individual families. The church family must be taken into consideration and we must make sure there is no added financial hardship to their homes. Once again, prayer is a very important factor in this work.
The Work Continues and So Does The Opposition
The Plot of Distraction and Accusation.
“Now it came to pass, when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arabian and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left therein (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates), that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono." But they thought to do me mischief.” Nehemiah 6:1-2.
The enemy wanted to take Nehemiah away from his work so he tried to schedule a political meeting with him. He was trying his best to take him away from his work. He wanted to divert Nehemiah from his work so the city would not be built and the people would continue to live in oppression. How did Nehemiah respond to this disruption?
“And I sent messengers unto them, saying, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease, whilst I leave it and come down to you?" Yet they sent unto me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same manner.” Nehemiah 6:2-2
We must be persistent in our labor and determination. When we make a quality decision to do what God wants us to, nothing can turn us away from it. The Christian leader must never attempt to strike a deal with the enemy as he is the father of all lies (John 8:44). It is just another conscious plan to distract you from God’s work.
“Then Sanballat sent his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand, wherein was written: "It is reported among the heathen, and Geshem saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel; for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king according to these words. And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, `There is a king in Judah!' And now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together."“ Nehemiah 6:5-7.
Notice that this time Sanballat sent an open letter. It was the custom to send sealed letters to the receiver. The letter was supposed to be sealed with hot wax and stamped by the sender. An open letter was an another attempt to discredit Nehemiah. He was being accused of rebellion and treason. Anyone would be able to read this letter as it was in transit and therefore be able to form their own conclusions about its content. This was a way of spreading rumors about him.
Although the enemy was persistent in plotting against him, Nehemiah was not moved by his actions but firmly stood his ground and responded to his accusation and praying to God.
“Then I sent unto him, saying, "There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart." For they all made us afraid, saying, "Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done." Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.” Nehemiah 6:8-9.
The enemy was desperate because the city’s stronghold was becoming fortified and the people were gaining confidence and encouragement. As a great leader, Nehemiah made sure that the people did not lose hope or sight that God was on their side. It is the enemy’s intention to wholly defeat God’s people and his weapon of choice is lies. He will paint a picture of that which we are lacking and serve it to us in a silver platter as he did when he tempted Jesus in the desert.
Nehemiah recognized this illusion of lies when he said: "There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart." (v8)
He never left his post but declined to meet with the enemy. As spiritual warriors we must also do likewise. Our actions must be:
1. Never abandon our post to meet with the enemy.
2. Never be moved by lies and accusations.
3. Never be afraid of the enemy’s threats.
4. Always pray to God.
Nehemiah 6:9 clearly points out the enemy's intent:
"Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done." Remember that the intent is to stop the work of God in order that souls may not be saved. All the lies, gossip, fear, discouragement, accusations, scorn, ridicule, etc… are only fiery darts of the enemy. As a spiritual leader/warrior you must continue in God’s will and obedience. This will ground you in God’s love and you will not be moved by the winds of the storm. In doing so you will lead your congregation to victory.
Because Nehemiah refused to stop God’s work and meet with Sanballat, the enemy recurred to deceptive fear tactics. They hired an insider by the name of Shemaiah to persuade him into meeting in the temple. An apparently safe meeting place for anyone not to be killed by the enemy. However, it was a trap set by Sanballat to kill Nehemiah, but he wasn’t the kind of man that would fall for such schemes. He was not intimidated by fear tactics. He knew the law and he knew the rules of the temple, and he wasn’t about to use the temple for his own personal reasons. He held his position. His faith in God and integrity in his character allowed him to see what was really going on.
“Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to slay thee, yea, in the night will they come to slay thee." And I said, "Should such a man as I flee? And who is there that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. And lo, I perceived that God had not sent him, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me; for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me.” Nehemiah 6:10-13.
There is a very important fact to comprehend in this statement: “that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin.” Fear is sin! It is an apprehensive state where the body reacts to the anxious engulfment of terror. This is so as in the case of when Peter walked on water. He was OK until he took his eyes off Jesus. He saw the winds and the storm and began to sink. His body reacted to the terror-stricken state of mind.
We must never allow fear to settle in our hearts. If so it can cause us to sink as well. Fear can come into our minds as a thought. We must disposed of it immediately by replacing the thought with the Word of God. God and fear cannot cohabit. It is one or the other. God is the author and finisher of our faith (I Corinthians 14:33) and Satan is the author and finisher of fear. Adam hid in the garden because he was afraid. He was afraid because he had sinned. Fear is sin!
“My God, think Thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have put me in fear.” Nehemiah 6:15.
Pastors and leaders, I want you to know that just because you are in church does not mean that the enemy is not there sitting right beside you. The old time revival preaches frequently said that the devil was in church sitting in the front pew before we ever got there.
“So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month of Elul, in fifty and two days.” Nehemiah 6:15
The wall was completed because Nehemiah was not moved by the enemy’s fear tactics and the people had a mind to work. The enemy lost this battle because Nehemiah upheld his position and always prayed to God.
First Things First
“Now it came to pass, when the wall was built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed...” Nehemiah 7:1
The order of restored revival is:
1. Porters: Porters are janitors and gatekeepers.
2. Singers: Those in charge of praise and psalming. They lead the service to God Almighty with the people.
3. Levites: The Levites' principle roles in the Temple included singing Psalms during Temple services, performing construction and maintenance for the Temple, serving as guards, and performing other services. Levites also served as teachers and judges, maintaining cities of refuge in Biblical times. The Book of Ezra reports that the Levites were responsible for the construction of the Second Temple and also translated and explained the Torah when it was publicly read.
This is a very important order of formation in the revival of the church. Porters are needed to ensure they take care of the church and watch who comes in and out. They are the prayer-keepers of the congregation. The very important part of the church is that of praise and worship. Many battles have been won because of praise and worship. Finally, the Levites are the ministers of the congregation. They impart and teach the Word so that the church continue to grow in the spiritual teachings and thereby multiply the number of souls added to the church.
Qualities of Nehemiah’s Leadership
1. Good Delegation. He delegated the ruler ship of Jerusalem to his brother and to Hananiah, the ruler of the palace. He recognized two qualities in their character; a) He was a faithful man. b) He feared God above many. (7:2)
2. He established a 24-hour security system to ensure the city’s protection. (7:3)
3. He saw the needs of the people and ministered according to them. (7:5)
4. He organized the people's heritage and genealogy, thereby giving the people back their integrity.(7:5)
5. He pulled out the bad priest from among the congregation, thereby restoring the consecration of the service to God. (7:64)
6. He made it possible for the people to see how prosperous they had become, so they began giving to the treasury. (7:70-72)
“So the priests, and the Levites, and the gatekeepers, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinim, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.” Nehemiah 7:73
When the people of Israel moved back to the repaired city of Jerusalem, they were in the complete order of restoration that was originally intended for them. This consists of priests, Levites, gatekeepers and singers. Nehemiah was a good leader and had all the qualities a good leader must have.
When revival come to the church the five-fold ministry will be in full operation. The gifts of the Spirit will be manifested and God will add to the church daily such as should be saved.
Steps to Follow To Keep The Revival
The first half of the book of Nehemiah dealt with rebuilding the wall and the second half deals with restoring the people. They go hand in hand and the restoration of the people is a direct action of the city’s repair. Nehemiah and the people worked very hard to rebuild the city. The easy part was practically over. The difficult part is keeping the protection and the people in line with God’s work. Keeping the people in God’s will and in communion with God in the next step in keeping the revival.
“And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the Water Gate; and they spoke unto Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the Water Gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the Book of the Law.”
Nehemiah 8:1-3
Results of Revival: God’s people are Restored
The following is a list of actions that will happen when the church is spiritually restored and revival is imminent. The change is not only spiritual but physically as well.
1. They gathered together as one.
2. They requested the teaching of the law.
3. They heard the Word of God
4. They were attentive to the Word of God.
5. They lifted their hands to praise God.
6. They bowed their heads and worshipped God. (8:7)
7. The teaching increased and the following results were added: (8:8)
a) The people understood the law.
b) They received understanding (sense) of the law.
c) The law now had meaning to them.
8. They established a holy day. (8:9) (7 days of feast—8:18)
9. The people wept. The law touched their hearts. (8:9)
10.The people’s joy was instilled. (8:10-12)
11.The people fasted and prayed. (9:1)
12.They separated themselves from the ungodly (consecration). 9:2 and 13:30)
13. They confessed their sins. (9:3)
14. They remembered God’s mercy to the Israelites even after countless sins. (9:7-38)
15. They made a commitment to walk in God’s law. (10:28-29)
16. They made a covenant not to intermarry with the heathen. (10:30)
17. They made a covenant not to do business on the Sabbath but to keep it holy. (10:31)
18. They made an ordinance to pay 1/3 of a shekel (the chief monetary unit of Israel) for the temple and its supplies. (10:32-33)
19. They provided wood for the House of God. (10:34)
20. They committed to offering the first fruits and the first born for the priests that minister in the House of God. (10:36-37)
21. They established tithing as a financial program in the church. (10:38-39)
22. They established a very important order of service: praise and worship with thanksgiving, according to David’s commandment. To keep the dedication with gladness, and thanksgiving with singing, with cymbals, and psaltries and harps. (12:24)
23. They created a praise and worship facility. (12:29)
24. The priests and the Levites purified themselves and the people. (12:30)
25. They made a quality decision to consecrate themselves to God. (12:30)
26. They established 2 companies as part of the military battalion. (12:40) One for praise and worship (12:31 and 35, 36, 42) The other for thanksgiving. (12:38)
27. They appointed a financial committee for the distribution of money and fruits including book keepers. (12:44 and 13:13)
28. They separated from Israel all the pagan people (13:13) and literally threw them out. (13:7-8)
Recognizing The Enemy’s Scare Tactics
1. The enemy will snicker or ridicule you or your actions. (2:19)
2. The enemy will scorn and hate you because you are doing the work of God. (2:19)
3. The enemy will plant seeds of doubt in your mind so you can question God's work and dismay. (2:19)
4. The enemy will make you feel that you are in uncertainty concerning God’s work. (2:19)
5. The enemy will plant fear in your mind. (4:1-3)
6. The enemy will belittle you by making you seem of no value to yourself, by being too weak or insignificant. (4:1-3)
7. The enemy will question your status. (4:1-3)
8. The enemy will push you into making hasty, irrational decisions. (4:1-3)
9. The enemy will question your motives. (4:1-3)
10. The enemy will suggest that you are wasting your time doing God’s work. (4:1-3)
11. The enemy will accuse you of doing a bad job not worthy of God’s approval. (4:1-3)
12. The enemy will be very angry against you as you do God’s work. (4:7-8)
13. The enemy will use anyone he can to attack you. (4:7-8)
14. The enemy will wait for your weak moment to attack you. (4:10-12)
15. The enemy will come against you when your physical body is tired. (4:10-12)
16. The enemy will repeat his attacks over and over to get you to surrender. (4:10-12)
17. The enemy will use strife among the brethren to stop the work of God. (5:1-2)
18. The enemy will distract your from God’s work by spreading malicious rumors and gossip. (6:1-2)
19. The enemy will accuse you of rebellion by letting you see that you are not doing God’s work. (6:6)
20. The enemy will constantly lie for he is the father of all lies. There will never be truth in him and every way he makes you turn is to deceive you.
Steps To Restoration
1. Have a burden in your heart and be ready to get involved.
2. Acknowledge the situation you are in and be ready to put first things first.
3. Do something about the situation you are in. Establish a reasonable goal and stay with it.
4. Repent from your sin. Fast and pray.
5. Claim the promises of God.
6. Become a prayer intercessor for your church. Identify yourself with God’s people.
7. Be aware of the door of opportunity God opens for you.
8. Do not be afraid to request help but always wait for God’s timing.
9. Assess the situation firsthand.
10. Explore the cause of how the church fell into its backslidden state.
11. Be specific. Pinpoint the problem.
12. Develop a plan with a vision.
13. Take time to pray about your plan.
14. Make a proposal.
15. Expect repetitive opposition and be ready to face and resist it.
16. Begin the revival in sprite of opposition.
17. Build a network of spiritual warriors.
18. Expect discouragement and character defamation.
19. Do not be distracted by building obstaclesnor deviated from the goal you have set for yourself.
20. Keep the morale up at all times and beware of the ones who can financially abuse the church.
21. Expect workers to complain and dismay because of enemy fire.
22. Take care of problems as soon as they begin.
23. Take care of financial difficulties as soon as you encounter them
24. Do not stop the work for political meetings with the enemy.
25. Have a keen sense of awareness to be able to spot the wolves dressed in sheep clothing.
26. Be sure to restore the correct order of service as soon as the revival begins.
27. Do what you need to do to keep the revival in constant restoration.
28. When revival come to the church the five-fold ministry will be in full operation. The gifts of the Spirit will be manifested and God will add to the church daily such as should be saved.
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