Sermon Outline
- It is tough as a leader to stay upbeat and focused all the time.
- When God does that work that you are praying for, your growth often comes with opposition and pain.
- As leaders, we can’t drag our feet when God is speaking.
- As leaders, we have to listen and be an encouraging vessel.
Today’s Scriptures
Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews,
2 saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?
3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!
Nehemiah 4:1-3 New Living Translation (NLT)
14 Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!
15 When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall.
16 But from then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. The leaders stationed themselves behind the people of Judah
17 who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon.
18 All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm.
19 Then I explained to the nobles and officials and all the people, The work is very spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall.
20 When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!
21 We worked early and late, from sunrise to sunset. And half the men were always on guard.
22 I also told everyone living outside the walls to stay in Jerusalem. That way they and their servants could help with guard duty at night and work during the day.
23 During this time, none of us—not I, nor my relatives, nor my servants, nor the guards who were with me—ever took off our clothes. We carried our weapons with us at all times, even when we went for water.
Nehemiah 4:14-23 New Living Translation (NLT)
14 For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah—from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes[a]—neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance.
15 The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way.
16 I also devoted myself to working on the wall and refused to acquire any land. And I required all my servants to spend time working on the wall.
17 I asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my table, besides all the visitors from other lands!
18 The provisions I paid for each day included one ox, six choice sheep or goats, and a large number of poultry. And every ten days we needed a large supply of all kinds of wine. Yet I refused to claim the governor’s food allowance because the people already carried a heavy burden.
19 Remember, O my God, all that I have done for these people, and bless me for it.
Nehemiah 5:14-19 New Living Translation (NLT)
15 So on October 2 the wall was finished—just fifty-two days after we had begun.
16 When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God.
Nehemiah 6:15-16 New Living Translation (NLT)
