We Are Builders (Pt. 1 - Nehemiah)

Pastor Phil Derstine 5-24-26

 

Ezra rebuilt the Temple – Nehemiah rebuilt the Walls

  • Your Temple represents your FAITH (heart)
  • Your Walls represent your LIFESTYLE (character & conduct)
  • Isaiah 60:18 “Thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.”

 

We Are Builders 

  • Isaiah 58:12 “Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorers of Streets with Dwellings.”
  • Walls – safety and protection
  • Streets – direction and destination
  • Dwellings – relationship and family

 

  1. Builders get Vision to Build – Where there is no vision, the people perish.  (Prov. 29:18)
  • Nehemiah 1:4 “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept.  For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”
  • Builders carry Burden before they carry Vision
  • Nehemiah Wept before he Worked
  • I Peter 4:7 “The end of all things is near.  Therefore, be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.  
  • Nehemiah 1:6 “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. (7) We have acted very wickedly towards you. We have not obeyed the command, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.”
  • I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”    
  • Nehemiah 1:8 “Remember the instruction (promise) you gave your servant Moses…”
  • Isaiah 43:26 “Put Me in remembrance: let us contend together; State your case, that you may be justified.”  
  • Jeremiah 1:2 “I am watching to see that My Word is fulfilled.”

 

  1. Builders See Beyond the Rubble – For we walk by Faith,  not by sight.  (II Cor. 5:7)
    • Nehemiah 4:10 “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.” 
    • Disappointments – Sin & Failure – Fear – Discouragement – Loss, Lack – Unfulfilled Dreams – Distractions
    • Unforgiveness – Lingering Illness – Bad Company – Addictions – Bad Decisions – Cares of this World  
  • Nehemiah inspected the walls – so must we do some self-examination.
  • Nehemiah 2:17 “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire.  Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.  

 

  1. Builders Take Action – Acting in Faith to obey God releases His Supernatural Blessings.
    • Nehemiah 2:18 “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.”
  • James 1:25 “But a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
  • “Don’t just pray for revival, LIVE in revival!” – Jonathan Cahn
  • Nehemiah 2:20 “The God of heaven will give us success.  We his servants will start rebuilding…”
  • II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold all   things are become new.”
  • Song: There is a New Name written down in Glory, and it’s mine, Yes, it’s mine.