We Are Fighters (Pt. 2 - Nehemiah)

Pastor Phil Derstine 5-27-26

 

Ezra rebuilt the Temple – Nehemiah rebuilt the Walls

  • Your Temple represents your FAITH (heart)
  • Your Walls represent your LIFESTYLE (character & conduct)
  • Walls of Good Character and Conduct give defensive safety and protection to your Temple (Your Faith and Heart)

 

7 Things to “Add” to your Faith – Defensive Weapons of Warfare

    • II Peter 1:5 “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; (6) and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; (7) and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. (8) For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (10) Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall.”
    • Goodness – Romans 2:4, Acts 10:38
    • Knowledge – Hosea 4:6 (NIV), Proverbs 1:7, John 8:32
    • Self-Control – Proverbs 25:28 (NIV), I Corinthians 6:12 (NIV)
    • Perseverance – Luke 21:19, James 1:12 (NIV)
    • Godliness – I Timothy 6:6, Titus 2:11-12 (NIV)
  • Brotherly Kindness – Proverbs 19:17 (NIV), Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
  • Love – I Corinthians 13:13 (NIV), John 13:34 (NIV), John 15:13 

 

We Are Fighters

  • Nehemiah 4:14 “Don’t be afraid of them.  Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers,  your sons and daughters, your wives and your homes.”

 

  1. Fighters Stay on Guard – Self-controlled and Alert
  • Nehemiah 4:6 “So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half height, for the people worked with all their heart.  (9) But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.”
  • The halfway hazard – Quitting is not an option!
  • I Peter 5:8 “Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for 

someone to devour.  (9) Resist him, standing firm in the faith…”

  • James 1:8 “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

 

  1. Fighters Reject Negative Reports – The Valley of Ono
  • Nehemiah 4:11 “Also our enemies said, Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”
  • Nehemiah 6:2 “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono…  (3) I am carrying

on a great project and cannot come down.” 

  • Romans 8:6 “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
  • Distractions: Social Media, Entertainment, Offense, Arguments, Worry & Anxiety, Spiritual Apathy, Wrong Friends, Poor Planning, Depression, Hopelessness, Identity Confusion, Addictions, Cares of the World.

 

  1. Fighters Use Their Offensive Weapons – Spiritual Weapons of Warfare
    • Nehemiah 4:17 “Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon.”
  • II Corinthians 10:4-5 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the         pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself

against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

 

  • Weapons of our Warfare
  1. Confess the Word of God – Luke 4:4 “And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written…”
  2. Use the Name of Jesus – Mark 16:17 “In my name shall they cast out devils…”
  3. Reference the Blood of Jesus – Revelation 12:11 “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb…”
  • How does Faith Fight?
      • Faith SEES – With Spiritual eyes
      • Faith SPEAKS – With Declaration
      • Faith ACTS – Do something
  • James 2:17 “Faith without works is dead.”
  • Works = acts, action, obedience
  • I Timothy 6:12 “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called…”