Since God Will, Therefore We Will

The Needed Courage and Confidence of the Believer!

Nehemiah 2:20

February 25, 2018 AM

Pastor Craig Ledbetter

Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland

www.biblebc.com

I.       Introduction (Nehemiah 2:20)

A.    We normally get our courage and confidence from so many things

1.      Our upbringing

2.      Our successes

3.      Our money in our pocket

4.      Our friends, and popularity

5.      Our power over others – either physical, mental, or even weaponry

6.      Our view of ourselves – the world makes much of this, because your view of yourself DOES affect your confidence and courage

B.    When none of that is in your life, you usually struggle with

1.      Fears – of failure, of Embarrassment, of constant failure

2.      Anxiety – panic - a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.

3.      Cowardice – you find yourself pulling back, pulling away, because you have been hurt so many times in the past

4.      Depression

5.      Guilt and shame

C.    Listen to the confidence of Nehemiah in Nehemiah 2:20

1.      The God of heaven

2.      He will prosper us

3.      And because of that, therefore we his servants will arise and build our city again!

D.    Where did he get such confidence?

1.      What was it about Nehemiah that gave him such confidence, and courage to set out to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem?

2.      Where did Nehemiah get such confidence to be able to press ahead, and start such an impossible task? Rebuilding 3 miles of 18 foot thick walls, 30 feet high, with 12 massive solid wood gates

E.    Everything was against Nehemiah, and his people, his nation, his desire

1.      The huge piles of rubble everywhere

2.      The few people available to help

3.      The lack of supplies and money to do the job

4.      The aloneness that comes with stepping away from a cushy job and the easy things

5.      The risks – nothing was certain

6.      The enemies he knew he would be facing at every step

F.     And yet, Nehemiah seemed so certain that he would succeed; was filled with such courage

II.   Background

A.    Does ANYBODY Care Enough to Rebuild? (Nehemiah 1:1-4)

1.      Introduction to the Book of Nehemiah

2.      The News (Nehemiah 1:1-3)

3.      Nehemiah’s homeland was in such a condition – ruined, covered with rubble

4.      Most of a person’s life, if we would be very honest, is broken – in rubble, in pieces

a.      Broken worship

b.      Your way of thinking – 2Cor 10:5

c.      Your anger

d.      Your own spiritual life – in ruins

e.      Your testimony

f.       Your debt and finances – on the constant brink of ruin

g.      Your addiction

h.      Your children

i.        Homes are filled with Broken hearts instead of joy and blessings

j.        Broken promises

k.      Broken marriages

l.        Broken homes

m.   Broken minds

n.      Broken and messed up testimonies

o.      Even broken health

p.      Especially most every person’s prayer life – tiny little pieces, instead of the ROCK it is supposed to be in your life!

5.      The Effect of Such News - Nehemiah Went to Prayer (1:4)

6.      If there is one thing to learn from Nehemiah, it is that GOD is in the REBUILDING business – the restoration business – the saving broken things business!

7.      Before anyone in this room starts to rebuild anything that the devil and sin has completely destroyed, you had better get the courage to start and finish the job!

B.    Rebuilding the Place of Prayer (Nehemiah 1:5-11)

1.      What Prayer Should Look Like

2.      What Does Prayer Look Like? (1:5-11)

3.      It Looks Like What a Beggar Looks Like

4.      Prayer Sounds Like Worship

5.      Prayer is a Lot of Confessing to God (1:6-9)

6.      Remembering (1:8) - THIS is the Believing Part!

7.      Applying that kind of Prayer to YOUR Situation (1:10,11)

C.    What Do YOU Want to Do? (Nehemiah 2:1-9)

1.      When God Pushes You To Do Something

2.      A Day at the Office (2:1)

3.      Something is Evidently Wrong (2:1,2)

4.      "Something Needs to be Done!" (2:3)

5.      Then King Asked, "What Do You Want To Do About It?" (2:4)

6.      Out Came the Plan (2:5)

7.      The King Respected Nehemiah (2:6,8)

8.      What Nehemiah Needed Specifically… (2:7)

9.      Surprise, Surprise! The King Granted It ALL (2:8)

10. Last Thought… Nehemiah set out for Jerusalem right away (2:9a)

D.    The First Steps Are the Best! (Nehemiah 2:9-20)

1.      Nehemiah wrote in his journal, "I Came" (Nehemiah 2:9)

2.      Protected the Whole Way (Nehemiah 2:9)

3.      The Enemy Was Upset (Nehemiah 2:10)

4.      Nehemiah did a Silent Survey of all the work that lay ahead (Nehemiah 2:11-16)

5.      He then made a public Call to Rebuild the walls and gates (Nehemiah 2:17,18)

6.      The Response was fantastic (Nehemiah 2:18) They said SIX words "Let us rise up and build"

7.      Oh, there was Opposition (Nehemiah 2:19)

8.      But there was Courage and Confidence (Nehemiah 2:20)

9.      Those first steps were the best! Always are the most exciting!

E.     This morning… I want to really focus our attention on the Necessary Courage and Confidence of the Believer (Nehemiah 2:20)

1.      Where does it come from?

2.      Is it arrogance?

3.      Is it sheer foolishness?

4.      Or is it a necessary attitude of the believer?

5.      I am here to tell you it is one of THE most necessary ingredients to victory in the Christian’s life!

III.      Message

A.    Nehemiah’s View of God

1.      How do people normally view God?

a.      Almost completely wrong

1)     As a Genie

2)     As an impotent, old and out of date deity

3)     As one of many gods

b.      Most often, they view Him as if He is like THEM

2.      How did Nehemiah view God?

a.      As RIGHT (1:4-7)

1)     He didn’t go complain to the empires that had CAUSED the ruin of his nation – Babylon and Persia

2)     He knew it was the hand of GOD that had brought judgment upon Israel, Judah and Jerusalem

3)     And God was RIGHT to do all that he had because it was SIN that had ruined them

a)       “We have sinned against YOU God” (1:6)

b)     “Dealt very corruptly” (we have acted like a bunch of corrupt self-serving politicians, who only did things for ourselves)!

c)      “We have not obeyed you” – we did our own things

4)     EXAMPLE: When David was EXPOSED by the prophet Nathan, David accepted God as RIGHT, and expected God’s judgement, and it saved his life!

5)     Whatever God is allowing in your life, is probably because of SIN in your life, and whatever you are reaping, God is RIGHT to bring it on us!

6)     Hebrews 12:6-8

7)     Let’s start with that FACT – that God is RIGHT!

8)     Forget whether Nehemiah was right or wrong about anything.

9)     God’s RIGHT-NESS helped Nehemiah’s Confidence!

b.     As CONSTANT (1:5)

1)     Nehemiah is praying to, the infinite and terrifying God

2)     Not a “puny little god” that can be manipulated and controlled

3)     But a God who is the same throughout all time

4)     The God who KEEPS His promises

5)     And STAYS constantly merciful

6)     You would never trust a God that constantly changes His mind, and goes with the winds of popularity, or “follows His heart…”!

7)     We can trust a God who never changes – Amen!

8)     God’s CONSTANCE helped Nehemiah’s Confidence!

c.      As FAITHFUL (1:8,9)

1)     One of the most often repeated facts in the Bible… God is faithful

a)      Deu_7:9  Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

b)     1Co_10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

c)      1Pe_4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

d)     Jas_1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

2)     God made hundreds and hundreds of not just prophecies, but PROMISES:

a)      That if we sin, God will scatter and ruin our lives – guaranteed!

b)     But also, that if we repent, and return to following the Lord, and start living by this Book again, God will bring ANYONE, no matter how far away they’ve gotten, back home again!

3)     God is faithful

4)     That FAITHFULNESS, that DEPENDABILITY of God helped Nehemiah be confident in stepping out in faith and doing what God was asking of Him

a)      NO ONE would trust their lives to the strength of a sewing thread

b)     But you can certainly trust a new climbing rope to hold you and help you reach whatever height you are striving for!

d.     As SAVIOUR (1:10)

1)     God had so often proven Himself to be THE Saviour, redeemer, rescuer, deliverer

a)      From the Pharaoh of Egypt

b)     From the armies of Egypt

c)      From the bondage and slavery of Egypt

d)     From the coming wrath of God on the whole world

e)      All by the substitution of an innocent lamb in the place of all the people of Israel

2)     GOD saved the entire nation of Israel, time after time

a)      From every enemy – not just Egypt and Pharaoh

b)     From hunger and thirst in the desert for 40 years

c)      From their sins every Yom Kippur, the day of atonement

3)     The FACT that Nehemiah’s God was a SAVING God, so encouraged Nehemiah to press on!

a)      Believing that God would once again save His people

b)     And protect His people

c)      And bring them home again!

d)     Back to their land and their nation

e.      As NEAR BY (2:1-4)

1)     This is cool

2)     Nehemiah was caught off guard in front of king Artaxerxes

3)     He was visibly sorrowful and sad

4)     And the king noticed – which wasn’t supposed to happen – could get fired

5)     Nehemiah did NOT rush off to some holy place, some cathedral, some church, some high mountain, some hidden room to pray

6)     God is NOT so far away folks!

7)     Nehemiah knew God was right there, present with Him

8)     And it encouraged him – just like it ought to encourage US

a)      Ps 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

b)     2Ch 15:4  But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. 

c)      Psa 145:18  The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. 

d)     Isa 43:1,2  But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 

e)      Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

f.       As the God that CAN DO the Impossible (2:4-8)

1)     The king asks, What would you like?

2)     And at that point, Nehemiah in confidence asks for EVERYTHING he will need to get the job done

a)      Permission to take a leave of absences that will be several years

b)     For the needed monies

c)      The needed supplies

d)     For protection from marauders along the journey

3)     That took GREAT courage to ask such things of a heathen king

4)     But evidently, Nehemiah was NOT trusting in the king’s niceness that day, but in the God of heaven who CAN do the impossible!

a)      Abraham believed God would resurrect his only begotten son

b)     Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego all believed God could deliver them out of the mighty grip of king Nebuchadnezzar

c)      Mary believed all that the angel told her about being pregnant with the Son of God, even though she was still a virgin

5)     Do you want confidence, and courage?

a)      Stop trusting in your abilities, and your wisdom, and your good looks, and popularity, and your wealth, and your heritage

b)     They will ALL fail you

c)      And instead trust in the God of heaven, who only does wondrous things

d)     Psa_72:18  Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.

g.      And finally, Nehemiah saw the Lord God As HIS God (2:18)

1)      “I told them of the hand of MY God which was upon me…”

2)     Not just the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

3)     Not the God of old time

4)     But the God of OUR time

5)     Not just the God of Peter, James and John

6)     But of Craig, and Leo, and Bill, and Sean, and Helen, and Nita, and Mona, and Clive, and Fiona, and Niall, and so on and so on!

7)     Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love

B.    Nehemiah’s View of Himself (1:6)

1.      As “A servant of God”

a.      That doesn’t sound very confident

b.      Oh, but it is the source of GREAT confidence

2.      Most people see themselves as the slave of someone else

a.      Many women see themselves as a slave to their children and their husband

b.      Many men see themselves as a slave to their wives

c.      Many see themselves as slaves to their employer

d.      Other sees themselves trapped in their aloneness

e.      Slaves to their passions and sinful habits

3.      But a Christian, has made themselves the servant of a NEW Master

a.      Rom 1:1  Paul, A SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God

b.      Rom 10:9,10,13  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the LORD Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved. 

c.      Luk_6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

d.      Rom_6:16,17  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

e.      Col 3:22-24  Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:  And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 

f.       Dan_3:26  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, YE SERVANTS OF THE MOST HIGH GOD, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.

4.      How do you view YOURSELF?

a.      Most are at two extremes

b.      See themselves as SUPERIOR MASTERS

c.      While so many see themselves as SLAVES

d.      The only truly confident and balanced mind-set, attitude is that of a Christian who sees themselves as a servant of the most high God

e.      Quit spoiling your children and teenagers! Quit making their beds, and cleaning their rooms!

f.       MAKE SERVANTS out of yourself, and your entire family!

g.      Php 2:5-7  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 

C.    Nehemiah’s View of the Enemies (2:19,20)

1.      They were expected

a.      Expected to be there

b.      They were expected to even stay around

c.      Even expected them to attack at some point

2.      Unafraid of their words, and their actions – why?

a.      He KNEW that they could be defeated. There was NO doubt in Nehemiah’s mind

b.      Because of Romans 8:31 - God IS bigger than all your enemies, problems, and fears

c.      They have NO right to be feared, or to be worried about, or be catered to

3.      Our enemies, Satan and all his devils are just troublesome ants that just need to be swept out the door every time they show up!

D.    Nehemiah’s View of His People

1.      Not as SLAVES like all other great cities were built by

2.      But as a team, an family

3.      Arrogance believes you don’t NEED God’s people – you don’t need simple people – you think you can do it all yourself, or you can just hire great people

4.      Nehemiah, and the Biblical Christian just works with the people that God gives you

a.      1Co 1:26,27  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 

5.      How do YOU view God’s people?

a.      As a bother?

b.      As poor, and in trouble?

c.      Well, HALELUJAH!

d.      The poor, the blind, the maimed, the crippled, the sinner, the harlot

e.      Yep! That’s US

f.       And, tell me, how GOOD are YOU?

6.      We desperately need to see each other DIFFERENTLY! Like GOD does!

7.      That compassionate, burdened view of God’s people, and their need for a city wall, so encouraged Nehemiah to step out and work WITH them

a.      Your view of the needs of a Sunday School classroom full of hungry children will encourage you to step out in confidence and try and feed them the living word of God!

b.      Your view of the needs of an addict or drunkard will be all the motivation you may need to get involved in Twelve Weeks to Freedom and start helping them live free from the bondage of sin like you have become!

E.    Nehemiah’s View of the Task

1.      Nehemiah saw all the work ahead

2.      When it SHOULD have DIScouraged him, you find him encouraged

3.      Why?

a.      Because it was necessary – no matter the cost

b.      It was a calling – not a career (he already had that)

c.      It would be done ALL by faith

1)     Not like builders today who can calculate how many nails and screws and bricks will be used

2)     Nehemiah had a pretty good idea, but this would be a work of faith

3)     And that is what makes it different than operating a machine – you type in a number, and out comes a product

4)     There is so much thrill in seeing a task, and taking the risk, and watching God do it all

4.      Whatever is broken in your life, and ruined by sin, needs to be seen this same way!

a.      As necessary to be restored

b.      As your calling – more important than making money, or buying a house, or having a girlfriend

c.      As only being accomplished by obedient faith

IV.Conclusion

A.    Next Month we will start the task of Rebuilding Broken Things in everyone of our lives… And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. Isaiah 61:4

B.    What do YOU need work on?

C.    The Lord Jesus is the GREAT rebuilder of the human heart

D.    He will help you rebuild everything sin has destroyed – and since God will rebuild, so will “I”!

E.    No one EVER starts a project already disappointed, defeated

F.     You need courage to see it through, and confident, that you can finish it well

G.   But, Where does it come from?

1.      Is it arrogance?

2.      I hope you now know that it is THE necessary attitude of the believer!

H.   And you will ONLY get such courage and confidence from having the right…

1.      View of God

a.      As RIGHT (1:4-7)

b.     As CONSTANT (1:5)

c.      As FAITHFUL (1:8,9)

d.     As SAVIOUR (1:10)

e.      As NEAR BY (2:1-4)

f.       As the God that CAN DO the Impossible (2:4-8)

g.      And finally, Nehemiah saw the Lord God As HIS God (2:18)

2.      View of Yourself – as a SERVANT of the Lord Jesus

3.      View of the Enemies

4.      View of God’s People

5.      View of the Task(s) Ahead

I.       Let me tell you how GOD sees YOU!

1.      As worth all of His efforts

2.      As worth the life of His only begotten Son (John 3:16)

3.      As not impossible

4.      As a trophy of what GRACE can and will do

5.      If only one, just one, will turn to the Lord God, and believe totally on Jesus