Part 2: Rebuilding the Wall
Recap: When the walls are down in our business, we have a choice...look at the rubble, be overwhelmed and walk away. Or we can look at the rubble and speak life into the wall and begin taking steps to rebuild. It may take a while, yet lessons from Nehemiah gives us a game plan to rebuild.
Last week we started with two points:
1. Nehemiah had a vision to rebuild the walls. Remember, Nehemiah had never seen Jerusalem, he had only heard about it. His brother gave him a report that provided the walls of Jerusalem to be in shambles! Yet, in the midst of negativity, he saw Jerusalem complete and whole!
2. Observe your surroundings! Before Nehemiah began to rebuild the wall, he went out secretly to observe the destruction. He needed to acquire knowledge so that he could have the right materials to finish the task!
This week lets finish it up!
3. Nehemiah and the people worked hard! They worked day and night! Nehemiah 4: 6 reads, "So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart." In the English Standard Version, it reads, "...for the people had a mind to work.". A short observation. For so many years the walls lay in ruin. No one decided to pick up the rubble and build it, because no one saw it or visualized it as complete. Many times it is the leader who can only see the completeness of a project. Walt Disney was laughed at while standing in an orange grove, sharing his vision...yet I believe as he stood there he saw Sleeping Beauty's Castle and how Main Street would be set up! Yet here comes Nehemiah after all these years and says "Let's rebuild this wall!" What made the people work hard? What made them wake up out of their slumber? There are two things we can learn from Nehemiah...He had to sell his vision to the people! After his observation of the wall he had a game plane and know it was time to sell that game plan to the people! I can picture him standing on the rubble, speaking life into the people. Speaking life into his wall! Motivating and imparting the vision into the hearts of the people. "We can do it! I know what you see! But I have seen it complete! I have seen it whole! It will take work...but look around, united we stand...all things are possible with God!" What a speech that must have been! The second point, Nehemiah acted on that vision, by being an example to those he lead!
4. You will face opposition. How many of you know that when you begin to rise there is always someone trying to pull you down. New level...new devil! Nehemiah faced those who did not want the wall rebuilt. He faced ridicule, gossip and discouragement. Once again we are taught a lesson from Nehemiah. Whenever ridiculed. Whenever doubt knocked on the door. Whenever the spirit of defeatism came by. Whenever he was told "You can't do it!" It was meet with prayer and action! He sought his strength from God and he kept moving forward! You will face opposition when rebuilding your wall. It could be unit members. It could be family. It could be other business owners who are down and out. It could be others who do not want you treading on their "territory". May we take Nehemiah's words and apply it to our lives.
In order for the wall to be completed it meant unity, hard work and the glorification of God.
5. Joy is just around the corner! What is so unique about the story of Nehemiah is the time in which the wall was completed! 52 days from start to finish! Because of Nehemiah's vision...motivation...wisdom, he inspired a group of people to see the impossible. In the midst of Nehemiah completing his vision, others where able to experience the joy and success of their hard work! Can you imagine the shouts of joy as the last few stones were set in place? I can hear the trumpets sound and as one shouted..."It is finished!!!!!!" What joy and pride that must of been for the people who months earlier lay in a city that was torn down. Yet because of one man's vision and anointing, the people could rejoice!
Stability was in order as Nehemiah cleaned out the Temple and made sure that the Law of God stood alone!
And when we step back and admire the wall that has been rebuilt, may we repeat the words of Nehemiah, the last sentence of the book....
His call. His gift. Your purpose. Irrevocable.
Check out music video: What Faith Can Do -Kutless
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1JBSQMkQEo
Last week we started with two points:
1. Nehemiah had a vision to rebuild the walls. Remember, Nehemiah had never seen Jerusalem, he had only heard about it. His brother gave him a report that provided the walls of Jerusalem to be in shambles! Yet, in the midst of negativity, he saw Jerusalem complete and whole!
2. Observe your surroundings! Before Nehemiah began to rebuild the wall, he went out secretly to observe the destruction. He needed to acquire knowledge so that he could have the right materials to finish the task!
This week lets finish it up!
3. Nehemiah and the people worked hard! They worked day and night! Nehemiah 4: 6 reads, "So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart." In the English Standard Version, it reads, "...for the people had a mind to work.". A short observation. For so many years the walls lay in ruin. No one decided to pick up the rubble and build it, because no one saw it or visualized it as complete. Many times it is the leader who can only see the completeness of a project. Walt Disney was laughed at while standing in an orange grove, sharing his vision...yet I believe as he stood there he saw Sleeping Beauty's Castle and how Main Street would be set up! Yet here comes Nehemiah after all these years and says "Let's rebuild this wall!" What made the people work hard? What made them wake up out of their slumber? There are two things we can learn from Nehemiah...He had to sell his vision to the people! After his observation of the wall he had a game plane and know it was time to sell that game plan to the people! I can picture him standing on the rubble, speaking life into the people. Speaking life into his wall! Motivating and imparting the vision into the hearts of the people. "We can do it! I know what you see! But I have seen it complete! I have seen it whole! It will take work...but look around, united we stand...all things are possible with God!" What a speech that must have been! The second point, Nehemiah acted on that vision, by being an example to those he lead!
4. You will face opposition. How many of you know that when you begin to rise there is always someone trying to pull you down. New level...new devil! Nehemiah faced those who did not want the wall rebuilt. He faced ridicule, gossip and discouragement. Once again we are taught a lesson from Nehemiah. Whenever ridiculed. Whenever doubt knocked on the door. Whenever the spirit of defeatism came by. Whenever he was told "You can't do it!" It was meet with prayer and action! He sought his strength from God and he kept moving forward! You will face opposition when rebuilding your wall. It could be unit members. It could be family. It could be other business owners who are down and out. It could be others who do not want you treading on their "territory". May we take Nehemiah's words and apply it to our lives.
And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. -Nehemiah 4:9
And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes. - Nehemiah 4:14
In order for the wall to be completed it meant unity, hard work and the glorification of God.
5. Joy is just around the corner! What is so unique about the story of Nehemiah is the time in which the wall was completed! 52 days from start to finish! Because of Nehemiah's vision...motivation...wisdom, he inspired a group of people to see the impossible. In the midst of Nehemiah completing his vision, others where able to experience the joy and success of their hard work! Can you imagine the shouts of joy as the last few stones were set in place? I can hear the trumpets sound and as one shouted..."It is finished!!!!!!" What joy and pride that must of been for the people who months earlier lay in a city that was torn down. Yet because of one man's vision and anointing, the people could rejoice!
Stability was in order as Nehemiah cleaned out the Temple and made sure that the Law of God stood alone!
And when we step back and admire the wall that has been rebuilt, may we repeat the words of Nehemiah, the last sentence of the book....
Remember me with favor, O my God.
His call. His gift. Your purpose. Irrevocable.
Check out music video: What Faith Can Do -Kutless
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1JBSQMkQEo
Awesome thoughts. Thanks Ed for your insight. I love checking when I need a Godly perspective on things. Right now I am definately in a rebuilding stage so this was very timely for me. Have a blessed rest of your week.
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