Normal Pathway for Spiritual Living:

• Belonging to God, through salvation in Christ alone.
• Becoming like Christ in ongoing transformation.
• Behaving in a manner that impacts the world with the gospel.

1. Normal spiritual life begins with connection with God.

“If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,  make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”
Philippians 2:1-2

2. Normal spiritual life is marked by commitment to each other.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:3-4

3. Normal spiritual life models the life of Jesus.

“Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:5-8

• From self-centered to others-centered
• From superiority to humility
• From what can I get to what can I give

Application:

1. Choose Christ.
2. Cultivate relationships with others.
3. Cooperate in a common mission.

 

Faithfulness: Establishing a good name with God and others based on loyalty to those relationships.

1. Faithfulness is a work of the Holy Spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:22-24

2. Faithful people are in the minority.
“Many a person proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy person?”
Proverbs 20:6

3. Faithfulness is found in little things.
“Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.
Luke 16:10

4. Faithfulness is often found the second time.
“Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first…”
Revelation 2:5a

5. God rewards faithfulness.
“…. Remember me, my God, with favor.”
Nehemiah 13:31b

“For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth to show himself strong for those who are wholeheartedly devoted to him. You have been foolish in this matter. Therefore, you will have wars from now on.”
2 Chronicles 16:9

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:7-8

“He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,”
Philippians 2:8-9

 

1. Be willing to follow God’s direction.

“Now the leaders of the people stayed in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots for one out of ten to come and live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine-tenths remained in their towns. The people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.”
Nehemiah 11:1-2

Reference: Nehemiah 11:3-12:26

2. Be joyous in celebrating God’s work.

“At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sent for the Levites wherever they lived and brought them to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.”
Nehemiah 12:27

Reference: Nehemiah 12:28-43

3. Be generous in supporting God’s workers.

“On that same day men were placed in charge of the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tenths. The legally required portions for the priests and Levites were gathered from the village fields, because Judah was grateful to the priests and Levites who were serving.”
Nehemiah 12:44

4. Be intentional in living holy lives.

“They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, as David and his son Solomon had prescribed.”
Nehemiah 12:45

5. Be genuine in thanksgiving to God.

“For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there were heads[c] of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.”
Nehemiah 12:46

Q1: Should God’s people make promises to God?

“Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no,’ so that you won’t fall under judgment.”
James 5:12

Q2: What are the most important commitments to make?

“Join with their noble brothers and commit themselves with a sworn oath to follow the law of God given through God’s servant Moses and to obey carefully all the commands, ordinances, and statutes of the Lord our Lord.”
Nehemiah 10:29

1. God’s laws.

“The rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and temple servants, along with their wives, sons, and daughters, everyone who is able to understand and who has separated themselves from the surrounding peoples to obey the law of God—”
Nehemiah 10:28

2. godly leadership.

“In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement in writing on a sealed document containing the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.”
Nehemiah 9:38

Reference: Nehemiah 10:1-27

3. from the world.

“The rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and temple servants, along with their wives, sons, and daughters, everyone who is able to understand and who has separated themselves from the surrounding peoples to obey the law of God.”
Nehemiah 10:28

4. the family.

“We will not give our daughters in marriage to the surrounding peoples and will not take their daughters as wives for our sons.”
Nehemiah 10:30

5. above all.

“When the surrounding peoples bring merchandise or any kind of grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or a holy day. We will also leave the land uncultivated in the seventh year and will cancel every debt.”
Nehemiah 10:31

6. Prioritize God’s agenda.

“We will impose the following commands on ourselves: To give an eighth of an ounce of silver yearly for the service of the house of our God: the bread displayed before the Lord, the daily grain offering, the regular burnt offering, the Sabbath and New Moon offerings, the appointed festivals, the holy things, the sin offerings to atone for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.”
Nehemiah 10:32-33

Marks of Revival:

1. .

“On the twenty-fourth day of this month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting, wearing sackcloth, and had put dust on their heads.” vs. 1

2. .

“Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors.” vs. 2

3. God’s Word.

“While they stood in their places, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day…” vs. 3a

4. of sin and in worship.

“…and spent another fourth of the day in confession and worship of the Lord their God.” vs. 3b

Worshipful response to repentance and reading: vs. 5-15.

5. .

“Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the raised platform built for the Levites and cried out loudly to the Lord their God. ⁵ Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—said, “Stand up. Blessed be the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting.” Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. vs. 4-5

Confession of sin followed by a Profession of grace: vs. 16-37

6. Renewed .

“In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement in writing on a sealed document containing the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.” vs. 38

What We Must Never Forget:

• We are prone to .  Ecclesiastes 7:20
• God is great in .  Ephesians 2:4-5
• should mark our life. 1 Corinthians 15:3

1. of the Word of God.

“All the people gathered together at the square in front of the Water Gate. They asked the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses that the Lord had given Israel. … ³While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law. … ⁵Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. ⁶ Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they knelt low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”
Nehemiah 8:1,3,5-6

I believe the Bible is the Word of God and has the authority to command my beliefs and actions.

2. of the Word of God.

“They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read. … ¹²Then all the people began to eat and drink, send portions, and have a great celebration, because they had understood the words that were explained to them.”
Nehemiah 8:8,12

I study the Bible to know God and the truth, and in doing so, I find direction for my life.

3. of the Word of God.

“Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.”
Nehemiah 8:9

I study the Bible to learn what has been commanded but neglected.

4. to the Word of God.

“On the second day, the family heads of all the people, along with the priests and Levites, assembled before the scribe Ezra to study the words of the law. ¹⁴ They found written in the law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should dwell in shelters during the festival of the seventh month. ¹⁵ So they proclaimed and spread this news throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make shelters, just as it is written.”

¹⁶ The people went out, brought back branches, and made shelters for themselves on each of their rooftops and courtyards, the court of the house of God, the square by the Water Gate, and the square by the Ephraim Gate. ¹⁷ The whole community that had returned from exile made shelters and lived in them. The Israelites had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. And there was tremendous joy. ¹⁸ Ezra read out of the book of the law of God every day, from the first day to the last. The Israelites celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.”
Nehemiah 8:13-18

I study the Bible to apply it to my life so that I live in obedience to all that is commanded.

 

 

1. matters to God.

“When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.”
Nehemiah 7:1

2. matters to God.

“Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah, commander of the fortress, because he was a faithful man who feared God more than most. 3 I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot, and let the doors be shut and securely fastened while the guards are on duty. Station the citizens of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their homes.”
Nehemiah 7:2-3

3. matter to God.

“The city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses had been built yet. ⁵ Then my God put it into my mind to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be registered by genealogy. I found the genealogical record of those who came back first, and I found the following written in it:”
Nehemiah 7:4-5

4. matters to God.

“Some of the family heads contributed to the project. The governor gave 1,000 gold coins, 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments to the treasury. ⁷¹ Some of the family heads gave 20,000 gold coins and 2,200 silver minas to the treasury for the project. ⁷² The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments. ⁷³ The priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people, temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns. When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns.”
Nehemiah 7:70-73

5. to His family matters to God.

“The following are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but were unable to prove that their ancestral families and their lineage were Israelite.”
Nehemiah 7:61

 

Big Idea: Prayer and discernment guard against discouragement and compromise.

• is greater than .

“When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemiesheard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gap was left in it—though at that time I had not installed the doors in the city gates— ² Sanballat and Geshemsent me a message: “Come, let’s meet together in the villages of^[ the Ono Valley.” They were planning to harm me ³ So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing important work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while. I leave it and go down to you?” ⁴ Four times they sent me the same proposal, and I gave them the same reply.”
Nehemiah 6:1-4

• is greater than

“Sanballat sent me this same message a fifth time by his aide, who had an open letter in his hand. ⁶ In it was written: It is reported among the nations—and Geshem agrees—that you and the Jews plan to rebel. This is the reason you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king ⁷ and have even set up the prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf, “There is a king in Judah.” These rumors will be heard by the king. So come, let’s confer together. ⁸ Then I replied to him, “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.” ⁹ For they were all trying to intimidate us, saying, “They will drop their hands from the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen my hands.”
Nehemiah 6:5-9

• is greater than .

“I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his house. He said: Let’s meet at the house of God, inside the temple. Let’s shut the temple doors because they’re coming to kill you. They’re coming to kill you tonight! ¹¹ But I said, “Should a man like me run away? How can someone like me enter the temple and live? I will not go.” ¹² I realized that God had not sent him, because of the prophecy he spoke against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. ¹³ He was hired, so that I would be intimidated, do as he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation, in order that they could discredit me. ¹⁴ My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the other prophets who wanted to intimidate me.”
Nehemiah 6:10-14

• influence is greater than influence.

“The wall was completed in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul. ¹⁶ When all our enemies heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated and lost their confidence, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God. ¹⁷ During those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. ¹⁸ For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah. ¹⁹ These nobles kept mentioning Tobiah’s good deeds to me, and they reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me. ¹ When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed. ² Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah, commander of the fortress, because he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.”
Nehemiah 6:15-7:2

 

Big Idea: Godly leaders act and call others to respond to those in need.

Seven Lessons on Leadership:

1. Show for the poor and oppressed.
“There was a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen. ² Some were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.” ³ Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine.” ⁴ Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. ⁵ We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
Nehemiah 5:1-5

2. Seek for others.
“I became extremely angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. ⁷ After seriously considering the matter, I accused the nobles and officials, saying to them, “Each of you is charging his countrymen interest.” So I called a large assembly against them ⁸ and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish countrymen who were sold to foreigners, but now you sell your own countrymen, and we have to buy them back.” They remained silent and could not say a word. ⁹ Then I said, “What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies? ¹⁰ Even I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let’s stop charging this interest.”
Nehemiah 5:6-10

3. Pursue for those who have been wronged.
“Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and fresh oil that you have been assessing them.”
Nehemiah 5:11

4. Ensure .
“They responded, “We will return these things and require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” So I summoned the priests and made everyone take an oath to do this. ¹³ I also shook the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn’t keep this promise. May he be shaken out and have nothing!”
Nehemiah 5:12-13

5. Demonstrate a for others.
“Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah—from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, twelve years—I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor. ¹⁵ The governors who preceded me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them food and wine as well as a pound of silver. Their subordinates also oppressed the people, but because of the fear of God, I didn’t do this. ¹⁶ Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of this wall, and all my subordinates were gathered there for the work. We didn’t buy any land.”
Nehemiah 5:14-16

6. Practice to those in need.
“There were 150 Jews and officials, as well as guests from the surrounding nations at my table. ¹⁸ Each day, one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me. An abundance of all kinds of wine was provided every ten days. But I didn’t demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.”
Nehemiah 5:17-18

7. for the outcome.
“Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people.”
Nehemiah 5:19

 

Satan’s Strategy:

1. Forecasting .

“When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious. He mocked the Jews ²before his colleagues and the powerful men of Samaria and said, “What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?” ³ Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “Indeed, even if a fox climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!”
Nehemiah 4:1-3

2. The of loss.

“When Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they became furious. ⁸They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion.”
Nehemiah 4:7-8

3. .

“In Judah, it was said: The strength of the laborer fails, since there is so much rubble.”
Nehemiah 4:10a

4. .

“… We will never be able to rebuild the wall.”
Nehemiah 4:10b

5. chatter.

“And our enemies said, “They won’t realize it until we’re among them and can kill them and stop the work. When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again, “Everywhere you turn, they attack us.”
Nehemiah 4:11-12

The Warriors’ Weapons:

1. Spiritual: God’s Promises.

“Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. ⁵ Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from your sight, because they have angered the builders.”
Nehemiah 4:4-5

“So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night.”
Nehemiah 4:9

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.”
Ephesians 6:12

2. Physical: with God’s people.

“So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows.”
Nehemiah 4:13

“From that day on, half of my men did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers supported all the people of Judah, ¹⁷ who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.”
Nehemiah 4:16-17

3. Mental: .

“So we continued the work, while half of the men were holding spears from daybreak until the stars came out. ²²At that time, I also said to the people, “Let everyone and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.” ²³And I, my brothers, my servants, and the men of the guard with me never took off our clothes. Each carried his weapon, even when washing.”
Nehemiah 4:21-23

“I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies. The ropes of death were wrapped around me; the torrents of destruction terrified me. The ropes of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. I called to the Lord in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.”
Psalm 18:1-6