WEBVTT 00:00:00.719 --> 00:00:03.120 Father, we just uh we love you. 00:00:03.279 --> 00:00:06.639 Just as we sang, we thank you for uh for loving us so much. 00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:13.359 It's hard for us to even imagine it, but just how you've adopted us as your very own children, we praise you for that. 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:17.120 And Holy Spirit, we thank you for being our teacher and our counselor and our guide. 00:00:17.199 --> 00:00:33.119 And please teach us this morning, take take just what uh what I say and what your word says, and just uh um speak to each of our hearts so we could each leave, knowing that uh uh we're leaving with with a direct word uh for our lives from you. 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:42.399 And Jesus, thank you for for reconnecting us with our Father, for showing us what our Father is really like, for being our Savior, for being our friend, and we praise you and thank you for that. 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:44.479 Jesus, it's in your name we pray. 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:45.359 Amen. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:51.200 Well, we're looking together at one of the greatest books I think that's ever been written. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:55.359 It's about achieving incredible things together with God. 00:00:55.920 --> 00:01:00.159 Um if you've been here over the last few weeks, you know that it's an autobiography. 00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:03.759 It was written 2,500 uh years ago. 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:05.920 It's the book of Nehemiah and the Old Testament. 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:13.519 And 2,500 years ago, it seems like, oh, you know, that would be uh dry and ancient, but uh it's so practical. 00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:15.519 You know, we've we've already seen so much. 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:30.239 If you if you haven't been here, we've got uh there's a free podcast of uh of uh of each message on on Sunday, but there's so much about uh you know work and relationships and just different things that that we can apply um to our lives. 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:34.879 Uh Nehemiah lived uh when Arta Xerxes was king. 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:41.120 If you saw the movie 300, that was kind of a fantasy historical type uh movie, but it was at the same time period. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:43.840 Uh Xerxes was the king of Persia at that movie. 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:45.840 Arta Xerxes was Xerxes' son. 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:50.480 Arta means son, so the son of Xerxes, and uh that's who Nehemiah worked for. 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:55.200 And he lived in a city called Susa, which was about 800 miles from Jerusalem. 00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:58.000 It was uh the capital of Persia. 00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:01.920 Right now, that city is uh in modern day Iran. 00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:11.599 Well, one day Nehemiah's brother and some of his friends come from Jerusalem to see him in uh Persia, and they tell him about the terrible conditions that are in Jerusalem. 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:17.520 And Nehemiah won us says, They said to me, Things are not going well for those who return to the province of Judah. 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:19.919 They are in great trouble and disgrace. 00:02:20.080 --> 00:02:24.400 The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire. 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:26.400 When I heard this, I sat down and wept. 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:30.400 In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:32.719 The wall around Jerusalem had been destroyed. 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:48.240 It was four and a half miles long, it was uh twenty feet tall, sixteen feet wide, and it's basically just rubble, piles of stone, burnt uh wood, and it was so critical to their lives because it was their only real source of protection to have this wall. 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:51.039 They lived in very dangerous times. 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:57.439 And so without that wall, they didn't have any peace, they didn't have any joy, they didn't have a real future together. 00:02:57.599 --> 00:03:05.520 As Nehemiah's brother said to Nehemiah, that they were in terrible, in great trouble and disgrace. 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:12.319 Well, six months later, from when Nehemiah first heard about it, the wall would be completely rebuilt. 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:15.919 They literally would be dancing in the streets. 00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:25.039 And so we're learning from Nehemiah how to build and rebuild with God in such an amazing way. 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:29.840 You know, not so much we're learning about the wall of Jerusalem, we're learning about our own lives. 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:33.039 You know, how can how can we rebuild in our lives? 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:35.280 How can we build in our lives? 00:03:35.439 --> 00:03:38.560 And we might be in trouble and disgrace ourselves. 00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:43.360 There might be part of our lives that's broken down and uh and ruined. 00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:47.680 But sooner than we think, we can be the ones dancing in the streets. 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:50.800 We can be the ones that are full of joy. 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:54.719 You know, with with our loving Father, everything's possible. 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:56.400 It's one of the biggest things that he does. 00:03:56.560 --> 00:03:59.120 He restores, he renews, he rebuilds. 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:01.520 And it might be that we're not in a rebuilding mode. 00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:06.319 You know, maybe God's done a great thing, but we just want to build on what he's already done. 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:10.000 Well, we learned that from uh from Nehemiah 2. 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:18.639 Well, Nehemiah hears about uh the problem in Jerusalem, and he decides that uh enough is enough, that uh that wall has to be rebuilt. 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:21.279 And so he asks God for his help. 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:27.839 Um he waits and he plans, and then at the right time he asks uh the king for his help. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:33.519 And God makes the king's heart this kind to Nehemiah, and so he gives him more than uh he'd even asked. 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:41.680 And so he heads to Jerusalem, inspects the wall, gets everybody together, and they start building. 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:48.959 You know, they face opposition, and there's people against them, and there's people threatening them and mocking them and lying about them and all this type of stuff. 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:52.399 But it doesn't take long, and the wall is already halfway done. 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:54.800 And that's where we're gonna start uh this morning. 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:57.680 Nehemiah 4, starting in verse 7. 00:04:57.920 --> 00:05:09.040 But when Sambalat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites and Ashdites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious. 00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:14.319 They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:18.240 Okay, it's these same guys again, you know, coming and causing trouble. 00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:20.720 But you might notice now there's more. 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:25.680 It was two, and then it was three, and now there's uh there's more. 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:28.720 And the first time Nehemiah just ignored them. 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:32.000 The second time he told them, you know, it's none of your business. 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:40.399 And so this is the third time that this opposition has kind of uh risen up against the people as they're they're building the wall. 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:44.800 But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves. 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:47.360 Then the people of Judah began to complain. 00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:50.959 The workers are getting tired, and there's so much rubble to be moved. 00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:55.199 We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves. 00:05:55.920 --> 00:06:10.480 And what Nehemiah shows us in this one kind of small section is that of all the enemies that they're gonna face in this amazing project they're doing together with God, the biggest enemy is going to be discouragement. 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:12.959 It's gonna be discouragement. 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:14.079 It's contagious. 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:18.879 You know, first it's a few people, then it's more people, and now it's the people themselves. 00:06:19.199 --> 00:06:20.319 We can't do it. 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:21.600 It's too hard. 00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:23.360 We'll never make it. 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:28.160 Discouragement was gonna be their biggest enemy. 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:31.839 That's because it has an effect. 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:39.199 It works in a way. 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:41.199 See, nothing bad has happened yet. 00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:42.240 It's just people talking. 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:44.639 It's just people lying, people talking. 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:46.879 Nothing bad has happened. 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:49.920 But Jerusalem, they're ready to give up. 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:51.680 They're ready to quit. 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:52.560 It's too hard. 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:53.920 We'll never make it. 00:06:54.160 --> 00:06:55.600 We can't do it. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:58.800 And so, kind of the troublemakers, they just pile on. 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:04.480 Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, before they know what's happening, we'll swoop down on them and kill them and end their work. 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:11.680 The Jews who live near the enemy came and told us again and again, they will come from all directions and attack us. 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:13.600 And so this is the crisis point. 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:18.959 In the whole story, what we're looking at this morning is the crisis point. 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:20.720 It's right now. 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:22.000 What are they gonna do? 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:23.439 They've already come so far. 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:25.920 You know, the wall is halfway done. 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:35.279 But there's something about discouragement, there's something about discouraging people that's contagious. 00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:38.639 And they want to quit. 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:41.839 Nothing's happened, nobody's attacked. 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:49.120 Just words, fearful thoughts, lies, and they're ready to give up. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:51.920 Oh, is it because they're weak people? 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:53.680 No. 00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:56.160 No, they're just like us. 00:07:56.959 --> 00:07:57.920 They're just like us. 00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:02.480 It's just that discouragement is that big of an enemy. 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:10.639 The discouragement's destroyed more dreams than actual attacks that we ever have. 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:13.120 It's a real enemy. 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:17.199 We have to fight it like a real enemy because it is. 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:22.959 Anything that can make us quit is a real enemy. 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:27.759 So we're gonna build and we're gonna rebuild. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:32.080 And you're gonna rebuild your life and build your life. 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:42.320 You'll get out of debt, you'll overcome addiction, you'll have an unbelievable marriage, you'll get that new job. 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:45.519 But we've got to take this discouragement thing head on. 00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:49.120 We've got to treat it like a real enemy. 00:08:50.639 --> 00:08:52.639 You know, we're reading Nehemiah's autobiography. 00:08:52.720 --> 00:09:02.559 It doesn't really feel like it now, at this point now in the story, but this is the one of the greatest success, amazing God stories in the history of the world. 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:08.879 It demonstrates how much God can accomplish in such a short time. 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:14.240 Have you noticed how often so far in the story that the obstacles, discouragement? 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:19.120 Three times already, as Nehemiah is writing what they went through. 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:24.639 The main thing they went through so far has been discouragement. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:32.480 In every great success story, uh in our lives, our stories, there's gonna be times of discouragement. 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:40.639 There's gonna be moments of discouragement, there's gonna be times when it seems too hard, there's gonna be times when the obstacles seem too much. 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:49.679 You know, the Israelites were were freed from Egyptian slavery in this, you know, amazing, supernatural, miraculous way. 00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:56.000 They travel pretty much directly, a very short trip to the land of uh Canaan. 00:09:57.840 --> 00:10:01.759 They get there, twelve people went over to check out the land. 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:05.759 Ten come back and say, it's too hard. 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:07.039 I mean, we can't do it. 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:07.840 We'll never make it. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:09.120 Two said, we can do it. 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:10.320 God's fighting for us. 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:11.519 Of course we can do it. 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:13.200 Look what he's done already. 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:16.000 You know, they were about halfway done. 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:21.360 They'd been freed from Egypt, you know, they'd crossed the Red Sea, they'd get to the land of Canaan. 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:29.759 They're probably about halfway done, similar to where the Jewish people hear on the wall of a wall around um Jerusalem. 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:32.639 See, the two guys were right. 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:34.720 They could have done it. 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:36.639 They would have made it. 00:10:38.399 --> 00:10:39.679 But they quit. 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:42.080 They quit. 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:51.519 And so 40 years later, their kids fought a battle that they should have fought at that moment. 00:10:52.320 --> 00:11:02.639 Forty years later, they won what they should have won right then, right now, but they quit. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:05.039 We can't quit. 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:06.399 We just can't quit. 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:10.159 That's why Paul says, if God's force, who can be against us? 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:15.840 Discouragement is a real enemy. 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:19.039 In many cases, it's the only real enemy. 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:21.120 So we just have to fight it. 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:25.120 There are four things that Nehemiah does that uh that we can do. 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:27.519 You know, the first thing he did was pray. 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:34.799 Probably the single most effective weapon we have to fight against discouragement is uh is prayer. 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:37.120 Because it's just a supernatural thing. 00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:46.720 You know, there's been uh so many times when I've been very discouraged or or scared that I've just laid down on the floor and prayed. 00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:51.200 And usually, I wish that was just like always my natural reflex. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:58.000 But you know, I let it go on and on and and and try everything I can think of, and finally I'm out of ideas or whatever. 00:11:58.080 --> 00:12:04.879 And it's then that I lay down, and usually I'm laying just flat like this on the floor. 00:12:05.200 --> 00:12:06.399 God help me. 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:07.519 I need you. 00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:08.720 This is too much. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:12.720 And every single time when I get up, I feel so much better. 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:14.240 I feel so much better. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:16.240 I know that God's fighting for me. 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:17.679 I know it's gonna be okay. 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:18.879 I know that I'm gonna make it. 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:20.559 I know that we're gonna do it. 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:22.720 It's the first thing Nehemiah did. 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:27.120 It's the most important thing that we can do, is uh just to pray. 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:47.360 We have a prayer team, um, we have a great prayer team, and every Sunday we have prayer during the Lord's Supper, but afterwards there's a prayer room right on the left if you're going out these doors and kind of go in the main hallway, and then there's a door there and and uh and someone to uh greet us, but but there's a team there, and this morning there's gonna be a team for an hour afterwards. 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:53.360 And if you are discouraged this morning, you don't have to uh leave discouraged. 00:12:53.519 --> 00:13:03.759 In fact, I I guarantee you, I guarantee that if you'll take 15 minutes and pray with someone, that you will leave feeling so much better. 00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:06.399 Where in the world could someone promise that? 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:07.759 Fifteen minutes. 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:09.200 Free. 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:15.039 I guarantee you you will leave feeling so much better. 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:18.960 Because prayer is our biggest weapon against discouragement. 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:22.240 But Nehemiah doesn't stop there. 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:23.919 Verse 13. 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:27.440 So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:33.120 I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows. 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:35.039 And now he's protecting. 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:37.919 He's protecting. 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:45.200 You know, in some ways, this whole section, Nehemiah, kind of sums up the uh, you know, following Jesus, living living the life. 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:49.679 You know, we're praying and God's fighting for us, but we're but we're taking action. 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:51.919 We're we're protecting. 00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:54.240 So Nehemiah's action is to protect. 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:57.919 You know, he's he's a leader, which doesn't mean that he's a boss. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:02.639 You know, it means that that he saw something he cares about. 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:09.360 You know, and he's taken responsibility and he's given himself, and he's serving, and and and he's helping. 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:12.399 And we're all in that role in some capacity. 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:17.039 We're serving, we're helping, we're changing, we're we're influencing. 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:20.720 And there's times where we just have to protect. 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:24.240 You know, we we protect those around us. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:36.639 You know, the um there's times in in Susan and I's marriage where if I had understood how big of an enemy discouragement is, I would have protected. 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:41.759 You know, with Susan, you know, more times than not, I'm probably the source of the discouragement. 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:45.039 But uh I try not to be, but that's just how it is sometimes. 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:55.279 But but you know, I think back in like the first ten years of our marriage, and uh we would go on uh my my folks don't you know they live in Oregon, where I where I grew up. 00:14:55.360 --> 00:15:01.120 And so we don't see them that often, but we do, you know, major holidays and that type of thing together. 00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:22.799 And it was kind of, I guess, my parents really are are nice people, but uh I don't know if it's the daughter-in-law thing, I don't know exactly what it is, but uh they would kind of pick on Susan, you know, just like small comments and uh you know, about how she was handling the kids or or just you know, just kind of showing mild um disapproval. 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:28.399 So I was always trying to be the big peacekeeper, you know, because I wanted everybody to get along. 00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:35.200 And uh it took me a long time to realize that uh I wasn't going home with my parents, you know. 00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:43.519 And my job should have been to protect. 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:49.279 I mean, every big family get together, she's supposed to leave discouraged. 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:50.720 No. 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:58.639 You know, and so um, you know, we set some some ground rules and and and you know created some some distance. 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:03.600 But just because we're family um doesn't mean we have to be discouraged. 00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:09.519 And I'm not sure I don't want to create any big deals because you know, Thanksgiving and and the holidays are coming up. 00:16:09.919 --> 00:16:15.759 Um but we need to protect each other. 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:26.159 And we might need to set some ground rules, or we might want to say, hey, this this year we're doing Thanksgiving by ourselves, because I'm not gonna allow my family or my kids or my spouse to be discouraged. 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:27.600 It's a real enemy. 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:30.240 That's the thing, is that we've got to view it as a real enemy. 00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:31.679 It's not just something that's a part of life. 00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:33.440 Well, that's the way it is when you get together. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:36.879 You know, it's just no, you don't have to get together. 00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:40.399 Yeah, I mean, you don't. 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:49.600 We have got to protect each other from discouragement. 00:16:50.639 --> 00:17:00.080 You know, it's true as uh it's true as parents, protecting and and encouraging uh our kids, um, protecting each other. 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:05.839 You know, a lot of times we need to uh protect ourselves from ourselves. 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:11.920 You know, the the person who's the most negative, critical, and discouraging person to me is me. 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:18.400 You know, I don't know if you've experienced that, but I'll say things to myself that no one would ever would ever say to me. 00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:26.799 And uh, you know, we just need to to, you know, it's like Paul talked about taking those spots captive. 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:34.799 You know, we we just can't be saying, oh, I'm an idiot, I'm a screw up, I'll never amount to anything, I'll never change, because it's not true. 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:36.720 You know, it it's the lie. 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:41.279 I mean, we will change, we're not idiots, you know, and so now if I do something, I'm like, oh, I'm an idiot. 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:43.359 I'm like, no, that's not true. 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:45.599 You know, I try to take that thought captive, if you will. 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:47.519 I say, no, that's not true, I'm not an idiot. 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:48.799 That was stupid. 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:54.640 Or that was, you know, a bad choice, or that, but I'm not an idiot, I'm God's son. 00:17:55.440 --> 00:18:01.039 You know, and we we've got to protect ourselves from ourselves. 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:04.960 And just uh look at this discouragement thing. 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:08.000 He has a really big deal. 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:13.440 In Proverbs 18, 21 says, Words kill, words give life. 00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:16.160 They're either poison or fruit. 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:17.759 You choose. 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:25.119 You know, sometimes we need to protect ourselves from uh from other people. 00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:33.519 You know, there's there's people that if you just hang around them, you just feel like the life drain out of you. 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:37.440 You know, it could be that they're negative, it could be they're critical, it could be that they talk about other people. 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:46.960 Have you ever noticed if you're with someone and they're talking bad about somebody else, that when you're done, you know, if you don't know what to say or how to stop it or whatever, that you feel terrible yourself? 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:49.359 It's discouraging. 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:53.200 People can be um discouraging. 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:58.000 And so we need to develop friends and relationships. 00:18:58.160 --> 00:18:59.119 We can't choose all those. 00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:08.400 You know, we go to work and we, you know, that kind of stuff, and we're we're put in situations, but the people we choose to be around shouldn't be discouraging people. 00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:10.400 It's a real enemy. 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:19.119 You know, people that are positive, people that are full of life, people that that uh share the same values, I guess. 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:22.000 People that are encouraging, not discouraging. 00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:31.039 Um, one super important thing if we're gonna be proactive and we're gonna fight discouragement is to be in a great church. 00:19:31.279 --> 00:19:34.400 I know that sounds self-serving because we're at church. 00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:37.279 Um but have you ever thought why go to church? 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:38.480 I mean, I think that's a good question. 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:42.640 A lot of us have wrestled with that, a lot of us have chosen not to, you know, for a while. 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:44.480 Why, you know, why go to church? 00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:46.400 Is it something we're supposed to check off our list? 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:49.440 Is God mad at us if uh we don't? 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:56.960 You know, one of the main reasons Jesus, in his love and wisdom, gave us the church is so we can stay encouraged. 00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:59.759 And so we don't live discouraged. 00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:07.599 In Hebrews 10.25, some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship. 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:09.680 But we must not do that. 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:18.079 We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer. 00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:22.000 You see, that's one of the main reasons we get together to encourage each other. 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:23.440 You know, I mean, so much happens. 00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:29.359 We have God's presence and he fills us up, but one of the main reasons is to be encouraged. 00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:31.359 That's why we can't stay away too long. 00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:34.960 It's because this discouragement thing is a real enemy. 00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:38.400 It's what's going to make us want to quit, and so we've got to fight it. 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:46.480 That's why a church that is discouraging, you know, where you go and you get beat up all the time, is exactly the opposite of what Jesus intended. 00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:51.839 You know, it's not that we come to church, we pay our penance, and then we get beat up and okay, and we go back out of the world. 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:52.640 It's just the opposite. 00:20:52.799 --> 00:21:04.480 We go in the world, you know, and it's a fight, and life is hard, and we and we're doing our best, we're pouring ourselves out, and we kind of run out of gas, and then every week we get together and get filled back up. 00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:06.799 We encourage each other. 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:12.000 That's one of the main reasons Jesus and his love and wisdom gave us each other. 00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:16.960 And so we can stay encouraged, so none of us uh will ever quit. 00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:21.599 Discouragement is such a huge enemy. 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:26.960 So Nehemiah prays and he protects. 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:36.319 And then in verse 13, then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, Don't be afraid of the enemy. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:45.759 Remember the Lord who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes. 00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:56.079 This is the only time in this entire amazing God project that they take a time out. 00:21:57.920 --> 00:22:00.640 Of all the enemies they're gonna face and that they Have faith. 00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:06.240 This is the only time that Nehemiah says, wait, let's stop for a moment. 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:07.920 Let's all get together. 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:08.799 Why? 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:11.519 Because discouragement was the enemy. 00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:14.400 It was the one thing that was going to stop them. 00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:16.240 He couldn't let it stop them. 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:19.519 And so they prayed, they protected, and then he said, Remember. 00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:21.200 Remember. 00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:25.839 Remember that God, the great and glorious God, is fighting for you. 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:27.279 God's on your side. 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:28.400 Remember that. 00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:30.960 Remember why we're fighting. 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:34.720 It's our families, it's our sons, it's our daughters, it's our spouses. 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:37.519 And that's so true when we're rebuilding our own lives. 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:40.640 I mean, we're fighting for important stuff. 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:41.680 It's important. 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:43.039 You know? 00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:45.279 Our marriages are important. 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:46.720 Our kids are important. 00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:50.559 Beating an addiction is important. 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:54.960 We're fighting for our kids and our families and our spouses. 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:57.359 Remember what it's about. 00:22:58.160 --> 00:22:59.440 We can't quit. 00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:00.480 It's important. 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:07.920 So when we get discouraged, remember, remember, God's on your side. 00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:10.559 Who could be against you? 00:23:11.680 --> 00:23:12.960 And it's important. 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:18.079 What we're building, what we're rebuilding is important. 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:26.319 And so they prayed, they protected, they remembered, and then they got back to building. 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:37.759 And in Nehemiah 4.15, when our enemies heard that we knew of their plans, that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall. 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:43.759 But from then on, only half of my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. 00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:48.000 The leaders stationed themselves behind the people of Judah who were building the wall. 00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:54.160 The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. 00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:58.000 All the builders had a sword belted to their side. 00:23:58.480 --> 00:24:02.559 This is probably the most famous image in all of Nehemiah. 00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:07.680 You know, they're working with one hand and they got a sword in the other hand. 00:24:07.920 --> 00:24:10.960 Building, protecting, building, protecting. 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:14.000 And again, it's such an image of what it takes. 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:17.839 You know, rebuilding, especially, is hard. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:19.359 It's hard. 00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:21.440 These guys aren't going to be building forever. 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:26.720 I mean, this is a project that they're going to get finished, and then life's going to get easier. 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:30.240 But this is important, and they can't let down. 00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:35.680 And so they're building with one hand and they got a sword in the other hand. 00:24:35.839 --> 00:24:37.359 I mean, can you picture that? 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:38.880 Remember who the builders were? 00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:40.319 I tend to think of Nehemiah. 00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:46.079 You know, okay, Nehemiah, he's got, you know, a trowel or a block in one hand, a sword in the other. 00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:48.240 But these builders were everybody. 00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:54.799 You know, they were shop owners, jewelers, perfume makers. 00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:57.519 They were grandfathers with their grandsons. 00:24:57.680 --> 00:24:59.839 They were fathers with their daughters. 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:04.480 Families, every one of them with a sword strapped to their side. 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:08.720 Building and protecting and fighting together. 00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:09.920 They weren't messing around. 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:11.839 This was serious stuff. 00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:15.440 It was a whatever it takes type of moment. 00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:17.440 And they're all in. 00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:19.200 And they keep building. 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:24.079 They prayed and they protected and they remembered. 00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:27.519 And they did one last thing. 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:31.759 In verse 19, the trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm. 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:35.119 Then I explained to the nobles and officials and all the people. 00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:40.480 The work is very spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:44.799 When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to whatever it is sounding. 00:25:45.039 --> 00:25:48.000 Then our God will fight for us. 00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:52.559 See, the last thing they did is they fought as a team. 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:54.480 I mean, they were a team. 00:25:54.720 --> 00:25:56.000 What a great plan. 00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:59.039 They couldn't have everybody in front of every section of the wall. 00:25:59.119 --> 00:26:01.119 And so they worked and they protected. 00:26:01.359 --> 00:26:05.519 But if they needed each other, they put out the call. 00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:11.920 And everybody rushed to that spot to help. 00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:13.839 They had each other's back. 00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:20.160 That's how we're going to build, as a team, having each other's backs. 00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:26.480 It's, you know, it's it obviously as a church, and that's I think one of the things that we just uh love. 00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:33.440 It's a beautiful thing how everybody just pitches in and how we're so willing to just jump in and help each other. 00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:36.400 And we know someone's got got our backs. 00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:38.400 But it's not true just here. 00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:43.039 It's true in our marriages, it's true in our families. 00:26:43.359 --> 00:26:46.960 We've talked about it before, but we have got to build as a team. 00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:55.519 In our marriages, if we can just change how we see our marriage and realize it's a team. 00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:59.519 It's not me against my spouse who's depressed. 00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:03.920 It's me and my spouse against depression. 00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:04.799 Right? 00:27:04.880 --> 00:27:05.920 We're a team. 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:09.359 And so if one of us is struggling, we're rushing to help. 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:14.480 You know, it's not me against my spouse who got us into debt. 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:19.119 It's me and my spouse against debt. 00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:20.880 We're a team. 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:22.960 We're rushing to help each other. 00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:29.519 It's not me against my son who's got bad grades. 00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:32.640 See, my kids are out of school. 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:36.960 But uh it's not me against my son who's got bad grades. 00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:40.240 It's me and my son against bad grades. 00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:41.920 You see, we're a team. 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:48.480 And so we rush to help each other and we look and we're aware. 00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:54.160 And one of the main things we can be aware of is discouragement. 00:27:55.279 --> 00:27:57.279 We can't let each other get down. 00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:59.920 We can't let each other get discouraged. 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:00.799 It's a real enemy. 00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:04.160 Anything that will make us quit is a real enemy. 00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:14.559 And so we've got to be ready to rush, to encourage, to speak life, to help, to build as a team. 00:28:15.759 --> 00:28:18.079 You know, we fight as a team. 00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:22.480 It's 13 verses, is all we've looked at this morning. 00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:29.680 But there are 13 key verses because this is where the story could have stopped. 00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:32.240 This is where a lot of stories do stop. 00:28:34.160 --> 00:28:43.119 The moment it gets so discouraging where we think we can't go on, we think we can't do it, where we want to quit. 00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:44.480 They didn't quit. 00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:56.960 They prayed, they protected, they remembered, they worked as a team, and they didn't know it, but they were three weeks away. 00:28:58.319 --> 00:28:59.599 Three weeks. 00:29:02.640 --> 00:29:10.799 The wall would be finished, they'd be full of joy, they'd be dancing in the streets, they'd be having the biggest party Jerusalem would see. 00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:13.680 Three weeks. 00:29:15.039 --> 00:29:16.880 Thank God they didn't quit. 00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:21.519 We can do all those things. 00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:22.880 We can pray. 00:29:23.359 --> 00:29:25.279 We can protect each other. 00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:27.680 We can remember that God's for us. 00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:30.079