A need recognized and fixed

 Are you starting a new ministry? Contemplating reviving a n existing one? Or in the process of building for you are growing?

Perhaps if you have not considered this already, you need to read Nehemiah. In the process of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem Nehemiah faced every challenge a ministry will ever face.

Outside interference, internal strife, stagnation, lack of motivation, lack of vision in the people, warring with those that would not have it done, and people who just could not believe God had called him to do it.

Nehemiah the Book starts off with a prayer, a prayer of confession and sins named. Every work needs to start with prayer, and not a bless me God, but a prayer session of days, weeks, while planning, for if God is not in it you should not want to do it. How do we know if He is in it? We pray, we read, and we listen to the Spirit. For we can have glorious visions of ourselves raising big buildings, doing mighty works and huge crowds and not have Him in it. Making it all an exercise in futility.

Neh 2:17  Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. 

Neh 2:18  Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work. 

Neh 2:19  But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? 

Neh 2:20  Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem. 

He faced ridicule, opposition, and sarcasm. A tough situation to be in. How can he hear from God, how can he have the blessing on Him, for they knew what was, what should be, who is he (Nehemiah) to even attempt this?

However. if you notice in verse 18 there were also some who were ready once they heard God was in it, to get moving and make it so.

What a thing to go through. Don't we also have this today? Some few who are willing to get on board, derision from others, and outsiders trying to stand in the way? In building, or reviving or growing a work there will be opposition, and there will be support, yet in most cases the opposition will outnumber the support. If this is you strengthen yourself in the Lord, stand firm on what He told you and get to work. Nehemiah did.

In chapter 3 Nehemiah lists the workers and who did what, all got full credit for what they did, their efforts and their attitudes. 

Then we get to chapter 4, where the opposition is starting to take the efforts of Nehemiah serious, but are mocking their work, laughing at, deriding them.

Neh 4:1  But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 

Neh 4:2  And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? 

Neh 4:3  Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. 

What does Nehemiah do? He keeps on keeping on, for the hand of God was in what He was doing. Nehemiah had a passion for God and His people, for the safety and security of his homeland and He was Blessed for his passion, his love for God.

In chapter 5 we read of the internal strife. The rich were consuming the poor, they were loaning material and money to the poor but the interest they charged put the poor into even worse situations. Nehemiah, when he found out was angry. Brother adding to the ruination of brother. Children being sold into slavery because of it. The plight of the people made him angry.

What does he do now? He consults with - himself. He got his emotions under control, gathered his thoughts, and spoke in controlled measured ways so as not to let sin creep into his heart. Nehemiah was a leader!

So what happens next? Sanballat tries to get Nehemiah alone, to "talk" Nehemiah refused to leave the work, he knew what would happen. Sanballat then sent "a man of God" to warn Nehemiah to hide and stay out of sight. Nehemiah perceived this man was not of God, but was an hireling of Sanballat.

Nehemiah was sharp, and purposed in his heart to follow God, rebuild the city of God and nothing was going to deter him. What faithfulness, what loyalty, what perseverance.

He had a passion, he had a mission, and he didn't wait for somebody else, he didn't pray that God would rise up a man.

He didn't look at himself and say I don't know what I am doing, I can't do it. No he said I don't know how or what but I do know WHO.

Here, this is the point that mattered. All the building, all the work would have been for nought if this had not happened.

Neh 9:1  Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them. 

Neh 9:2  And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. 

Israel responded to Nehemiah's work, to Nehemiah's passion. They separated themselves from the world, they rededicated themselves to God and confessed their sin AND the sin of their fathers.

Revival broke out! The faithfulness of Nehemiah paid off, through all the trials, hard work, sweat, tears and opposition Nehemiah stayed faithful, and so did God. 

Nehemiah's heart broke when he saw a need, a place of once great might stood as a light to the world of God Jehovah, was now a ruin.

God heard him, answered him, and allowed him to restore the place, and in doing so God restored the hearts of the people. He restored His city and His nation. Through one man. One broken heart. One man's prayer and tears.

Oh what God can do through one broken heart. One man committed to God's Will, one man willing to forsake all that God might be glorified.

When contemplating the call of God, the trials and troubles ahead, read Nehemiah. Take solace in that you are not alone, God will rise up the support, whether there be opposition or not, God will see you through, if YOU will see it through.