No Time For ONO - Wk 6
Renovate Series - Week 6
Pastor A.J. Dummitt
Texts: Nehemiah 6:1-4, 15-16 & 13:4-8
IDENTIFY THE
& STRATEGY
How did they accomplish in only 52 days what no one had been able to do in 140 years?! THEY PRAYED, YES … BUT THEY ALSO
SANBALLAT – the main enemy with much wealth and influence, his name means “hatred in secret” – represents the DEVIL who says the walls are “NOT NECESSARY”
TOBIAH – his name means “Jehovah is good,” a strange name for someone opposing God’s people (they have a tendency to not only do bad, but also do some good) – represents the FLESH that says the walls are “TOO MUCH WORK”
GESHEM – the most subtle enemy, his name means “corporeal” or “having material substance” – represents the WORLD that says the walls are “INTOLERANT”
And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S (GOD’S PART), and he will give you into our hands. —1 Samuel 17:47
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil (OUR PART), and he will flee from you. —James 4:7
To the north were Sanballat and the Samaritans; to the east, Tobiah and the Ammonites; to the south, Geshem and the Arabs; and to the west, the Ashdodites. Ashdod was perhaps the most important city in Philistia at that time, and the Philistines did not want to see a strong Jerusalem.
Up until the walls were built, he OPPOSED the work; now that he sees he has lost and the city is established, he offers to COOPERATE in the work!
1 Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner. — Nehemiah 6:1-4 (KJV - King James Version)27 Neither give place to the devil. — Ephesians 4:27 (KJV - King James Version)
DON’T COME
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. —Nehemiah 2:20
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. — 2 Corinthians 6:14 – 7:1
God’s people are DIFFERENT from the people of the world and must always maintain a SEPARATION from the spirit that is in the world!
Decisions based on our opinions or someone else’s opinions might be reconsidered, but decisions based on Biblical convictions can never be changed!
15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God. — Nehemiah 6:15-16 (KJV - King James Version)
BE ON
Nehemiah must protect what he has established. How he does this is the theme of the rest of the book.
Satan is not a quitter but stays in the battle even after it looks as if he has lost. Many times careless Christians will win a war but afterward lose their victory.
Let’s Look at how the devil approached Jesus, and view his tactic:
And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. — Luke 4:13 (KJV)
That completed the testing. The Devil retreated temporarily, lying in wait for another opportunity. — Luke 4:13 (MSG)
And when the devil had ended every [the complete cycle of] temptation, he [temporarily] left Him [that is, stood off from Him] until another more opportune and favorable time. — Luke 4:13 (AMP)
Make no mistake about it…the devil doesn’t care if you have some victories, as long as you get prideful and lethargic…he knows you are still living and breathing and he will get another chance at you.
Nehemiah goes back to the king for a time, and while he is gone Tobiah (THE FLESH) acts up!
WE MUST ALWAYS GUARD AGAINST REPLACING NEHEMIAH (GODLY LEADERSHIP) WITH TOBIAH (DESIRES OF OUR FLESH)!
4 And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:
5 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.
6 But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:
7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
8 And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. — Nehemiah 13:4-8 (KJV - King James Version)
TILL HE COMES
By the time Nehemiah returns, Tobiah has convinced Eliashib the high priest to actually set up a room for him to live in the Temple!
Nehemiah lost no time in throwing Tobiah and his possessions out into the street!
He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. —Luke 19:12-13
Satan never stops trying to gain a foothold in our lives.
Our flesh will even try to convince us to just scale back and not take ourselves so seriously spiritually.
We need to not only win the battle once but OCCUPY the territory God has given us!
If you haven’t submitted your life to God and surrendered completely to Him, then today why not start there?
You can REPENT, and then BE BAPTIZED IN JESUS’ NAME to WASH AWAY ALL YOUR SIN,
and He PROMISES TO FILL YOU WITH HIS GIFT - THE HOLY SPIRIT.
With GOD’S POWER in YOU - YOU CAN FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH - YOU CAN OCCUPY THE TERRITORY THAT GOD GIVES YOU!
AS YOU TAKE MORE GROUND SPIRITUALLY, GOD WILL HELP YOU KEEP IT!
Don’t ever give up, don’t ever back up, keep fighting, keep occupying!
Without Vision, the people perish!
I Am A Person of Vision
I Am A Person of Vision
I have been a pew-warmer, a fence-walker, a spectator for too long.
I am getting up, getting right, and getting going.
I may not see the entire picture, but I see my picture.
I can’t try everything, but I will try something.
I may fail trying, but I won’t fail to try.
I may not make much on my investment, but I won’t bury my talent in the ground.
I will act even though I receive no thanks in return.
I will pray and leave the answer up to God.
I will witness and leave the response up to the person.
I will smile even though no one smiles back.
I will give because it is right, not because I expect something in exchange for my gift.
I am blood-bought, Word-taught, and miraculously wrought.
I am divinely created, Spirit-filled, God-called, and Heaven-sent.
I am saved by grace, programmed to succeed, wired for power, and mission-oriented.
God is my commander-in-chief.
Jesus is my Savior.
My pastor is my coach.
The Bible is my blueprint.
The Holy Ghost is my Guide.
The world is my mission field.
I will be immune to criticism, unbowed by critics, unmoved by suffering, and unashamed of the Gospel.
I will obey like Noah, sacrifice like Abraham, fight like David, pray like Daniel, be patient like Job, see God’s greatness like Isaiah, weep like Jeremiah, preach like Peter and reach out like Paul.
I have nothing greater to live for and nothing better to die for. I am a person of vision!