Building Your Life- The Gates- Pt 8

• The Book of Nehemiah reveals to us important ingredients that we need to build into our lives.
• Nehemiah was the Press Secretary & Personal Valet to the King of Persia.
• He had a good life until he heard of the sad state of Jerusalem and the people who lived there.
• Like many of us, he realized life should and could be better.
• Nehemiah 2:18-20 shows us that Nehemiah was confident they could rebuild the wall and gates because the “Hand of God” was good upon him. Because of this, the people strengthened themselves.
• They chose courage, seized the moment, decided to become constant, made themselves hard, they became “the man”.
• Do you believe that God’s Hand is on your life for good?
• Vs 19- Don’t be surprised when critics try to stop you.
• Vs 20- Like always, we answer doubt and critics with God’s promises.
• The God of Heaven will prosper us and we will arise & build!!
• We have looked at the destruction, the rebuilding of the walls, how to build your life, how to lead, and the dangers to building your life.
• Tonight, we are good to look at how the people responded after the walls and gates were finished.
• Neh. 8- The wall is built, and the gates are finished.
• They were built for protection, provision and peace.
• We build our lives for the same reasons.
• Vs 1- All the people gathered together as one man in front of the Water Gate.
• As one man- they were completely unified.
• Water Gate- The Word Gate.
• Isn’t this incredible? They could’ve picked any gate, but they picked the Word Gate.
• Vs 3- Ezra read from morning until midday.
• Approximately 6 hours.
• We build our lives on the Word of God! We build so the Word can be read, understood and applied to what we are building. We build upon the wisdom of the Word.
• Matthew 7:24-26 – “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
• All of us are building our house/life.
• Let’s remember Jesus came to give you, is giving you, the life God wants you to have! (John 10:10).
• John 1:14- Jesus is the Word.
• Neh. 8:5-6- The people stood and rejoiced at the opening of the Word.
• Can you imagine Christianity today, if this was our response to God’s Word?
• Vs 7- Levites helped the people to understand.
• That is the role of the pastor;
• You need a pastor in your life who teaches you the Word in a way you can understand it.
• Vs 9- All the people wept when they heard the Law.
• The Law had curses.
• However, the Word will convict and correct you.
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17
• Vs 10- Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength… Rejoice greatly for they understood the words that were declared to them.
• After conviction and correction comes joy, strength, and rejoicing.
• The Word produces the peace, wisdom, and grace of God.
• The Word produces strength, protection and provision.
• The Word leads to the abundant life Jesus came to give us!

• This is truly the power of having a God-given vision for your life and building your life on the Word of God.