Nehemiah’s Building Project

Presence is the Saturday service. We'll be looking as usual. We look at the scripture on Saturday, read the Bible, and we'll be focusing on the Book of Nehemiah, chapter four. Nehemiah, chapter four.

I usually like to give the source, how the Word came about, right? So during the combined service, when the letter was read or the appeal as regarding the building or the completion of the church roof, right. As I was listening to it, the Book of Nehemiah just. I just heard the wish by my head.

Book of Nehemiah just came in and I had to just quickly go and check it. And I feel that God will have us to look into that book today. Book of Nehemiah, chapter four. So I'll give a little bit of context because we are just reading one chapter.

I'll give a little bit of context so that you understand where, who and what the. The historical context, the cultural context, and the application to us today. Right. So when you're reading the scripture, you understand that everything that happened in the Old Testament is a shadow of the reality of a Christian.

It's just a shadow. So Nehemiah chapter four talks about the rebuilding of the walls of the temple and the gates that was destroyed when Babylon invaded Jerusalem, right? So Nehemiah was basically the cup bearer of the king, the king of the land back then, Right. So.

And he had a burden. He caught a burden. He received a burden from the Lord when he just saw how everything was destroyed and something sprung up in him and he wept bitterly when he saw the state of the. Of Jerusalem.

He cried, he fasted for days and he was. He went on a journey, he went on a marathon fast, started fasting and praying as regarding the state of what. What he was seeing. All the walls were broken down, everything destroyed.

The children of Israel, they have come back from exile, but they were in deep despair. Everybody was. There was hunger in the land. Everything was just messed up.

But one man saw the burden. He caught it, you see, he caught the burden from God and he went and labored in a place of prayer until something came out and the fire came out in him. And God gave him the grace to rebuild the wall, right? But it wasn't an easy thing.

He went through prayer, fasting, opposition, so many things. So that's the context, that's what happened. Now we're just fast forwarding a bit to chapter four because of our time. So as I'm reading, I pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal himself.

So it's a story, but try to see yourself in the story Try ask God. Holy Spirit, where am I in this story? What is my role here? Why are you sending this to the church today?

So, Nehemiah, Chapter four. But I. But it came to pass that when Sambalat heard that we Rebu we builded the wall, he was wroth and took great indignation and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria and said, what do these feeble Jews?

What do these feeble Jews? Take note of that word. 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 bond? 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.

Hear, O God, for we are despised, and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity, and cover not their iniquity. And let not their sin be blotted out from before thee, for they have provoked thee to anger. Before the builders so built, so built we the wall, and all the wall was joined together unto the hearth thereof, for the people had a mind to walk. You can underline that.

But it came to pass that when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabians and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, and conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to hinder it. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God and set a watch against them day and night because of them. Let me read verse nine again. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto God and set a watch against them day and night because of them.

And Judah said, the strength of the bearers of burden is decayed, and there is much rubbish so that we are not able to build the wall. Take note of that. Verse 10. Look at who said it.

Judah said, the strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish so that we are not able to build the wall. And our version said, they shall not know neither sea. He will come in the midst among them and slay them, and cause the work to cease. Verse 12.

And it came to pass that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, from all places, whence ye shall return unto us, they will be upon you Therefore Set I, I.e. Nehemiah, in the lower places behind the walls. And on the higher place I even set. I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears and their bows.

And I looked and rose up and said unto the nobles and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, be not ye afraid of them. Remember the Lord which is great and terrible. And fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters and your wives and your houses. And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us and God had brought their counsel to naught, that we returned, all of us to the world, everyone unto his work.

And it came to pass from that time forth and that the half of my servant wrought in the work and the other half of them held both the spears, the shield and the bows. And the Habergians and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. They which builded on the wall and they that bare burdens and those that laded everyone with one of his hands wrought in the work and with the other held a weapon. Take note of that verse.

For the builders. Everyone had his sword gathered by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. Take note of that.

And I said unto the nobles and to the rulers, take note. The nobles, he said unto the nobles, he said unto the rulers. And he said to the rest of the people, the work is great and large, and we are separated upon the world, one far from another. In what place, therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpets, resort ye thither unto us, Our God shall fight for us.

Verse 21. So we labored in the work. And half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared. Likewise, at the same time said I unto the people, Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, and in the night that they may be a guard to us and labor on the day.

So neither I nor my brethren, nor my servants, not the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that everyone put them off for washing. This is the word of the Lord. This is a very prophetic word and also very timely to the church. My prayer is that the Lord will open our eyes of understanding so we can see and hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Review the revelation, he said, letting the earth here hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The problem is that people are not listening. Where everybody's in a haste, moving up and down, walking. I know you work from Monday to Friday, even on Saturday.

Satan Is trying to make you make your mind clouded with a lot of weight. The Bible says let us lay aside every weight and sin that easily be set up. Because why there is a race you are running and Satan is. It's not that you will not go to heaven.

No. See, many people see heaven, many people go to heaven. But the problem is not is beyond that. Satan is much more after what will happen if everybody gets to walk.

Look at what he said there. All of them labored, everybody labored to build our war. Satan doesn't want every one of us. It's okay if one person is laboring and the rest are not laboring.

It's fine. Because he knows that the labor of a fool we hurts him. Nehemiah did not do it alone. Look at what he did.

Look at the old city. There's a lot on park here and I trust the Holy Spirit to reveal it to us. Well, we want to look at the spiritual what was going on in the spirit realm in this thing because why we are New Testament believers, right? Jesus Christ has paid it all, right?

So we're not wrestling against flesh and blood. Again, it's not physical, right? So we're not necessarily building a physical war, but something is happening in the spirit. Now the first thing you ask yourself as you're reading this thing is what has God called you to build?

You know, everybody in the church, everyone is a builder. I hope you know you are a builder, you are a warrior. Look, if you read through the New Testament, you look at how Jesus, the Bible always describes us. He said that the word of God like somebody came and built his house.

So you know the scripture that I talked about, when you receive the word of God and you don't understand it, you are like somebody that built house on sand and it fell. So you see that Jesus is describing us as builders. And now scripture even talks about us and put on the full gospel armor and so he can rest not against flesh and blood casting down imagination. So you see the Bible also describe us as what, warriors.

And look how it's happening in the Old Testament. I told you that everything in the Old Testament is a shadow of what is to come or what is currently happening today. So when you're looking at it, I know you're looking at story you're talking about. Now when I say it this, the only thing that might come to your mind is building a church, right?

But now let me tell you that in building a church, we're not just talking about physical structures, right? There's so many Things to be built up here. Some people are building men. They are raising up spiritual giants.

They are raising up warriors in the spirit. Some people have been called to raise children. Some people have been called to raise women. So my question for you is, do you know what you have been called to build?

A wall has fallen. There is a wall that has fallen. I was reading the book of Ezekiel last week or so, and I read of how God was talking to his prophet. He told his prophet that, look, your walls have been broken.

And I did not see anybody to stand at the place that has been broken and to intercede, basically. So because of that, the enemy is penetrating fast. Many of them are entering through that wall, and the people are not aware. That was what God was telling the prophet to tell the people that, look, the wall is broken.

I did not find one person to intercede for your distance. So when I saw it, fear gripped me. I held my body and said, God did not find one person. He told he was talking to Ezekiel.

The prophet said, I did not find one person. One person. Why did he say that? It requires labor.

I see. You see my people perish because of lack of knowledge. He said, how the God of this age has blinded the eyes of many. So you think there is peace because nothing is happening.

But if God open your eyes, you see that there's a lot of things that needs to be done. You will read that song many times. Sing that song, Lord, open my eyes. Every time I doing.

And you are thinking it's about donation, we just end it there. Meanwhile, it's a very deep spiritual reality, and it's a cry that God should open our eyes. Nehemiah was not just approaching the building of the wall. I mean, let's think about it.

It looks like a normal thing, but you know how many times Nehemiah prayed and fasted just to build wall? Just wall. Like, when I was reading it, I was like, wait, though, is it that deep? It's not just to tell bricklayer build blocks.

And just why is it that Siddhui was praying and fasting to build wall? And here we are. We think it's just about raising money. It's just.

Just do this, just do that, just go See, when it comes to. Because what they were building was not just a regular city, it was the city of God. That was Zion. They were building.

And when you are, and that is the will of God, they were basically seeking the kingdom of God. They were what? Advancing the kingdom of God. They were estab.

God's kingdom. And whenever you do anything for God. Whenever you are trying to establish when you say thy kingdom come. Whenever you are trying to.

We talked about on Tuesday we talk about and the kingdom of God is in you. When we are trying to what? Advance the kingdom of God. It is impossible for you not to face opposition.

If you don't face opposition, it means that you are not doing. It means that what you are doing is for yourself is not God. So Satan will not disturb you. So continue what you are doing.

You are just pushing. But when you see opposition, it means that you are most likely doing something. Now let's look at it contextual. Let's look at it slowly.

Look at the first part, verse 1. Two main characters. Are there two main opposition? Sambalat and Tobiah.

We have read about their story multiple times, which I used to pray and everything. But look at the first thing that they attacked. Look at the first thing that was attacked. Take Note on verse 2.

I pray the Holy Spirit. Open your eyes to see what is going on. Look at the first thing that somebody attacked. He attacked the identity.

Look at the first word he said. He said when the devil wants to come attack you, the first thing he attacks is your identity. He wants you to be unsure of your identity. He almost got them.

Look at. He said, what do these feeble Jews. He would have said, what are these Jews doing? No, but he had to add the word feeble.

He wanted them to just feel. He wanted to reduce their esteem. That's what Satan is doing. Many people, what do you think you are doing?

Do you think all your forefathers have tried it? And you, what do you think? What do you think you are? You want to come out?

What are you trying to do? Something that. I've been deaf for a long time. You now want to come and change it?

What do you think you are? That's what the Satan is telling a lot of people. Because of that, many people have what torn down. They stop building.

That first. Does that first word. Look at when he did it to Jesus, he first attacked Jesus identity. If you really are the son of God, Jesus already knew who he is.

That's why I said, do you know who you are in Christ? He attacked the identity. What do these feeble Jews like? Weak.

I read another translation. It hit me. He said, what do these miserable Jews think they are doing? Do they intend to rebuild the city?

Do they think they can that by offering sacrifices they can finish the work in one day? They were trying to think that in one day can they make building stones out of heap? Of born troubles. That's the voice of Satan.

Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Is it possible? Is it possible? Is it possible that this thing can happen Now I'm still saying it again.

Don't only limit it to building. There's something. God wants you to build. There's something.

But you are. You are battling with this self identity. Ah, I'm too small. I don't have the money.

I don't. No, no, no, it's not me. This is what Satan is doing now. Tobias now came and added his own.

Look at his own. Even if you see his wanting to finish building, even if they build it, it will not last. Have you not heard that voice before? Even if they raise this whole thing up, even if.

Even if that's the word of Satan, even if they do it, it will not last. It will not reach. Just give them one year. Satan, sir.

I saw this thing. Sometimes Satan might not attack you, might not touch you, might not even disturb you. And you think all is well. You see, that's the danger of comfort.

And I don't know why I always say this thing when everything is just too smooth. That's the time you would labor in prayer fasting. You don't wait until problem everywhere is fire. You start saying we call.

Let's call general fasting. Even they call general fasting. How many people come? 2.

1. Because we can't still see. You don't wait until calamity strike. Then you now say let's call fasting.

When everything is smooth, when everything is just. Your business is just going like on cruise level everything. You are making a lot of money. Do you know that's the time you labor?

Because night comments when no man walk. I I need to look this question. You will not be wondering why are you praying? Why are you doing as if what is going on?

Why are you stressing? It's because a man that can see far will know that ah, where is going to requires a lot. So let me build up my. When you fortify my.

Is it, is it. Is it the time of battle that you start looking for ammo or weapons? Is it not before war start? Look at FIFA World cup they are doing now.

It's before this thing start and they have been training for years. It's not the day of the time you want to start. You start training. But that's what Christians are doing nothing day.

There's no issue. There is peace. I be everywhere is quiet. We come to church on Sunday.

Everything is just peaceful. So because of that you don't need to pray too much, you don't need to fast. Why are you fasting? Imagine someone asking why are you fasting?

So he said, even if it shall even break down their stone wall sometimes Satan will not touch you. He's just waiting for you to reach a particular age. He's waiting for a particular time. He said, no, leave him, his time is not yet.

Let him clock 20. Let him call 35. Let him clock 50. Let's call 70 will come.

Let him enjoy your listen living. Leaving. Leave him, leave him. I will not think.

Ah. All is well and all is well. But God will not be telling you those people will tell your heart. Oh God, wake up, wake up, wake up.

You'll be waking up in the night. Wake up, wake up. Stand up, pray. Do something, do something.

Read your Bible. Do this, do this. You'll be ignoring because everything is smooth. He said, now look at Nehemiah's prayer.

Look, look. See this is why I like Nehemiah. I. I took him as a case study. I'm still studying him.

Look at his response. Now some of us, when you counting, you go back and start arguing with the enemy. You be shouting back and forth la la argument. Look at what he did.

He didn't even talk to them. No stress. He went to God. Lord, hear our God, for we are despised and they turn our reproach upon their head.

Give them for a prayer. See, you went to God and just raised the complaint. But in our case, sometimes someone is this. You are attacking.

You see, you don't understand the battle. That's why it's not us, but it's what of the Lord. You are attacking your fellow brethren. Maybe somebody is discouraging you.

You are not attacking the person. Not knowing that you are going to look to God. There's something behind, there's a force behind it. Look at.

So he talk, he said everything. Now verse 6 they said they built this wall in a deal. So we went on rebuilding the wall as soon it and okay, I don't know if it's a day though, but they said they built it to when it was half of his full height. And you see the reason why they were able to achieve it to that level in a very short time because the people were eager to walk.

The people were eager to walk. And there's a scripture that connects that. The Bible says in the day of his power the people shall be willing. We had a topic on that one time.

In the day of his power, people shall be willing. The reason why we have not Reached half is because are the people eager? Because see the Bible get the reason for the people had a mind to walk. Do we have the mind to work?

Are you ready to labor in that place? God has called you to build? You have to find your place in the church. You see, the church is a barrack.

It's an army barrack. You have to understand that we are soldiers. Everybody has a particular function. Go and find your purpose.

He said he gave spiritual gifts to the church. For what? The edification of the church. Edification?

That means I have something. You have something. You have something. You have something.

It is to edify the church. What do you mean? Edifying means to build up the church. But when everybody comes and you are not using, you don't even know your place inside the body of Christ.

Some of us are in. Some of you know the different part of the human body. And we are the. Jesus is the head, right?

And the church is the body of Christ. Go and find your place. Maybe some of us, you are in the finger level. You are in the hand.

Some of you are the neck. You are here. Just find your place and function. That is what he's trying to say.

They had the mind to work. Some people just. They just. You call yourself a member of the church, but you don't have any specific.

If they. If they remove you from church today, there's no difference. It's as if you are not even there. It is sad.

People don't have the mind. See, people sit down in the congregation. They don't have this mindset that they are part of something great. And you just come in there, come out.

You don't feel like you. No sense of responsibility. It is very heartbreaking. This message is something that people have to ask.

What. What is your. Or what use are you to Christ? What is your.

Are you just a liability on assets? Every soldier, if you go to us, look how they deal with their soldier. A single soldier is a asset to the United States. If you know how much they spend on one soldier, just one.

That's why they said leave no man behind. That's like the attack, right? If one soldier is held hostage, you will see how they read like so many things. Just rescue that one shoulder.

Look at Nigeria. Some children are kidnapped. Look at how we are. They are behaving because they don't value life too much in this country.

It's very sad. Oh us just take one of their army. One. One soldier.

One. Even if it's the lowest rank. You see how they mobilize special Forces just to go and rescue that man. Even the president might even be involved in the whole operation to rescue one man.

That's because that person is an asset, not a liability. Do you have the mind to work or are you just. You just feel like, oh, church is not my thing. I like God, but I don't like church.

I pity you. It's a very sad thing I said. It came to pass that when Tobias and these people, when all the opposition heard that the wall were made up and that breaches began to be stopped, that they were very angry. So when you are what, making progress, expect opposition.

Expect it. It's not that you see, expect it. In fact, when you see it, no wonder Paul said, rejoice when you what, suffer. Rejoice when you are persecuted, because that is a sign that you are making progress.

Now in other ways, someone else will make you think that you are doing bad. I know there's a brother that he told me that, oh, look, this is what I'm going to do. Yes, I'm going to face opposition. People like, people who hate me, they'll hate me for.

But God already told me that this thing I'm doing, this is what I'm going to expect. So cheer up when you see it. Just know that, oh, I'm with you. And that he gave me fuel and he kept on and pushed until he was able to overcome.

Sometimes we just hear one opposition, we stop. Maybe just one word, one word from somebody, you just shut down, say, and it's God that gave you the instruction. You just shut down everything, Duh. Because it's one person that says something, you don't know what means, what prevail.

Prevailing prayer persistence continuing until you see that woman that kept on begging that king. The man did not stop. Jesus gave us an example of how we should our prayer life should be. This woman, this king was so tired, he was frustrated with you, man, give this man what she wants.

He said, if a wicked king can do that, how much power God? The king still answered that, I want one request. Just ask once and you don't hear anything. You just stop.

Oh, I think God has spoken. He said to some, he said, yeah. To others, no. To some he says, stay.

To others, go. But you don't hear anything. You just feel like, oh, I don't think God wants us to do anything, so let us stop. You prayed only once and you stopped.

Elijah prayed seven times until what he saw the hand came up in the water. And yet we think that we just pray once. Maybe you pray for someone to be healed. The person did not get healed, he just stopped.

Maybe it's the will of God. I think we continue until we see a result. That's persistence. So they were angry and they conspired all of them to come and fight against Jerusalem and to hinder it.

So expect a battle. If you are doing something that is in line with what God wants you to do, expect a battle. So no wonder, to be honest, whenever I'm doing something and I know it's aligned to I'm doing something that is very important and I don't see any kind of opposition. Sometimes I need to pause and check.

Wait to am I sure on the right track? Because imagine you are destroying somebody's house and nobody even come and disturb you. And you're destroying the person, the owner of the house do not come and disturb you at all. Just think about.

Imagine, okay, your house, somebody just come and start breaking your wall. And you're inside the house and you're not doing anything. That person would think maybe it's not the household attack you wanted to frustrate you want. He actually wanted you hit break, break the wall.

And you know, maybe you are not around, I are eating. The person would think that maybe this is not the house more guy. But I see nobody else be this. So let's go to our place.

You're gonna check on my place. That is same. So sometimes when. When you.

When you're making progress, like sometimes post and check. Wait, am I actually advancing the kingdom of God? Because why nothing is happening. Nobody is even talking.

No, nothing is up. Sometimes you check. I'm serious. If imagine they send special force to come and destroy Boko Haramia.

And they came into this place not even a single. They said Boko Haram is in this place, God forbid. And they come inside here. Nobody, no, not even a single person came or attacked them.

You start to question General say okay, are you sure this is right location? Nobody's attacking. Also because soldiers expect opposition. When you are what advancing a particular agenda.

Don't you get? So when you are moving forward and no opposition is most likely at times that you are not doing what God wants you to do. Because all the move of God was always opposed. Show me one move of God that God made that was never opposed.

Even Jesus Christ was opposed. Who do you think you are? So I don't know, I just say that expect oppositions. He said, when you pass through the fire, I'll be with you.

When, when, when not if. When you pass streets, when you pass through those waters I will build. That's the assurance. So that's what I learned from this Nehemiah.

He said never. In fact Nehemiah even expected it. He prepared, he has already prepared in a place of prayer. Maybe God even told him, look my son, this thing you are going to go for when he fasted he said look, they're going to frustrate you.

Number one, be prepared for mental frustration. They're going to frustrate you, they're going to tell you a lot of things. They're going to even try to kill you. They are going to do a lot of things.

They bro, are you ready? And he'll be praying, praying, praying and praying. God will tell him. God said don't worry, my strength is with you.

I'll strengthen you. Send any strengthening. And that's how you got the confidence. So when he went there, he was not surprised when they came.

Ah God, look, look at them, they are trying to do this thing. He's confident, he show him that, that ah, my God is with me. Look at what he now said. Verse 9.

Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God and set a watch against them day and night because of them. That is the response of someone that is mission minded, a mission minded believer, a mission minded church. You see opposition even book of Acts. When Peter and John got opposition, they went back to their brothers, they said look, look at what is happening.

The Bible said they went together and they prayed together and they said, consider now their threat, oh God, and give us victory. Some I'm paraphrasing, that is how you respond. They went back to prayer and set a watch against them day and night. You see, it was not just regular they went, it was day and night.

Sometimes we only pray when we feel like it was a continuous thing because of what the opposition. And now look at nothing now. So this is the part that people is very painful. Honestly.

Look at who verse 10. Look at what happened there Judah. Now you think that the opposition only come from outside the point. The one that is worse is when it comes from your own very brother.

That's what I like to break people's heart. Past even Jesus experienced the same thing Judas and only funny thing, Jesus already knew that Judas would betray him. But he was, he was, he was. Even though Jesus knew all things, he still shocked him small.

Say ah, you want to be treatment with a kiss? He called him friend. He called him friend. You know, if you say traitor, my friend.

So now kiss you. So you ah, I mean you have done all that simple he came to him and kissed him and said, the one I kissed, that's the one. Do you know how painful Jesus will have called thunder to strike through that day? Maybe his lips at least will have done one small wicked thing to him.

Maybe let his lips bone as he kissed him. But you know, you don't want the pain like you are doing something for I'm trying to help you. And you come and you stab me. Not in my back, say you come to my front and stab me.

You see, that's when you know that that's why Jesus cried in that place for three hours. He prayed for three hours because he knew what he was going to face. And he was like, God, I need strength. He prayed until his face would like blow.

Because it takes supernatural strength for you to see the person that will betray you. And you allow the person not just to betray you normally, but to betray you with a very, very deep ah. He kissed and said, oh God. And Jesus still just.

He was still calm. Here I am arresting. Oh my God. So you see, this is why we pray.

Maybe you don't know why you need to pray, but you pray because you don't. So you don't fall into temptation. You pray because, ah, the journey is ahead is a lot. He said.

And Judah said, the strength of the bearers of burden is decay. Look at him, he's complaining. The person that is meant is the one complaining. See, they even turn into a song.

I'm not saying they sang a song. They said the people of Judah had a song. They sang. This one said we grow weak carrying burden.

There is so much wobble to take away. How can we build the world today? They were complaining. They turned to a song, etc.

The strength of the bearer is decayed and there's more trouble so that we're not able to be. See, they're complaining. How can we do this thing? We are too small.

We are too. This, this, this, this. Now verse 11. And now our version said, they shall not know neither city.

We come in the midst of them and slay them and cause the work to cease. That was what the enemy was saying. So let me just keep a little bit. So I'm saying that this is how I was looking at you see what I'm doing?

I'm. I'm doing a mapping what is happening physically and how it applies to us spiritually in today's world, right? So if you look now, look at the strategy he adopted. Now this is what, this is a spiritual parallel of what one Jesus said.

Put on the whole gospel ammo, some of us think that, oh, and my own job is just to build the church. My own is just to be donating. I don't need to pray. That's.

You are very wrong. You see, that's where you get it wrong. And I've seen a lot of people, they will give the prayer, say, hey, you be focusing on prayer. Let me just be doing the money.

No, no, no. Look at what they did. Look at the strategy. I know they are builders and they were warriors.

Verse 13. That's the mistake a lot of people are making in church. They just want to be the one donating. You see, you see that's the ah, devil is a liar.

A lot of people have fallen through this trap. I remember when I was young, I said, God, I want to be a kingdom financial. I just want to be the one. I just want to be.

I want to be able to donate 20 million to the church. Be. Just be. Nobody will know that I'm the one doing it.

Just be donating money to the church. That is all I want to be doing. You see, people just coin that word king of financial because they don't want to do the dirty work. You don't want to go in the place of fasting and praying labor.

You just want to be sitting at your office in maybe Dubai and just say, okay, send 20 million to the church. Let them copy the building. Send 50 million there. You don't just see me.

Don't worry. Just in my office. You see, see you are making a fool of yourself because I pray God will help us. This thing I'm saying is a bit.

Is very deep, but it's true. God is not just after your resources. He wants your heart. You see, and this is the mistake people are making.

It's not just you doing work. Are you, are you for him. He doesn't. God can raise stone to donate money.

He's God. He doesn't need like he needs you, you, you. He's not looking for your. What is he not doing that.

Bless you with that thing. So what do you think you are. You're not saying, let me just drop it to me or you don't want to now walk. You don't want to come and come into the.

I pray God help us because it's a deep thing. Look at verse 13. He said, therefore I sat in lower places. In lower places behind the wall and on the higher place.

Look at, look at what he said. I sat in the lower places behind the wall and. And on the higher Places. I even said the people after their family with their sword and everything.

Look, swords, spears and bows. Look at the formation that he did there. Do you know this is the spiritual formation he set in there. He armed the people with sword, spear and bow.

He stationed them by clans behind the wall. Wherever it was still unfinished. Just see. Picture this thing.

As you are listening, pray, ask Holy Spirit, open my eyes. Help me to understand what he's saying here. He gave them weapon. People that are building as they are building.

So that means now what does that weapon mean? Today is the word of God. As they are building, they are praying, the Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is my help of my little. Lift up your head. So there are basically people that are filled with the word of God. That's what it looks like today.

That means an average donation donor, someone that has always donated to. To the church or maybe whatever they are building. It's not just doing, for example, the maintenance committee. You're not just.

You're not just doing activities, you're also praying. You're also studying the word of God. You are very sound in the word of God. You are praying.

You're not just donating, you're not just doing announcements. You're not just. You're not just being an osha. You are also what equipped.

That is what it means. That's what they are trying to point out here. And if because of time, he told them, Let me just keep there. Verse 15.

And it came to pass when our enemy heard that it was known unto us. And God has brought our counsel to us, that we all returned, all of us to the world, everyone unto his work. So you see, somebody was giving them intel of the enemy's plan. He said, for time after time, Jews were living among our enemies came to warn us of the plan our enemies were making against us.

See the question I ask you now today. Do you have a watchman? Is there somebody that is able to pick what the devil is about to do beforehand and tell you? You see, that was the advantage they had if they did not know the plans of the wicked.

He said, don't be ignorant of the virtue of the wicked. There is something. That's why we come here on Saturday. If you understand the power of Saturday service, you know that we are coming here to go and try to see in the realm of the spirit, to know what is Satan planning.

And you can now share the intel. Look, something is about to happen. I want us to do that is exactly what happened here. They Told them there were Jews that were in the enemy camp.

So they were yelling, okay, they are coming from this west side. All right. They now run back Nehemiah, See, they are coming from the west side. Please station your army there.

How does that look like spiritually is by when people pray. Elisha was able to do this technology, had this technology that was with the king and he was talking with the king. He was able to tell the king what they were planning. And they were wondering how these people know where you are coming to.

That is what you do when you pray in the spirit. That's what you do when you fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit. What exactly is the enemy planning?

Like, why. Why is things not happening? I will tell you. I will know what.

He will not tell you what to do. He said, he will teach you all things. He reveal all things to you. But the problem is we are not engaging these spirits.

We think it's just physical, physical, physical, physical. That's why people are not having advantage. He said, look at it now. No, no, look at it.

I'm not the one. I said, look at scripture here. Now. Look at it now.

He said, they said they came to warn us of the plans our enemies were making against us. He now said, look at verse 13, Nehemiah. Now, because of what the intelligence, Nehemiah now knew what to do. So he said, so I armed the people with sword, spear and bull so that they will be ready when they come.

That looks like you. Now. You as a watchman, as someone that is praying, intercessor. You pray, pray, pray.

You now receive some things. You tell them. You tell the leader, look, I want us to focus on this area. I want us to pray on this area.

This is scripture I reviewed. Let's use this scripture and pray. Pray against it. Like, okay, I received the scripture.

And the Lord said, he will fight against those who fight against us. Let us use that scripture to pray for the next few days because Satan is trying to attack our children. I'm just giving an example. Now, do you know the power that and that will avert the things that the enemy was planning?

But when you are just playing, praying blindly, loosely. Lord, help us. Lord, deliver us from words. Help you to do what?

No specific points because you can't see. I pray God will help us to understand. He said, don't be afraid of the enemies. Now look at what he now did.

Verse 14, a great leader. Look at the leader after he did all those things. Look at what happened. The people were worried.

They were actually scared that's why I told them a great leader will know how to encourage them. He said, look, guys, don't be afraid. He said, don't be afraid. Do not be afraid.

Remember the Lord, which is great and terrible and fight for your brethren. He encouraged them. Right now, many people are discouraged. Many people are discouraged.

Some people were building something and they have stopped. Some people were building the choir. Some people were building the children. Some people were building the Bible study.

Some people were doing this, some people were doing that. Some people building the outside world. They were focusing on one thing. They have been discouraged.

Look at what Nehemiah did. Be not afraid. That's the role of a spiritual leader. You encourage them, get them back up.

Not discourage them. You remind them of. Listen, it's like basically gingering them, you know, in army camp. These are.

You do all this chant. It's all the things to stir them up. You give a speech. I now told them, fight for your children.

So God said, fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughter, your wife and your house. You see? And guess what, the next verse, they gather strength and they went back to work. You see, that's how you say when you understand the church is the army barrack.

It's not just for me. See, people just come here casually, just sit down. You're using your phone. I mean, you don't know that things are happening in the spirit.

They are just loose, very careless. And this is why people are suffering. It's a serious work. I pray God will help us understand the work to be done.

Look at verse 16. Time will not permit us to go but verse 16. From then on, the half men, they walked. They continue working.

Now look at, look at it now. They wore a cloth. Now that's what I want to talk about. Look at it.

Verse 16. They. They said they, they were wearing. Look at what they're wearing.

Another translation. They wear coat of armor, armed with spear, shield and bow. They. All of them were fully kicked up.

If you look at the Last verse, verse 23. Scripture, verse 23, look at what he said there. Nehemiah said so. Neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servant, nor the men of the guard which follow me.

None of us put off our clothes. Now you are seeing it as just physical clothes. Guess what the. What?

Guess what the Bible is writing this for. For the readers of today. Do you know what that thing means? Don't put off the cloth of righteousness.

The Bible says in Colossians, put on the garment of righteousness. Some of us, you come to church on Sunday and wear the cloth of righteousness. On Monday to Saturday you remove your clothes, you remove the cloth of righteousness. Everything.

You just become a normal person. On Sunday you look like a Christian. Monday to Saturday you stop praying. The only time people pray or read Bible like for even 30 minutes is only on Sunday that you.

You say for only the time pastor is calling some verses. That's the only time you have read Bible down. That's the longest time I read Bible. Monday to Saturday you put all that thing it is.

See, the leader himself said this one said, I didn't take off my clothes even at night. Neither did any of my companion or my servant or my bodyguard. We all kept our weapon at hand. This is the spiritual start.

This is how a believer today should be dressed. You don't remove your clothes. You don't. You wear your armor 24 hours.

If Devil come in the midnight, you are ready. Maybe somebody collapses. God forbid you are not coming, not going to be scared because you're already wearing your full armor. You go, you see your child is sick.

You just lay on the person, pray for the person. The person rise up. Because you are fully kids conscious 24 hours. That's why I say pray without ceasing.

So putting up your armor looks like you losing your guard. You need to pray before you stop praying. You need to read your Bible. You need to fast before you start fasting.

You don't become complacent because things are distinct. No 24 hours they put on the guard. I don't know if you are seeing what I'm saying there. This is.

This is how it should be. There's so many. If I the amount of things there. He also talked about watchman.

Look at the watchman case. If you look at the existing 22. During this time I told. I'm reading another.

He said, during this time I told the men in charge that they and all that their helper had to stay in Jerusalem at night so that we could guard the city at night as well as work in the daytime. There are watchmen that are also set in place. People that are watching in the night. They are checking watchmen.

So how do I look like today? It looks like people praying. It's just basically praying. Praying in and out of season.

Not until problem comes. People must be praying regularly. You don't wait until calamity can't come. You just set up your mind.

You know what today is Saturday. Let me just pray for some hours. You're just praying. You're just praying.

You're Just praying. You don't know what you are doing when you are praying. You don't know. You are averting so many things that will have happened.

That is basically what it should look like. I pray God will help us in this. In this. Go open our eyes.

So one of the prayers we will pray today is that Lord, open my eyes to the work to be done. God. That's one prayer. One show me what you have called me to build.

May it not be I will leave this earth and I will not. I will have an uncompleted building. When I'm saying building, I'm not talking about only church. Some people, God has planted the burden that you.

Your job is to make sure that this thing, this and that. Some people. God has called you to raise some people that will become a David, that will become a Joseph, that will become a Moses. God has called you to go and talk to those people.

I raise them up. Or to some women. God has told you to raise a Deborah up. If the mother of Deborah did not do her job well, whoever took care of Deborah, do you think Deborah become a judge?

I don't know if you understand what I'm saying. There is something. There's a building project that God has assigned to every single believer. Ask God.

Satan is fighting that. You will never know that building project. Okay. Even at all.

You know it. You will make sure you never complete it in this life. And you go back. That's why you see the fathers of old to date 80 something here, some of them now, they are still laboring because they have a building project.

And what God has shown them. You, you might be saying, ah, he has done it already. He's still laboring because the project is not you that are giving the project. It's God.

That's why he still laboring. He will tell you no, the next job, I want to build a 50,000 cathedral distance. I want to build a church that can house 100,000 people at once. Yeah, you are just looking at 100 people, Jesus.

May the Lord help us in Jesus name. That there will be an awakening in our hearts, in our spirit. That there will be a fire that will be set up in us to understand that there is work to be done. Maybe we sing that hymn.

Lord, open my eyes for the work to be done. Endure me with power today, Lord. The power to do and to dare. You have sung down him almost every donation time as he sank into your heart.

That the way you sing that song that you sit down and be crying because God will literally open your eyes and see that. Ah, Jesus Lord, I have a lot of things to do. Help me. Need not be that you go open your eyes.

Maybe when you are almost close to the point of leaving this earth. God forbid. That's why people usually cry. You ask them on hospital, be like, what is your greatest wish?

Like what you wish you had done. You say, I wish I started earlier. None of them will say, I wish I had more money. They are always like, I wish I started earlier.

Most of the time you say, I wish I had done this. I wish they wish they have. Because at that time, it's as if God start opening their eyes, you start seeing. Hey, wait.

So now me supposed to do this one Jesus, I was not meant to do this. I was not. You don't have energy again. I pray God help us understand and there's work to be done.

The whole of creation waited for the earnest manifestation of the true sons of God. God is waiting. Thousands of people are waiting for you to rise up, to become who God wants you to be. So that their lives will be saved, so that they can see light, so that they can be free from poverty, from whatever it is they are bound them.

If Moses did not rise up, we will not have Israel today. If Joseph did not rise up, Israel, his father and his 11 brothers will not come to Egypt. Many things will not happen. If Jesus did not wake up, things will not happen.

I pray God help us. In Jesus name shall we go to God in prayer?