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Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000693S
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00:01 (Breath of Life Theme Music)
00:07 Sermon #B693 - Stay On The Wall 00:20 Dr. Byrd: I want to invite you at this time to take your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Nehemiah. 00:25 Nehemiah 6:1, 2, and 3 is where I'll begin today, reading the word of God. Nehemiah 6:1, 2, and 3. 00:31 Nehemiah 6:1, 2, and 3. The word of God says to us, I'm going to read from the King James Version of the Bible, 00:43 "Now it came to pass when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian 00:48 and the rest of our enemies heard that I had builded the wall and that there was no breach left therein; 00:55 though at that time, I had not set up the doors upon the gates; That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me saying, 01:03 Come let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief." 01:12 Verse number 3, "And I sent messengers unto them saying, I am doing a great work so that I cannot come down: 01:21 why should the work cease whilst I leave it and come down to you?" 01:30 This is the question that brother Nehemiah asked there in Nehemiah Chapter 6. 01:37 Will I come down? I'm doing a great work, and so the word of God to us today is - stay on the wall. 01:43 Let's pray, God, we thank you, we praise you we lift you up, we magnify your name. 01:48 And I ask right now in the name of Jesus, through the intercession of the Holy Ghost that you would come 01:53 by this place and visit this rostrum, visit this pulpit, and visit this preacher. 01:59 And as a result of your visitation of your spirit that it would then visit your people who are watching. 02:05 Your people who are even right now the saints or even the pastors, even the media team, 02:09 all those who are watching, God speak your servants heareth. We promise we'll give you the praise God 02:15 and the glory, forgive me of my sins. And as I say every week, hide me, oh, God behind the cross of Jesus Christ. 02:21 May Jesus be glorified today. And when the appeal time comes, move, move again, 02:28 I pray, by your spirit because it's in Jesus' name we ask these things. Amen. And amen. 02:38 Stay on the wall. Stay on the wall. 02:45 Time is not our ally. Let me give you the CliffsNotes version of Nehemiah's life. 02:52 Solomon built the temple in the Old Testament. Jerusalem was at the height of its glory and fame. 03:01 Its fame was known and God's name was spread throughout the nation, but you know how it is. 03:07 Sometimes when God blesses us, we get the big head and we forget that it was God and not us. 03:16 Are you hearing what I'm saying? That's why Solomon said, "Pride goeth before destruction," and Job said, 03:22 "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall," and Job said, "The Lord giveth 03:26 and the Lord taketh away." Are you hearing what I'm saying? Because of Israel's big head. 03:32 God allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed because the Israelites were unfaithful to God 03:37 and now Jerusalem lay in ruins. The once-thriving city was now in shambles. 03:45 The walls of the city had been torn down and the gates of the city had been burned. 03:51 And because the city was in this condition anyone could come and go and do as they please. 03:55 Now, you need to know, Jerusalem was the homeland of this man Nehemiah. Nehemiah was the cupbearer for the king, 04:07 Artaxerxes. He was the powerful king of Persia and the cupbearer was one of the most important assignments in 04:15 the ancient world because the cupbearer's job was to taste the ruler's food to make sure the food was safe 04:22 and it had not been poisoned. Because you see back in the day, political assassinations were very common 04:29 and the job of the cupbearer was a big deal because life-or-death rested in the hands of the cupbearer. 04:36 So the cupbearer often became the most trusted confidante to the ruler he served 04:40 and there's a reason why Nehemiah's role as a cupbearer is important, but I'll tell you that in a minute. 04:46 Now, when Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been destroyed and broken down and burned, 04:52 he was devastated. The Bible said he wept, the Bible said he mourned, the Bible said he cried for Jerusalem, 04:57 but God told Nehemiah, "Nehemiah, these walls need to be rebuilt 05:04 because it wasn't in God's plan for Jerusalem to lay in ruins," and because of Nehemiah's love for his homeland, 05:11 God's anointing was on him at the favor of the King was extended to Nehemiah. 05:16 Nehemiah took on the task of leading and rebuilding the city's devastated walls. 05:23 I must come in right here. I am a witness, I'm not talking about what I heard. 05:27 I am a witness that leading a building project is not easy. Leading a building project is more than a notion. 05:36 In addition to making sure the builders build right, you got to make sure the money's right. 05:40 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 05:42 You need everybody's help and everyone's support. You need all hands on deck, 05:46 but I've learned that everyone is not always in support of a building project or what you're doing. 05:53 Nehemiah experienced this from the beginning to the end of the Jerusalem building project, 05:58 there were enemies of the project. There were good guys and there were bad guys 06:04 and three of the bad guys in this story were Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem. 06:10 And while these three plotted to stop the work of Nehemiah, Nehemiah reminded his workers, 06:18 "Look don't be afraid. Just remember the Lord, the same God who has helped us back here. 06:24 It's the same God who's going to help us up here." And so the workers didn't quit, 06:29 Nehemiah didn't quit because of the opposition, but the Bible says they worked with one hand 06:35 and held a weapon in the other hand. 06:38 But in the end, Nehemiah 6:15 tells us that the wall was completed and rebuilt, Hallelujah, in 52 days. 06:46 Now, that's the CliffsNotes version of the story. 06:50 But today I want to draw your attention to five specific lessons in this story that I blessed my life that 06:56 I believe are going to bless your life. Lesson Number One today, 07:00 there will always be broken walls that need to be rebuilt. 07:07 I said there will always be broken walls that need to be rebuilt. Now if we look around the world, 07:13 we see broken walls all around us in this world. We see broken lives, 07:20 lives that are broken with no hope for a better future; lives broken by the effects of sin; 07:26 lives broken because people have been hurt by those who were supposed to love them; lives broken 07:32 because of past failures; lives broken because somebody failed to live up to the expectations of others. 07:38 We see broken lives. But not only do we see broken lives, we see broken communities. 07:45 Not only that, we are seeing now broken countries and governments - corruption, cover-up, conceit, 07:56 and questionable character are commonplace. 08:00 As we speak right now, we are a divided nation. The results may be out, but we are a divided nation. 08:09 Democrats versus Republicans. Liberals versus Conservatives. 08:15 Constitutional conformity versus individual expediency. 08:20 Rejection of a reality versus an acceptance of an actuality. Lawsuits versus concession speeches. 08:28 We see broken countries and governments. There will always be broken walls that need to be rebuilt. 08:39 Lesson 2 from the text - God will put you in the right place, Hallelujah, 08:45 at the right time to accomplish God's purposes. I believe I've got a witness right now that knows when God 08:55 needs to do something, God will put specific people in strategic positions to accomplish His divine purposes. 09:05 Now, remember earlier I told you that Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the king. He was next to the king, 09:13 trusted by the king. How did that happen? God did that. God orchestrated things 09:20 and placed Nehemiah in a position to do something. Y'all don't hear what I'm saying. 09:24 God will put you in the right place at the right time to accomplish his purposes 09:30 because although Nehemiah, hear me, was a Jew who was displaced when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem, 09:37 God during that time, put him next to the king, Hallelujah, and Nehemiah had the king's ear. 09:44 So when Nehemiah asked the king for permission to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall, 09:51 the king granted his request. 09:53 but the Bible says here come three men - 09:56 Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem. And the Bible also says the rest of Nehemiah's enemies. 10:05 Sanballat was the governor of Northern Israel, which was Samaria and he hoped to unite Israel 10:10 and become governor over both North and Southern Israel. This is why he wanted to get rid of Nehemiah 10:15 because Nehemiah was an obstacle in his way. And so Sanballat, Tobiah, 10:20 and Geshem try to get Nehemiah to stop working and to come down off the wall. 10:24 In fact, the Bible says they come to Nehemiah four times trying to get him to come down off the wall. 10:30 Sanballat and Geshem invite Nehemiah then to meet them in one of the villages Northwest of Jerusalem in the 10:37 plains of Ono, which was about 25 miles away. But then why would they need to meet him there? 10:47 Ono was a day's journey. It was on the border of Samaria, which remember was Sanballat's province. 10:59 Why couldn't they speak to Nehemiah in Jerusalem? 11:03 What sense did it make for Nehemiah to travel one day's journey to talk away from the protection of 11:11 his people to go in a place near the enemy's territory? 11:15 What sense would it make for Nehemiah to put himself in harm's way? That doesn't make sense. 11:23 Nehemiah, yes, he walked with God but Nehemiah also had what a lot of people don't have - common sense. 11:30 You see common sense is the most common thing that is uncommon to common people. 11:36 Y'all don't hear what I'm saying. And it didn't make common sense to leave the safety of his city to go into 11:42 enemy territory. 11:45 I mean, your enemy is mad at you, and you're going to leave your house and go to your enemy's house to talk. 11:51 Nehemiah knew they were up to something. He knew they had something up their sleeves 11:55 because if they were really sincere, they would have spoken to him in Jerusalem. 11:59 The Bible says that they thought to do mischief. In other words, 12:03 they were up to no good which leads me to lesson number three - 12:06 Beware of distractions disguised as opportunities. Let me say that one more time. 12:14 Beware of distractions disguised as opportunities. When Nehemiah went to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem, 12:28 he was hit with all kinds of distractions that could have kept him from his mission, "Meet us in Ono, 12:39 let's go out to lunch. Let's do this. Let's do that." But Nehemiah, Hallelujah, says, 12:48 "I'm doing a great work and I can't come down off the wall." 12:53 Some of the most challenging demonic attacks come in the form of everyday distractions, 12:57 distractions disguised as opportunities, but don't fall for the bait, don't yield to temptation. 13:05 And let me say this - some of these opportunities just might be good opportunities, 13:10 but there's a difference between good and great. Y'all don't hear what I'm saying. 13:13 And if we're going to accomplish what God has called us to do, 13:16 we must learn how to say no to some good things because it's the good things that have the most potential 13:21 to distract us from the great things God wants to do through us. The ice cream is good, 13:28 but it's not great if you're trying to lose weight. 13:31 The next lesson I learned from the text - don't let people or the devil gets you to come down off the wall. 13:42 I said don't let people or the devil get you to come down off the wall. 13:49 In other words when God tells you to do something you better do it. 13:54 I don't care what people say if God said it that settles it. I don't care how you're feeling if God said it, 14:00 that settles it. Understand you got to stay on the wall. If God tells you to stay on your current job, 14:08 I don't care how much better that other job looks, I don't care how bad your boss, your co-workers, 14:13 your customers, or people are doing and getting on your nerves, 14:17 you better stay on the job 'til God tells you so. 14:21 That medical school or law school, graduate school or college are in your future, 14:28 you better stay on the wall. Don't let somebody who gave up on their dreams talk you out of yours. 14:33 You stay on the wall. 14:35 But understand it's not just people trying to pull you down off the wall. Sometimes, it's the devil himself. 14:43 The devil is trying to pull and get somebody down off the wall of prayer, putting crazy thoughts in your mind, 14:49 "You don't need to pray. You don't have time to pray. You're too busy to pray. You're too tired to pray. 14:57 You need your sleep. You need your beauty rest," and maybe you do. But I'd rather be a whole lot of ugly 15:04 and talk to God than a whole lot of handsome or pretty and not talk to God. Are you hearing what I'm saying? 15:08 I'm not coming off the prayer wall. The devil trembles when we pray. The devil doesn't like it when we pray 15:15 but the devil can't stand prayer, but the devil, Hallelujah, can't stop you from praying 15:20 and the devil can't stop God from answering prayer. And I don't know about you, 15:24 but I want to make the devil tremble. I want to make the devil scared. I want to make the devil nervous. 15:29 Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near. 15:34 Don't let the devil take you off the prayer wall. Stay on the wall. But not only the prayer wall, 15:40 the church wall. 15:42 The devil is trying to destroy this church. I'm not talking about Oakwood University Church, 15:46 I'm talking about the church corporately and that devil's trying to say to you that the church is a bunch of 15:51 hypocrites that belong to the church. Well, you know what the devil's right about that. We are all sinners. 15:56 Yes, we are. We are all messed up. Don't think you all that then in some we all sinners, we all messed up, 16:02 we all trifling if it had not been for the Lord on my side where we any of us be? 16:07 We are all sick in the hospital, you're on the lying floor, this one's on the adultery floor, 16:12 this one's on the gossip floor, this one's on the fear floor. We all got a floor. 16:16 I wish I had a witness in this place. But we need Dr. Jesus to come by and visit our floor, 16:22 but I'm not coming off the church wall. The church even with all its challenges is still the apple of God's eye. 16:31 Even though we may need structural and system changes, I'm not coming off the wall. 16:36 Even though we need to be more balanced with religion and relationship, I'm not coming off the wall. 16:43 The devil is a lie. I still believe that the church is an imperfect people trying to serve a perfect God. 16:50 I still believe that we preach a perfect message. I still believe that God preaches to preachers, 16:56 sings through singers, teaches through teachers. I still believe God speaks to his people so I'm not coming down. 17:05 Stay on the wall, Don't let people don't let the devil tell you to come down off the wall. You better tell somebody, 17:15 "I'm doing a great work. I can't come down. I'm not coming down. 17:22 So you might as well pass me another brick because I'm not coming down off this wall. 17:28 I'm staying on the wall." 17:31 I'm almost done by I'm gonna slow this in. In the first five chapters of the book of Nehemiah, 17:36 it tells us of the way Satan tried to stop the people from rebuilding. 17:39 Satan tried derision by laughing at their work. 17:43 He tried discouragement that the project would be a complete failure. He tried the danger of bodily harm. 17:51 He tried discord to get the people to start fighting one another 17:56 and then he tried depletion by taking away needed resources to complete the project. 18:02 But Nehemiah stayed on that wall. In Nehemiah chapter 6, the Bible teaches that after a series of attacks 18:10 and threats against Nehemiah in an effort to intimidate him the enemies of Nehemiah - Sanballat, Tobiah, 18:16 and Geshem, they changed their tactics. They now resort to the destruction of friendliness and persuasion. 18:25 Now, if you read beyond our scripture text and you go to verse number 5 of Nehemiah chapter 6. 18:29 It states that Sanballat came a fifth time to Nehemiah but this time he sends his imp. 18:39 He sends one of his servants to Nehemiah with an unsealed letter. Unsealed means it was an open letter, 18:51 which means it was read on its delivery from Samaria to Jerusalem. 18:58 I wish I had a witness to this place y'all understand what I'm saying. 19:01 I want to throw this in - whenever you give somebody an unsealed letter to deliver to somebody else, 19:08 you better believe that nine out of ten, they read it. 19:12 So if you want your letter to be confidential if you want your letter to be privileged, 19:17 then either have it delivered sealed or deliver it yourself. 19:20 Are you hearing what I'm saying? Sanballat's assistant delivers this unsealed letter to Nehemiah. 19:29 And Nehemiah 6:6 says what the letter says, the letter begins by saying, "It is reported among the heathen." 19:42 Let me say it again. It is reported among the heathen-- Now, I can preach a whole sermon on that right now. 19:56 Now, whenever somebody says it is being reported that ought to raise a red flag in your mind 20:09 because what they're really saying is somebody told me, 20:13 or what they're saying is it was rumored when they say it is being reported. 20:19 Because whenever somebody tells you something and the source of what they're telling you is never mentioned, 20:29 you know it's rumored. If it's not in the first person - I said I saw, but it's always in the third person, 20:42 he said, she said, they said, he saw, they saw, she saw be careful 20:54 because when somebody comes running up to you telling you something in the third person, 21:00 most times it's a rumor. Are you hearing what I'm saying? 21:04 So let me give everybody some advice today what you don't see with your eyes don't invent with your mouth. 21:11 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 21:13 The letter says, "Nehemiah, it is reported, it is rumored that you and your people are planning a revolt. 21:29 That's the reason you're rebuilding the wall 21:32 and you're playing to make yourself the king of Judah with arrangements 21:36 already made for the prophets to declare you king." He said, "Even Geshem testifies that it's true." 21:46 But remember Geshem was one of their own so, of course, Geshem is going to attest to what the letter says. 22:01 In other words, somebody's not getting this. They created fake news 22:06 and then rubber-stamped it themselves with one of their own. In other words, they tell their own lies 22:15 and then threatened to take this report to King Artaxerxes if Nehemiah refused to cooperate with them. 22:23 They told their own lie, and then they started believing their own lies that they told. but in verse number 8, 22:34 Nehemiah sets the record straight. He says nothing like what you're saying is happening. 22:43 You're making it up out of your head. Nehemiah sensed their motives. They were trying to scare Nehemiah 22:54 and the people into thinking their hands will get too weak for the work and the wall will not be completed. 23:03 So what does Nehemiah do? That brings us to our fifth and final lesson. Nehemiah 23:10 prays. He says I've found the answer. I've learned how to pray and that's what he does in verse number nine. 23:23 He prays, "Oh, God, strengthen my hands." Nehemiah was tired. 23:32 Nehemiah had been facing wave after wave of problems that would not stop. 23:36 Nehemiah was physically drained, mentally stretched, and emotionally tired, but by God's grace, 23:43 Nehemiah stood firm, Nehemiah stood tall and the Bible says he prayed, "Oh, God, strengthen my hands." 23:54 In the closing verses of Chapter 6 though, the Bible says there came another man. 24:01 Because you see the devil doesn't leave us alone. He keeps coming back for more, for more, for more. 24:06 The Bible says in the closing verses of chapter 6 that another man Shemaiah, 24:12 a so-called Prophet was paid to lure Nehemiah into the temple. Shemaiah invited Nehemiah to his house 24:22 and then he relates this message to Nehemiah. He says, "Nehemiah, let's meet in the house of God. 24:29 Let's meet inside the temple," read the word and then he says, "Let's close the temple doors 24:35 because men are coming by night to try to kill you." 24:39 Now, on the surface, this seems like some good warning council to protect Nehemiah. But, again, 24:48 Nehemiah has common sense. Nehemiah walks with God and Nehemiah is concerned that something just isn't right. 24:55 Why is he concerned? Remember number one, Nehemiah knew that it hadn't 25:00 been God's will from him to run away from the work or flee from troubles. So in verse number 11, 25:06 Nehemiah says should a man like me run away? But then also number two, Nehemiah knew something was up 25:12 because Nehemiah knew that to hide in the temple wasn't right. If you study carefully, the term inside 25:18 or within the temple, referred to the holy place and not just the temple enclosure, 25:24 and hiding in the holy place would be a violation of God's law because only priests - listen to me, 25:30 we're supposed and permitted to enter the holy place. 25:34 So then, Nehemiah would have sinned by hiding in the holy place and any idea 25:40 or suggestion that is contrary to the word of God can never be from God. God doesn't contradict himself. 25:48 God doesn't speak out of both sides of his mouth. 25:52 So, Nehemiah knew that God had not sent Shemaiah but that Shemaiah had prophesied against him 26:00 because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. In fact, Nehemiah says in verse 13, 26:07 "He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this 26:15 and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me." Nehemiah's enemies understand, 26:24 plotted to deceive him, distract him, defame him, discredit him, and dishonor him but praise be to God, 26:38 although Nehemiah was outnumbered, Nehemiah was not intimidated. 26:45 Nehemiah always knew that he plus God that's always a majority. So what did Nehemiah do? 26:53 Nehemiah prayed again and God answered his prayers. The attacks did not get to Nehemiah. 27:02 The city walls were rebuilt in 52 days. I'm a witness today that when you fear God 27:11 and not men when you seek God's favor and not man's approval, God will protect you. 27:17 God is our refuge and strength a very present help in times of trouble. 27:18 I serve a prayer-answering God, 27:20 I serve a problem-solving God, I serve a pain-relieving God, I serve a heart-fixing God, 27:27 I serve a cancer-curing God, I serve a coronavirus-healing God, I serve a disease-killing God, 27:33 I serve a mess-destroying God, I serve a job-giving God, I serve a way-making God, 27:40 I serve a marriage-saving God, I serve a single-satisfying God. Stay on the wall. 27:47 I know there are broken walls all around you but stay on the wall. 27:51 I know you feel like giving up but stay on the wall. I know somebody you're being criticized 27:57 but stay on the wall. I know you're being talked about but stay on the wall. 28:03 I know this division and confusion in our country but stay on the wall. 28:08 I know the church may not be all they should be but stay on the wall. 28:12 I know people are getting on your nerves but stay on the wall. I know you feel like quitting I've been there 28:19 but stay on the wall. 28:23 Thank you very much for tuning in to this week's Breath of Life broadcast. 28:27 We hope and pray that you've been blessed by Dr. Byrd's inspirational message. 28:32 If you would like to hear this sermon in its entirety, 28:34 please feel free to visit us at www.breathoflife.tv. 28:40 Or, call us at (256) 929-6460. 28:46 [END] |
Revised 2020-11-16