A Monumental Task

A Monumental Task

Nehemiah 2: 9-20

Intro: In my preparation and study this week, I ran across something I would like to share with you this morning. The author of this is unknown but the words will stir your heart.

. I am a soldier in the army of my God. The Lord Jesus Christ is my commanding officer. The Holy Bible is my code of conduct; Faith, prayer and the Word are my weapons of warfare.

I have been taught by the Holy Spirit-- trained by experience, tried by adversity and tested by fire. I am a volunteer in this army, and I am enlisted for eternity.

I will either retire in this army at the rapture or die in this army; but I will not get out, sell out, be talked out, or pushed out. I am faithful, reliable, capable, and dependable.

If my God needs me, I am there. If He needs me in the Sunday school to teach the children, work with the youth, help adults or just sit and learn I’ll be there.

He can use me because I am there! I am a soldier. I am not a baby. I do not need to be pampered, petted, primed up, pumped up, picked up, or pepped up. I am a soldier.

No one has to call me, remind me, write me, visit me, entice me, or lure me. I am a soldier. I am not a wimp. I am in place saluting my King, obeying His orders, praising His name, and building His kingdom!

No one has to send me flowers, gifts, food, cards, candy or give me handouts. I do not need to be cuddled, cradled, cared for, or catered to. I am committed. I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around.

I cannot be discouraged enough to turn me aside. I cannot lose enough to cause me to quit. If I end up with nothing, I will still come out ahead. I will win. My God has, and will continue, to supply all of my needs.

I am more than a conqueror. I will always triumph. I can do all things through Christ. Devils cannot defeat me. People cannot disillusion me. Weather cannot weary me. Sickness cannot stop me. Battles cannot beat me. Money cannot buy me.

Governments cannot silence me and hell cannot handle me. I am a soldier. Even death cannot destroy me.

For when my Commander calls me from this battlefield, He will promote me to Captain and then allow me to rule with Him. I am a soldier in the army and I’m marching, claiming victory.

I will not give up. I will not turn around. I am a soldier marching, heaven bound.

. Being a soldier for Christ is a monumental task isn’t it?

. There is an old saying that says nothing is too big for my God.

. When you have a monumental task, God will provide.

. In our scripture this morning, Nehemiah finally comes face to face with the task that God has placed upon Him.

. It’s time to move from vision to vocation.

. From dreams to details.

. In the past two sermons on Nehemiah we saw the vision and burden that God had placed in Nehemiah’s heart to rebuild the walls that lay in ruins back in Jerusalem.

. He had taken this vision to the King and God had used the pagan king to help bring about his pleasure.

. The King had given Nehemiah a leave of absence from his job as the King’s cupbearer to go and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

. He had also insured that Nehemiah would have the necessary materials to fulfill the vision that God had given him.

. When we last left Nehemiah he was giving all the credit to God.

. His last statement in verse 8 was this:

. And the King granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.

. Nehemiah knew that he had a monumental task ahead of him but he also knew that he would be successful because the gracious hand of God was on him.

. Let’s look at our scripture. Nehemiah 2:9-20

. 9When I came to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, I delivered the king’s letters to them. The king, I should add, had sent along army officers and horsemen to protect me.

10But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival, they were very displeased that someone had come to help the people of Israel.

11So I arrived in Jerusalem. Three days later,12I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding.