Breaking Down Barriers & Building Up The Wall (Pt. 6) Series

Breaking Down Barriers & Building Up The Wall (Pt. 6)

Sermon – 1 August 2004

As I have been preaching through this sermon God has been doing extraordinary things in our midst which we have spoken of.

I sincerely believe that as we seek to know, understand, share and communicate God’s heart in all things we will know the blessings of God in greater and greater ways.

This is a truth that is applicable not only in our corporate life as a body of believers but also in our personal lives.

Obviously our focus in this regard over the last six weeks or so has been on unity within the body of Christ. It is my sincere belief that as we continue to seek after God’s heart in this way we will see a sovereign and continuing move of God in our midst and in this city.

Share from article form PE.

What is happening in this article, and what is happening in this city is happening in cities all over the country.

We cannot help but see God’s hand of blessing – not because we are seeking blessing necessarily but because He will command His blessing!

Psalm 133:1-3b

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity…3bFor there the LORD commanded the blessing -- Life forevermore.

Where God commanded His blessing before He will do it again!

To that end we have discussed a lot regarding unity – specifically breaking down walls of division that are a hindrance to the work of the Lord…

1) Geographical barriers –

2) Ethnic Barriers –

3) Cultural Barriers –

4) Religious Barriers –

5) Historical Barriers –

6) Personal Barriers –

7) Spiritual Barriers –

Over the last two weeks we have looked at building up the wall…

1. Take Up Our Positions – Simply by faith taking up our position on the wall, in other words taking up our position in the Kingdom of God.

Let me be brutally honest, we cannot even take the first step toward breaking down barriers and building up the wall if we will not first stand up and be counted among God’s people.

One thing the enemy is using in a very effective way in the church is simply causing people to stay away from church for myriad reasons.

Put to death the flesh!

I understand that there are times when we are very sick or family emergencies come up and we simply cannot make it but church should be our priority of first importance.

No one grows spiritually and works effectively who is not heartily committed to a local congregation.

There are Christians TODAY who will risk their lives to get to and be in church – How about you?

2. Take Out The Past - Nehemiah 4:10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall."

We must get rid of the rubble of our past defeats and deafen our ears to the taunts of the enemy.

3. Take Down Satan’s Plot – Nehemiah 4:11

Our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work."

The bible says we are not unaware of the Devil’s schemes. His greatest scheme is to cause hurt and unforgiveness within the church – to get in among us and cause us to “kill” one another.

4. Take On God’s Plan – Nehemiah 4:14,15

After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." 15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work.

We must make God’s plan our plan, God’s will our will, God’s desires our desires

We simply need to pray that powerful two word prayer…”yes, Lord.”

Today will be the last sermon in this series but certainly no the end of our time in focusing on the need to seek after and maintain unity within our own body and the Church at large.

Take Up Our Positions, Take Out The Past, Take Down Satan’s Plot, Take On God’s Plan….

Read Main Text: Nehemiah 6:5-16

1) Take Heed and Persevere –

Nehemiah 6:10-13

10 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you." 11 And I said, "Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!" 12 Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me.