Title: A Year of Rebuilding
Text: Nehemiah Chapter 1
When I was asked to take up the role of youth pastor, that was sometime in October period, I began to pray and asked the Lord what was that which he wants to do in YIA. That time He told me two things.
1. Gather my people
2. A year of rebuilding
I obeyed the Lord and during the October and December period I began the process of gathering the youths in CHS. I sent out letters, informing them of the changes that would be taking place, the youth service that will be coming up and also the Youth Retreat in November. It was at the Youth Retreat that the fire of the Holy Spirit began to blaze once again as many of you made commitments during the altar call and were touched by the power of the Holy Spirit. As I looked back into the last two months, all I can say is that God is faithful in that which he had said, and that he had gather back His people whom he had chosen for Himself.
His second word to me was that the year 2000 is to be a year of rebuilding. Why is there a need for a rebuilding? For those of you who are new you may not know that the youth ministry in CHS used to be very famous amongst the churches in S’pore. The youth service was packed with young people, excited and on fire for God. Somehow the enemy had infiltrated into our camp and almost snuff out the work, which the Holy Spirit had, began.
The year 2000 is to be a year of rebuilding because I believed that God wants each and everyone of us to put our hands together and rebuild YIA.
Haggai 2:9 says that “The Glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house.”
This is what I believed will happen when all of us here put our hands together to rebuild this house, and that is YIA will surpass the glory of that which it was known for in the past.
A youth said “if the Youths ministry in the past is so good and yet almost of all them left, then the Youth Ministry now cannot be like that in the past anymore.” And I say amen to that, because I believed that the youth ministry which God is building will be a youth that is strong and will not only survive all storms, it will be victorious in every storm. Amen?
Now when it comes to the topic of rebuilding, it is inevitable for us to refer to the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah is all about rebuilding. It speaks about the call to rebuild, the process of rebuilding and the completion of the work of rebuilding.
The reason I felt led to share with u on the book of Nehemiah, for the next few weeks is because I believed that Nehemiah contains invaluable keys and principles which is applicable to us as we seek to rebuild YIA.
This afternoon I will be sharing on Nehemiah chapter 1.
1. The Report (1:3)
• The walls are broken
The walls are that which protects the city from the attacks of the enemy. When the walls are open the enemy can infiltrate easily into the city, sabotaging, creating chaos and even launched a direct frontal attack against the city.
The situation in YIA was somewhat similar. Somehow, the enemy had managed to break down the protective walls of the ministry and as a result many youths were attacked and backslided in their relationship with God. They lost the hunger for God and his presence and lost even the desire to be with the people of God. From a youth group that consist of about 200 young people we were left with less then 10.
• The gates are burned
The second report which Nehemiah received was that the gates of Jerusalem was burned. Now gates are always a representation of power and authority.
Again this situation is very similar to the situation in YIA, our gates have been burned, because for too long the Youths in this church have lost their sense of destiny. I believed with all my heart that the youth of this generation is a youth of destiny, destined by God to bring the fires of revival wherever they go. But we have lost the vision, we have become disillusion with the problems which we are facing. And because we lost the vision, we also lost that power and the authority given to us by the Holy Spirit to fullfil that very vision that was given to us.
If ever we want to build up this ministry to the point whereby it surpasses the glory of the former, than the walls need to be rebuilt and the gates needs to be restored.
This ministry must exist with a proper protective wall which is provided by God and this ministry must be heading towards the vision given by God and operated in the power and authority that is given by the Holy Spirit
How can we do so? Let’s look at Nehemiah response to the report regarding Jerusalem, for what Nehemiah did was foundational in the rebuilding process.
2. The Response (1:4-11)
• He wept and mourn
Though what’s happening in Jerusalem does not affect Nehemiah directly, Jerusalem was still so close to his heart that upon listening to the plight of Jerusalem it broke Nehemiah’s heart so much that he wept and mourn. This shows that Nehemiah loved Jerusalem very much. Though he was leading a comfortable life in Susa, he had a good occupation, he had all the power, yet his heart still contains the passion and love for Jerusalem. Why? Because He knows that he belongs to Jerusalem.
The first thing which is required of us if we want to rebuild this ministry is the question which you need to ask yourself. Is YIA so close to your heart? Do u love this youth group? Does your heart break when u see the enemy destroying this ministry?
• He fasted and prayed
The second thing, which Nehemiah did, was to fast and pray. You see though the physical wall of Jerusalem was broken, but in actual fact, it the spiritual wall of God’s protection that was missing. Nehemiah knew that the restoration of the physical wall could only be achieved if the spiritual wall of God’s protection is restored. He did this by fasting and praying.
I believed that if we want to see the YIA grew to a point whereby it surpasses the glory of the former, then there must be a restoration of prayer in our personal life and also prayer for the ministry.
If you have lost your prayer life and no longer spent time with God, then it is time to start praying once again. Nehemiah’s love and passion for Jerusalem drove him to fast and pray. Will you allow God to ignite the same love and passion in your heart for Youth in Action? Will that love and passion drive you to keep this ministry in prayer.
In regards to prayer, a prayer and intercession ministry will also be setup, because I believed that in order to have a strong ministry we need to have a group of intercessors that will cover this ministry in prayer.
• He repented
Nehemiah did not stop at praying and fasting. He dealt with his own life. He probably knew that sin is the greatest hindrance to the work of rebuilding which the Lord wants to do.
2 Chronicles 7:14 says that My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
In the history of the church, every revival is marked by the people of God turning away from their sins in repentance.
If we want to rebuild YIA then we have to allow the Holy Spirit to shine into the darkness in our heart and expose the wickedness that is within us.
Conclusion
I believed that Lord is calling each and everyone of us here, to put our hands together and be involve in the process of rebuilding this ministry. Nehemiah chapter one had set the pace for us to do so. I believed that the lord wants this ministry to be a powerful ministry that will touched and transformed and bring salvation to the lost. That’s our call that our destiny. But are u willing? Are u willing to response in the same manner as Nehemiah and bring restoration to this youth ministry?
