PLUGGING INTO POWER
Nehemiah Chapter 1
ILLUSTRATION
Back street in London is an old powerhouse that once shook all of England. You might be surprised at its size, no larger than a small bedroom. No generators, no nuclear reactors, just plain desk, lamp, old Greek Testament. Prayer room of John Wesley - shook the world with power.
ILLUSTRATION Little Boy Praying:
Tokyo. Tokyo.
Had a test today in geography.
Tokyo. Tokyo.
Praying that the capital of Iowa is Tokyo.
Lincoln: "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of those about me seemed insufficient for the day."
When is the last time you really prayed?
BACKGROUND:
NEHEMIAH
Born in captivity, of the tribe of Judah. His father as an unknown. Sixty years earlier his people had been pulled out of Jerusalem by Babyloni-ans. Raised among the decadence and wealth of the capitol of Babylon, the fabled city of SUSA.
CUPBEARER
A cup bearer is a combination of prime minister and "master of ceremonies" rolled into one office. Kings lived in isolation (intrigue and assas-sination a threat). They gravitate to wise and trusted men around them. He tested food, guarded sleeping quarters and would be general adviser and confident of the King.
THE VISIT OF HIS BROTHER
His brother Hanani came to see him in the month of Chislev (Novem-ber /December) in the twentieth year of the King Artaxerxes (445 B.C.).
BAD NEWS HANANI
Instead of seeing half full, sees half empty.
The kind of guy who can hardly wait for the future so he can look back on it with regret.
Every time smells flowers, looks around for the funeral.
Also, it is impossible to be truly prayerful and pessimistic at same time.
When Nehemiah asked about Jerusalem he received the disheartening news. The walls are still down. The spirit is down. The city is defenseless. Few lives there (no wonder!).
HOW GET IN THAT CONDITION: NEHEMIAH IN GENERAL HISTORY
Review how Kingdoms divided after Solomon. In 722 the northern Kingdom finally collapses under the Assyrians. By this time they were scat-tered, and many had married pagans, compromised their faith and caused the Jews continually problems. Since the chief city in that area was SAMARIA these were soon called SAMARITANS
The Southern Kingdom (Judah [and Benjamin]) survived but failed to learn. Eventually they were overrun by the Babylonians. Unlike the Assyr-ians, however, the Babylonians did not seek to destroy their national identity. They allowed them to stay together, worship God (usually). During the seven-ty years they were in "captivity" Babylon itself was overrun by the combined forces of the Medes and the Persians. King Cyrus, the new ruler, gave per-mission for some to return to Jerusalem.
Several groups returned over a period of fifteen years. The word on rebuilding was begun, but never finished.
Finally, during the reign of Artaxerces 1st Nehemiah came to Jerusalem. Morale was low. Wall was down. Rich exploiting the poor. Economic depression. Spiritual ignorance.
KNOWING THE NEED
Nehemiah was in Babylon, he felt powerless to help his people He turned to God as the only answer. All prayer must begin with knowledge of need. Alan Redpath (Victorious Christian Service Revell, 1958), "Much of our praying is just asking God to bless some folks that are ill, and to keep us plugging along. But prayer is not merely prattle: it is warfare."
Nehemiah met a pessimist, depressing person who loves to tell it like it is as long as it is bad.
But when the outlook is bad, try the uplook.
I. PRAISE
"Jehovah, God of heaven, the great and awesome God!"
The greater God becomes, the smaller his problem becomes. He begins with praise, expanding mind and faith in the presence of the all power-ful Creator of the Universe.
Praise of God’s attributes: character. "keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love Him and keep His commandments." Gives thanks even the midst of captivity. Does not let circumstances depress his praise.
ILLUSTRATION - LINCOLN
Toward end of Civil War Lincoln was seeing his usually endless stream of visitors on Thursday afternoon. The next one who entered was an elderly woman. "What may I do for you, Madam?" She put a basket on the desk in the oval office: "Mr. President, I am sorry to bother you. I do not even have any favor to ask of you. I am just so thankful for what you have done for our republic that I baked these cookies and wanted you and Mrs. Lincoln to have them." Silence. Tears trickled down the gaunt tired face of the 16th President. In nearly four years of toil and labor, she was the first who came just to say thanks.
APPLICATION - PRAISE GOD - PRACTICE PRAISE!!
II. PETITION (REQUEST)
His attitude is one of earnest persistence based on his faith in God’s character and God’s willingness to respond to the needs of his people. Begins by asking for God’s attention. "Hey God. listen to me!!" Not arrogant, but expression of faith in God and the importance of his entreaty.
Trench, "Prayer is laying hold of God’s highest willingness."
James: YOU HAVE NOT BECAUSE YOU ASK NOT!
GOD ANSWERS PRAYER!
III. PERSEVERE
Many today follow the same pattern, but with no results: they fail to persevere! Nehemiah continued to pray for his people "day and night". He did not just promise to pray about something and forget (as we sometimes do)
Neither did he pray and pray and leave "everything up to the Lord." God is not a bellhop we ring for service when we don’t want to carry the luggage of life. He knew that when God works in the world, He often works through people, and if you pray for something, you’d better be ready to be used by God to help answer your own prayer.
To pray is to perceive God’s working and to be willing to serve Him to help bring about the answer.
Nehemiah continued this prayer for four months. From December to April.
ILLUSTRATION
George Mueller prayed for five dear friends to come to Christ. Fifty-two years later George Mueller lay on his death bed. Four of the five had come to Christ. One had not. Among his last prayers for a final prayer for this last friend. A few months later the man, in a distant city, came to Christ.
IV. PENITENCE
Why do some prayers that are made with worship and entreaty and even persevered in, still remain ineffective? (assuming within the Will of God) Because there is a barrier to God answering them. The barrier of unforgiven, unconfessed and unrepentant sin.
BARRIERS_TO_ANSWERED_PRAYERS
When Israel rebelled against the Lord in the Exodus:
Deut. 1:45 "THEN YOU RETURNED AND WEPT BEFORE THE LORD, BUT THE LORD DID NOT LISTEN TO YOUR VOICE, NOR GIVE EAR TO YOU."
Psalm 66:18
"IF I GIVE MY HEART OVER TO WICKEDNESS, THE LORD WILL NO LONGER HEAR ME."
I Peter 3:7
"IN THE SAME WAY, HUSBANDS LIVE WITH UNDERSTANDING TOWARD YOUR WIVES, AS A FRAGILE VESSEL, AND AS BEING EQUAL HEIRS OF THE GRACE OF LIFE, SO THAT YOUR PRAYERS WILL NOT BE HINDERED."
ILLUSTRATION
GOING TO DENTIST AS A CHILD - WANT RELIEIF NOT REPENTENCE
Nehemiah prays about the unconfessed sin of his people. "WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST THEE." And getting even more personal, "I AND MY FATHER’S HOUSE HAVE SINNED." No excuses, confession and repentance.
Does not just confess GENERALLY but gets specific:
1:7
1. Acted very corruptly against thee
2. Not kept thy statutes
3. Not kept thy ordinances
4. Violated the covenant given to us from Moses
CONCLUSION
ILLUSTRATION Bridge between Philadelpha and Camdem
Begin with single stran of twine.
Unclaimed Insurance
To most people, the great depression of the 30s has been forgotten in the wave of prosperity that followed. Out of those hard times, however, came a story which has a strange ending yet teaches us a powerful lesson.
When a timid old lady approached the first desk she saw in an insurance office in Minneapolis, she was asked what she wanted. With trembling hand, she took from her well-worn purse an old policy and explained regretfully that she was unable to meet the current premium. She explained that it was hard for her to get work and what little she did get was hardly enough to clothe, feed her and keep a roof over her head.
After quick investigation, the clerk recognized that the policy was very valuable. He warned the old lady that she was making an unwise move to stop payment. Did not her husband have anything to say? It was his policy made out to her benefit, he explained. "My husband? Oh, he has been dead for three years," she remarked sadly.
Immediately the company officials went into action. They soon discovered that she was indeed telling the truth. What she didn’t understand was that the policy was her husband’s and that she was the beneficiary at his death. They were thus obligated to refund the overpaid premiums plus the full amount for which the husband had insured his life in her favor. The money was sufficient to keep her in comfort the rest of her life.
Listen: The greatest life insurance policy of all time became due when Jesus Christ died on the cross! Thousands of people continue trying to make payments on their own salvation while all they need to do is accept the immeasurable gift that is theirs through the death and resurrection of our Savior.
To become the beneficiary of God’s Life Insurance Policy, we need simply to acknowledge our need as sinners and thank Him for the gift of His only begotten Son who died on the Cross and rose again (II Cor. 9:15) that we might have God’s forgiveness.
