Remember The Lord!

Nehemiah 4:10-15

“Remember the Lord!”

8/17/2025

Intro: Nehemiah was neither a prophet nor a scribe. He was the cupbearer for the Persian King Artaxerxes. After Ezra the scribe led a group of Israelites back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. The Persian King allowed Nehemiah to lead another group to rebuild the walls that were previously destroyed by Assyria and Babylon. As our reading begins, the Israelites are in the process of rebuilding the walls. It would have been difficult and backbreaking work for those involved, but it was necessary if they were to be safe from the attacks of their enemies and if they were going to worship God as His Law commanded them. As they labored to build the walls, they faced constant opposition to their work. They became weary and they became discouraged, but they never stopped their work. In a sense you and I are wall builders as well. We are building walls between the world and the things of God. We build walls that separate our lives from the ungodliness that surrounds us on every side. We build walls that are designed to protect the people and things we love from outside attack and destruction. I am sure you agree with me that there are times when we tend to become discouraged? There are times when we grow weary in the process of Kingdom building and becoming all that God called us to be. I believe that there are some truths contained in this passage that can help us remain strong and active in the struggle to work for God and protect His people from the enemy.

I. REMEMBER HIM IN THE FEAR - You Don't Have To Look For Trouble, It Knows Where To Find You! That is a truth we know all too well. If we are truly serving the Lord with fervency and dedication, we can be assured that trouble will arise, Jesus says, in John 16 in the world you will have trouble, but be of good cheer I have overcome the world. Paul teaches in 2 Timothy 3:12 “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

A. It Will Come From Without - In the form of Intimidation, v.7-8 (Sanballat & Tobiah with false reports and false prophets),v.11; Those who don’t know the Lord are often the first to attack the lives we live and the service we render to the Lord. We should not be surprised when attacks come from without, Jesus said in John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

B. It Will Come From Within - In the form of Discouragement, v. 12; It rarely shocks us when trouble comes from without, but when it arises within, it often leaves us devastated! We should not be surprised when attacks come from within, Jesus said, “Have I not chosen 12 and 1 of you is the devil?” Verse 12 says that even the Jews who lived nearby told them 10 times that the enemy was surrounding them! The Apostle Paul said to the Romans, "We who are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak!"

II. REMEMBER HIM IN THE FAITH - I Have Found That The Best Defense Is A Good Offense! When trouble came, Nehemiah went on the offensive. He devised a great strategy for battle. He encouraged attitudes that need to be implemented in the church today!

A. Be Prayerful - v. 9 (We made our prayer unto God) Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. The Psalmist reminded us in 50:15 that God said, “And call upon me in the Day of Trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” The Apostle said in 1 John 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

B. Be Watchful - v. 9 – (We made our prayer unto God and we set a watch against them day and night) Prayer should always be coupled with watchfulness! Jesus commanded His disciples to "watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation", Matthew 26:41. (From that time forth half worked in the wall and half held spears and the half who worked had a sword on their side). Solomon said in Proverbs 4, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

III. REMEMBER HIM IN THE FIGHT - Some Things in This Life Are Worth Fighting For! Our Faith Is Worth Fighting For - remember the Lord, which is great and awesome - Their enemies did not want them to sacrifice to the Lord. They did not want them to engage in His worship. We have already allowed the enemy to: *Silence our praise *Empty our altars *Extinguish our testimony But its not too late! Our Faith is worth fighting for! Nahum 1:7 says, “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the Day of Trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.” The Lord said to Jeremiah while he was in prison (33), “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”