REBUILDING THE WALLS
LESSON 1
INTRODUCTION
Quick Outline
Scriptures for today:
Main text
Nehemiah 2:5 Nehemiah made a request of the King
Article I.
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 3
1.
A City Whose Wall Was Destroyed Was A Bad Thing: ........................................................................... 5
2.
What Do These Walls Represent To Us? ............................................................................................... 6
3.
SEVEN STEPS FOR REBUILDING YOUR WALLS ....................................................................................... 7
1.
Discovering Your Purpose (Why I Am I Here?) .................................................................................. 7
2.
Deciding On Your Plan
..................................................................................................................... 7
3.
Disciplining Yourself To Prepare ........................................................................................................ 7
4.
Drafting Your Players ......................................................................................................................... 7
5.
Digging Out Your Provision ................................................................................................................ 8
6.
Dying To The Process
....................................................................................................................... 8
7.
Dancing At The Party
....................................................................................................................... 8
CONCLUSION:................................................................................................................................................ 9
1
Memory Hook
Conviction
Today NOVA
Worship will
begin to refuel
it’s destiny
For to long we have
allow the hard time
to overcome our
lives Today we live
in victory
And I said to the king, “If it
please the king, and if your
servant has found favor before
you, send me to Judah, to the
city of my father’s tombs, that
I may rebuild it.”
Being prepared for
the challenges that
life will bring and
being determined to
overcome this world
First Key Point
Second Key Point
Third Key Point
Forth Key Point
Introduction
A city who’s walls
where destroyed
was a bad thing
What do the wall
represent to us
Seven steps to
rebuilding the walls
Nehemiah 2:5
Open to Attach
10 Things that could
be walls in your life
(top page 6)
Page 7 and 8
And I said to the king, “If it
please the king, and if your
servant has found favor before
you, send me to Judah, to the
city of my father’s tombs, that I
may rebuild it.”
Everyone in life experiences
times of crisis and difficulty;
times when our walls of security
crumble and fall. In some cases
these things happen for reasons
beyond our control, such as
storms, accidents, or as some
insurance policies read, “Acts of
God.” In other cases, these
things occur as a result of our
own ignorance and neglect.
587 BC Babylonians
70 Year Cyrus King of Persia let
the Jews return
92 years later our story begins
Conviction
For to long we have
allow the hard time to
overcome our lives
Today we live in victory
Ridicule
Made fun of
Main Verse
Nehemiah 2:5
Benefits
Nehemiah’s response
Nehemiah 1:4
Now it came about when I heard
these words, I sat down and wept and
mourned for days; and I was fasting
and praying before the God of
heaven.
Proverbs 6:6
Consider the ant, O sluggard,
observe her ways and be wise.
He Wept, Do you weep
I am your Nehemiah
today and I am here
to tell you it is time
to rebuild the walls
It is time to address
are rebuild the walls
in your life
Specific Action Steps
Benefits
Memory Hook
Walk and
demonstrate a like of
serving God living in
victory
Today NOVA
Worship will begin
to refuel it’s destiny
Identify what are the
wall holding you back
from God’s will
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REBUILDING YOUR WALLS
LESSON ONE
INTRODUCTION
Main Text:
Nehemiah 2:5
And I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor
before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my father’s tombs, that I may rebuild
it.”
Proverbs 6:6
Consider the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise.
INTRODUCTION
Everyone in life experiences times of crisis and difficulty; times when our walls of security crumble and
fall. In some cases these things happen for reasons beyond our control, such as storms, accidents, or as
some insurance policies read, “Acts of God.” In other cases, these things occur as a result of our own
ignorance and neglect.
History tells us that in about 587 B.C., the Babylonians invaded Judah and destroyed the city of
Jerusalem, along with Solomon’s temple.
II Chronicles 36:19
They burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem and burned
all its fortified buildings with fire and destroyed all its valuable articles and all
those who had escaped from the sword they carried away to Babylon.
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Important Fact: Once their wall of security was destroyed,
they themselves were taken captive as well.
About 70 years later, Cyrus became king of Persia. God began dealing with his heart and he
decided to let all of God’s people that chose to, return to Jerusalem. So, many of them chose to
return home. When we pick up the story in Nehemiah, the people of God had been at home in
Jerusalem for approximately 92 years.
Nehemiah 1:2-3
...that Hanani, one of my brothers, and some men from Judah came; and I asked
them concerning the Jews who had escaped and had survived the captivity, and
about Jerusalem. And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who
survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem
is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.”
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1. A City Whose Wall Was Destroyed Was A Bad Thing:
•
It left the city open for attack. •
It asked for ridicule from neighboring cities. •
Others made fun of the city of God. Nehemiah’s Response:
Nehemiah 1:4
Now it came about when I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned
for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
Important fact: Think about it; literally thousands of people had seen
what was left of the walls, the rubble, the debris, the ashes, but had done
nothing to restore or rebuild them—Why? I don’t know! Maybe the
challenge seemed impossible. Maybe they were waiting on someone else
to do it. They could have said, “What’s the use. Some other nation will
just come and tear it down again.” Whatever it was, it was a sad state.
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2. What Do These Walls Represent To Us?
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Home
Marriage
Relationships
Ministries
Churches
Business
Finances
Cities
Careers
Security
Proverbs 6:6
Consider the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise.
Nehemiah 2:5
And I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor
before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my father’s tombs, that I may rebuild
it.”
“Rebuild / Repair”: to seize; to be strong; to be courageous; to
strengthen; cure; to fortify; to heal; to conquer
Nehemiah 2:17
Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is
desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem
that we may no longer be a reproach.”
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3. SEVEN STEPS FOR REBUILDING YOUR WALLS
1. Discovering Your Purpose (Why I Am I Here?)
Nehemiah didn’t discover his purpose until he was confronted with a problem.
Nehemiah 1:4
Now it came about when I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned
for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
2. Deciding On Your Plan
Nehemiah could see the problem and the solution even though he had never been to Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 2:5
And I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor
before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild
it.”
3. Disciplining Yourself To Prepare
Nehemiah saw the big picture and prepared for it.
Nehemiah 2:7
And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me for the
governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass
through until I come to Judah...”
4. Drafting Your Players
The walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt because of Nehemiah’s ability to work with people and
lead them where they needed to go.
Nehemiah 2:18
And I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me, and also about
the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, "Let us arise and
build." So they put their hands to the good work.
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5. Digging Out Your Provision
Nehemiah trusted God to provide what he needed.
Nehemiah 2:20
So I answered them and said to them, "The God of heaven will give us success;
therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right, or
memorial in Jerusalem."
6. Dying To The Process
Construction doesn’t take place overnight. It takes place only through a process.
Nehemiah 4:6
So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for
the people had a mind to work.
Nehemiah 6:15
So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.
7. Dancing At The Party
After the wall was completed, Nehemiah threw a party! Choirs sang, a feast was prepared and
the Word of God was read.
Nehemiah 8:12
And all the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a
great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to
them.
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Article II.
CONCLUSION:
It’s time for you to begin rebuilding your wall. When Nehemiah issued the challenge, the people
responded the same way each of us needs to respond today.
Nehemiah 2:18
And I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me, and also about
the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, "Let us arise and
build." So they put their hands to the good work.
They made their choice. They went to work.
Isaiah 58:12
And those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will raise up the
age-old foundations; and you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer
of the streets in which to dwell.
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