The results of prayer

Sermon notes from Sunday 16 September 2018 am

Nehemiah 2 verses 1 - 11, 6 verse 18

I want us to bring us back to Nehemiah and the mindset he had.  Verse 15 chapter 6 tells us after 52 days the walls were completed.  It goes without saying if Nehemiah had not begun to build he would never have finished.  If we do not begin to do something we will never see it through.  It is easy to sit back and say "that could never be done" or "I wouldn`t have the time to do that" or "I wouldn`t have the ability to do it."  It was different for Nehemiah here.  It was God who placed this work in Nehemiah`s heart.  "I never told anyone what God had put in my heart to do in Jerusalem." (verse 12 chapter 2)  The task given by God was directed for him.  That is what makes the difference.  Our God does not fail or let us down.  He is with us every step of the way.  "The march of a thousand miles begins with the first step" a Chinese philospher said.  Chapter 1 verse 4 it all began with that one prayer.  What Nehemiah said came from that prayer.  Not just for the day but for several days, spending time in God`s presence.  4 things came out of that prayer.  The king`s heart was softened, Nehemiah`s resolve was strengthened, the people`s will was surrendered and the outcome was successful.  

The king`s heart was softened - verse 11.  Nehemiah turns it around to his own heart.  "Remember me today, will you remember me particularly in the sight of the king when I step into his presence, I will need his authority to leave the palace and go down to Jerusalem, you need to move in that situation Lord."  Maybe there is a situation you need to get before the Lord and say "I need you to move in a mighty way Lord."  How would he go into the presence of the king and tell him he had to go down to Jerusalem?  He was basically saying "I will secure the walls in Jerusalem, they will be a mighty nation again."  Maybe there is something in your life, in your family, in your home, you know what needs to be done but you cannot do it.  You need God today.  Nehemiah had a tremendous interest here in Jerusalem in the people of God, in the work of God.  It was coming from the heart.  Nehemiah was a very high, powerful individual in Shushan.  He was the kings cupbearer.  God was no doubt beginning to work in his heart.  When God begins to work in our hearts and all we can see is impossibilities that is natural.  Nehemiah was clear that God was speaking to him.  We read in chapter 2 that he never told anyone what God had put in his heart.  He went out at night and inspected the walls.  "If this was of God then God must work" Nehemiah was realistic.  "I had not before time sat in the king`s presence."  A time to be sad in the presence of the king meant death.  He could easily have taken Nehemiah out and put him to death.  Nehemiah knew he needed God to move.  He couldn`t approach the king himself.  Do we need God to move today in our family, in our circumstances?  Perhaps people who have never come to faith in Christ?  We need God to work, there is nothing we can do of ourselves.  We cannot convince them of getting saved.  We need God to work.  Nothing we can do of ourselves.  We cannot convince them of getting saved.  The only way is to get before God and pray for the situation.  Remember the queen Esther, a young woman who was married to the king of Persia.  In the kingdom was Haman who hated the Jewish nation.  He made a plot that he would put to death every Jewish man and woman, child, boy or girl.  Esther was the new queen, came to the kingdom at that time.  Mordecai was the uncle of Esther.  He knew what was happening.  He told Esther "you are going to have to make a stand, to go in before the king and explain what is happening and plead for mercy."  Maybe that is what we need to do today, to take a stand for God today.  Only then can we put feet to our prayers and become active.  Esther said it is not easy as you think.  Verse 11 of chapter 4 "all the kings servants and the people of the king`s provinces do know that whosoever whether man or woman shall come unto the king into the inner court who is not called."  There is but one law and that is to put to death everyone except to whom the king sets out the golden sceptre.  She needed to wait to be invited into the presence of the king.  She can only stand in a certain place waiting for the king to hold out that sceptre to her.  She was putting herself in danger.  She could have been put to death like Nehemiah, "nevertheless I am willing to risk that, go gather together all the Jews and fast ye for me."  Chapter 5 verses 1 and 2 after those days of fasting, God strengthened the kings heart and he invites Esther into his presence.  Is there a barrier in your life, something in your life you have to hold your hand up and say "I cannot move any further."  Is there a barrier to the preaching of God`s word today?  It will be answered only in the place of prayer.  We need to acknowledge it before God and allow him to work in our hearts.

Nehemiah`s resolve was strengthened - verse 2.  Nehemiah  knew what God had placed on his heart and what it would mean to him.  He got to prayer.  We have to step out.  "You can never taste the delights of the Lord until all on the altar you lay."  Maybe that is what we need to do today - leave it with the Lord.  He has told you what to do about it, now is the time to step out based on that word of the Lord.  Nehemiah was not strengthened while working in the palace but rather in the place of prayer.  Anything could happen to him including death.  "I was so strengthened".  Is there fear holding you back today?  You are afraid to take that step.  Maybe God is speaking to you about a work for him.  You need to step out and act on it.  Verse 2 Nehemiah had every right to be afraid.  The king asked him why he was afraid.  The first thought that came to Nehemiah meant death and executed.  That was the moment to pray.  He was sure he was in the centre of God`s will for his life.  God gave him the resolve in that moment to speak.  When Elijah went in before king Ahab with the word of God that there would be no rain for 3 years, the only place he proved God was standing before God.  We will face opposition when we are in these situations.  Mary broke an alabaster box to anoint Jesus` feet. The opposition came from God`s own people.  Sad today a lot happens like that, comes from God`s own people themselves.  God had now moved and sorted out the situation "grant me mercy in the sight of the king."  Remember the woman as they made their way to the sepulchre.  On the first day of the week only thought in their mind was who shall take the stone away.  Remember David facing the giant Goliath.  He was coming in the name of God of Israel.  Esther found that strength from God too.  For Nehemiah he fasted and prayed for 3 days and sought God`s will on the whole situation.

The people`s will was surrendered.  In chapter 2 verse 14 Nehemiah comes to Jerusalem, makes all the assessments, goes into the presence of the people.  A tremendous task.  How would he get through this?  Verse 18 "let us rise up and build so they strengthened their hands for this good work."  When this came to the ears of the people they surrendered.  All that came from this prayer meeting.  Here were a people sitting for the past 70 years, had enjoyed the blessing of God, taking them out of Babylon down to Jerusalem again.  What did they do?  They relaxed.  Didn`t do anything.  Nehemiah came down.  He told them what God wanted them to do and the people were challenged in their hearts.  As a result they rose up and said to Nehemiah "let us build." The church of Jesus, we ourselves, lack that commitment in this day." 

The task was successful - chapter 6 verse 15.  Our task will be successful.  We might never see great things happen, might never see it but it will be successful.  It will accomplish that for which I set it forth for.  Will you rise up today and say "let us build today, let us see the task of building the kingdom of God accomplished."