The Cost of the Crown: Why God Fights for the Faithful

• Spiritual Warfare and Opposition [00:06:48 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor identifies Sanballat as a type of Satan (Adversary) and argues that opposition is inevitable whenever the kingdom of God advances in a believer's life, church, or family.
• Prayer and Perseverance [00:12:40 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor emphasizes that believers must pray and keep working; stopping the work of God allows the devil to gain ground, whereas perseverance demonstrates faith in God's battle.
• The Will of God [00:11:11 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor connects Nehemiah's bold prayer to being in the center of God's will, suggesting that faith in prayer is contingent upon knowing and doing God's will.
• Spiritual Warfare and Opposition [00:13:42 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explains that effectiveness in God's kingdom invites greater attack, but believers are safe because the Holy Spirit within them is greater than Satan.
• The Danger of Distraction and Worldliness [00:14:25 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that the devil's primary goal is not necessarily to kill believers but to keep them occupied with meaningless worldly pursuits (like collecting seashells) so they stop doing God's work.
• Confusion and 'Fake News' [00:18:22 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the biblical account of Nehemiah to illustrate how the enemy uses confusion and 'fake news' (false reports of weakness or impending attack) to paralyze believers.
• Humility and Divine Empowerment [00:23:44 ▶️ 📄]
  > Referencing 1 Peter 5, the pastor connects Nehemiah's actions to the biblical principle that God gives grace to the humble, and true strength comes from being in God's will rather than doing one's own work.
• Spiritual Warfare and Vigilance [00:25:22 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts the believer's need to be sober and vigilant against the devil with the futility of resisting Satan through self-reliance, emphasizing that strength comes from being clothed in God's armor and doing God's will.
• Divine Empowerment vs. Human Effort [00:30:32 ▶️ 📄]
  > Using Zechariah 4:6, the pastor argues that building the church and overcoming obstacles is not by 'might, nor by power,' but by God's Spirit, using the analogy of gardening to show that only God causes true spiritual growth.
• The Necessity of Self-Denial [00:34:44 ▶️ 📄]
  > Citing Matthew 16:24, the pastor asserts that salvation and true Christian living require denying oneself and taking up one's cross, warning that trying to 'save' one's own life or plans results in losing it.
• Cultural and Spiritual Confusion [00:35:33 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor describes the current state of America and the church as an 'utter state of confusion' where moral boundaries are blurred, leading people to seek comfort in religion or substances rather than true faith in God's power.
• Self-Denial and Salvation [00:39:11 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that attempting to save one's own life leads to eternal loss, whereas losing one's life for Jesus results in finding true life and purpose.
• The Lordship of Christ [00:42:49 ▶️ 📄]
  > Defining 'Lord Jesus' as absolute authority over money, time, affections, and actions, requiring total submission to His Word.
• Christ's Victory Over Satan [00:45:07 ▶️ 📄]
  > Describing how Christ, clad in spiritual armor and wielding the Sword of the Word, defeated Satan in the wilderness and on the cross, spoiling principalities and powers.
• The Second Coming and Final Judgment [00:47:21 ▶️ 📄]
  > Interpreting Revelation 19 to show Christ returning as King of Kings to fight the final battle, destroying the beast and false prophet, and executing judgment on God's enemies.
• Eternal Hope and Restoration [00:51:13 ▶️ 📄]
  > Looking forward to the New Heaven and New Earth where God dwells with His people, wiping away all tears, death, and pain.
• Eternal Victory and New Creation [00:50:59 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor quotes Revelation 21 to describe the new heaven, new earth, and God dwelling with His people, wiping away all tears and ending death and pain.
• The Invitation to Salvation [00:52:35 ▶️ 📄]
  > An invitation is extended from Jesus, not the pastor, to receive the 'water of life' freely, emphasizing that life is found only in Christ.
• Spiritual Warfare and Steadfastness [00:53:34 ▶️ 📄]
  > Believers are called to 'stand and hold that authority,' fighting the good fight of faith against fear, Satan, and worldly distractions, relying on the foundation of God's Word.
• Rejection of Worldly Confusion [00:54:32 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor critiques socialism and communism as failed ideologies that cause confusion, attributing this disarray to the devil's hindrance, and contrasts it with the clarity found in trusting Christ.
• Sacrifice and Eternal Perspective [00:55:22 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor addresses potential sacrifices like selling homes or losing income, urging believers to prioritize Jesus over material possessions which cannot be taken into eternity.

• Sermon Illustration [00:05:49 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses a hypothetical illustration of driving down the road at 175 miles an hour to question whether God would fight for someone in an illegal or sinful endeavor, contrasting it with doing what is right.
• Sermon Illustration [00:07:50 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor describes a 'casual Christianity' where a person only attends church when convenient, likes the preacher, and expects to be told they are good, rich, and healthy, noting that this is exactly where the devil wants the believer because they are not a threat.
• Sermon Illustration [00:14:33 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses a sarcastic analogy of a believer spending their life on vacation, collecting seashells, and attending raves to illustrate a 'meaningless, purposeless life' that pleases the devil.
• Sermon Illustration [00:16:36 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references the Supreme Court debating gender definitions ('What's a boy? What's a girl?') as an example of modern confusion that paralyzes effectiveness.
• Sermon Illustration [00:17:10 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses Barack Obama's campaign slogan 'progress' to illustrate that progress is useless if you are heading in the wrong direction ('down a road where the drink is out').
• Sermon Illustration [00:25:08 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references the image of workers in Nehemiah having one hand on the trowel and one hand on the sword to illustrate the need for being sober and vigilant.
• Sermon Illustration [00:30:48 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the analogy of gardening: a person can provide fertilizer, seed, soil, and water, but cannot command the plants to grow; only God can cause true growth in the spiritual realm.
• Sermon Illustration [00:32:51 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explains the architectural importance of the cornerstone: it sets the vertical and horizontal direction for the entire wall, illustrating that Christ is the foundational starting point and the ultimate 'headstone' for the church.
• Sermon Illustration [00:38:46 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references a personal anecdote about attending a large church where he was baptized ('thrown in a big thing of water') and told he was saved, but critiques this as lacking the necessary decision to 'lose one's life' for Christ.
• Sermon Illustration [00:37:13 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor observes the proliferation of cannabis signs along I-77 from Statesville to Mooresville and comments on the prevalence of mind-altering drugs in America as evidence of a society lacking purpose and meaning.
• Sermon Illustration [00:37:46 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts the peace of a believer 'marching to Zion' with the reality of alcoholics who drink to 'take the edge off' reality because they lack purpose and faith. He also references a personal anecdote of attending a church where someone was baptized but had not truly made the decision to lose their life.
• Sermon Illustration [00:41:16 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor cites Jonathan Edwards, using the analogy that if one refuses to bow to King Jesus, the air 'loathes' filling their lungs and the ground 'refuses' to support them, illustrating how creation rebels against sinful man.
• Sermon Illustration [00:45:07 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the imagery of Christ suiting up in spiritual armor (cloak of zeal, breastplate of righteousness, helmet of salvation) and wielding the Sword of the Word to defeat Satan during the temptation in the wilderness.
• Sermon Illustration [00:48:28 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts the 'Marriage Supper of the Lamb' with the 'Supper of the Great God,' where birds gather to eat the flesh of the kings and mighty men who opposed Christ, illustrating the finality of judgment.
• Sermon Illustration [00:54:45 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references the historical example of the Pilgrims starving to death when they attempted to live under communal/socialist principles, using this to argue that such systems fail and cause confusion.
• Sermon Illustration [00:55:22 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses a rhetorical scenario of a believer having to sell their 'beautiful home,' 'yacht on the lake,' or stop making 'big money' to illustrate the potential cost of discipleship and the futility of clinging to material wealth.

• Pastoral Charge [00:06:18 ▶️ 📄]
  > Cease any life activity or endeavor that is not aligned with faith in God's support.
• Pastoral Charge [00:12:51 ▶️ 📄]
  > Continue spiritual labor and prayer despite demonic opposition.
• Pastoral Charge [00:11:48 ▶️ 📄]
  > Daily seek God's specific will and direction for one's life.
• Pastoral Charge [00:24:50 ▶️ 📄]
  > To humble oneself under God and cast all anxieties upon Him.
• Pastoral Charge [00:25:58 ▶️ 📄]
  > To actively resist the devil and remain steadfast in faith.
• Pastoral Charge [00:29:14 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor invites the congregation to turn to the book of Zechariah and revisit the church's vision statement.
• Pastoral Charge [00:34:38 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor directs the congregation to turn their Bibles to Matthew 16:24.
• Pastoral Charge [00:39:07 ▶️ 📄]
  > Decide to lose one's life for Christ's sake
• Pastoral Charge [00:42:31 ▶️ 📄]
  > Confess Jesus as Lord and believe in His resurrection for salvation
• Pastoral Charge [00:55:36 ▶️ 📄]
  > To get serious about Jesus Christ, stop being afraid, and trust in God.
• Pastoral Charge [00:54:10 ▶️ 📄]
  > To stand firm in their spiritual authority and actively advance Christ's kingdom daily.

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:00:00] We'll be in Nehemiah chapter 4 if you want to turn there. Nehemiah chapter 4. We continue our series in Nehemiah. Our message today is entitled, Our God Shall Fight For Us. And that comes from the chapter itself. So without further ado, let's read the chapter. Nehemiah chapter 4, verse 1.
[00:00:38] took great indignation and mocked the Jews, and he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria and said, What do these feeble Jews? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish which are
[00:00:56] burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.
[00:01:10] Hear, O our God, for we are despised, and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity, and cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee,
[00:01:22] for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.
[00:01:28] So built we the wall, and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof, for the people had a mind to work, If you remember last week we read to that point and we said the word there for mind is also heart
[00:01:43] or maybe even more literally heart.
[00:01:46] The people had a heart to work.
[00:01:49] Verse 7.
[00:02:07] and to hinder it. Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night because of them. And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish, so that we are not able to build the wall. And
[00:02:25] our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them and slay them and cause the work to cease verse 12 and it came to pass that when the jews
[00:02:38] which dwelt by them came they said unto said unto us 10 times from all places whence you shall return unto us they will be upon you therefore said i in the lower places behind the wall and
[00:02:53] on the higher places i even set the people after their families with their swords their spears and their bows. And I looked and rose up and said unto the nobles and to the rulers and to the rest of
[00:03:03] the people, be not ye afraid of them. Remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses. It came to pass when our
[00:03:17] enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to naught, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work. And it came to pass from that time forth
[00:03:30] that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons, and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
[00:03:44] They which builded on the wall, and they that bear burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work and with the other hand held a weapon and the builders
[00:03:56] every one had his sword girded by his side and so builded and he that sounded the trumpet was by me and i said unto the nobles and to the rulers and to the rest of the people the work is great and
[00:04:10] large and we are separated upon the wall one from another in what place thereof you hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us, our God shall fight for us.
[00:04:22] So we labored in the work, and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
[00:04:29] Likewise, at the same time said I unto the people, let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us and labor on the day.
[00:04:40] So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that everyone put them off for washing.
[00:04:53] Let's pray.
[00:04:54] Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this precious part of your Holy Word.
[00:04:59] Help us, Lord, as we learn the truth of what took place some 2,400 years ago, that you would speak to us by your Spirit these truths that we need to hear this very day in our individual lives, in our families,
[00:05:15] Praise in our church and as a nation for your glory, honor, and praise.
[00:05:20] We pray in Christ's name. Amen.
[00:05:24] Our God will fight for us.
[00:05:29] Nehemiah, I think, was sure of it.
[00:05:34] Are you able to say that every day and everything that you do and every endeavor that you undertake and every decision you make?
[00:05:42] If it doesn't work out the way I want, I know my God will fight for me in doing what I'm doing right now.
[00:05:49] And if there's ever a time that you're doing something, like traveling down the road at 175 miles an hour, that you might have a question about whether or not God would fight for you with the policeman, for example, just an illustration.
[00:06:10] Maybe we shouldn't be doing that.
[00:06:14] Now, take that to whatever other illustration might work in your life.
[00:06:18] Is there anything in our life that we do that we can't say with faith that, and in this, our God will fight for us. And if there is, we need to stop doing it. God help us.
[00:06:33] Amen? I got a few. So what we have here is this beautiful picture of the people of God, the kingdom of God. They're rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. And this is a picture of building the church,
[00:06:48] really. And whenever the work of the kingdom is being done, you can count on it, there will be opposition. And where you see the word Sanbalat, the name of this pagan, really, Sumerian, you might as well just put Satan in for his name. Because after all, what does Satan mean?
[00:07:08] Adversary. Very good. So verse 1, but it came to pass that when Sanbalat, Satan essentially, of course, he's not Satan, but Satan is pushing, heard that we built the wall, he was wroth. Why do you care if I build a wall? Isn't it something you build a wall and people get all upset? Isn't
[00:07:25] that something? Same devil. So Sanballat heard that we built the wall. He was wroth. He was angry and took great indignation and mocked the Jews. Why is he angry that they're building a wall?
[00:07:38] Because the kingdom of God is advancing. Anytime the kingdom of God is advancing in your life, in the church, in your family, in the nation, Satan is not pleased and there will be opposition.
[00:07:50] That's why it's so nice to just have a casual Christianity.
[00:07:57] I go whenever it's convenient.
[00:08:00] I like the preacher.
[00:08:01] He tells me how good I am and how everything is wonderful and how I'm going to be rich and healthy and how much I've impressed God by coming to church once every six or ten weeks or whatever.
[00:08:15] And I really leave there feeling lifted up.
[00:08:19] And that's exactly where the devil wants you.
[00:08:21] because you're no threat to him whatsoever.
[00:08:25] You're doing nothing to build the kingdom of God.
[00:08:28] I'm not talking to you.
[00:08:29] You're here today.
[00:08:31] Most of you that I know are here on a regular basis.
[00:08:34] But am I not speaking to so many in America today?
[00:08:39] That's a great illustration.
[00:08:40] We didn't plan that, actually.
[00:08:41] That's the devil.
[00:08:42] Ah, you've got another microphone?
[00:08:44] I don't know.
[00:08:45] I'm not sure.
[00:08:45] Let's stick with this for now, just for the sake of simplicity.
[00:08:51] I'll try to stay here. So, there's your illustration. Whenever you're trying to speak about serious things about the Lord, the devil is not pleased. Whenever you are trying to do an endeavor to build the kingdom of God, the devil is
[00:09:09] not pleased. But as long as you have, you're not a Christian, or you're doing nothing to advance the gospel in your individual life, in your family, in the church the devil is most pleased because then you have a false hope oh i'm good i'm saved i said a
[00:09:26] prayer i'm on my way to heaven that's what it's all about no no we're to be fighting day by day we're to be growing we're to be uh advancing the gospel we're to be advancing the glory of god
[00:09:38] if no other way in our home on our knees in prayer before the king of kings and so what we see here is as they are doing the work of God, immediately there's opposition.
[00:09:49] And initially, it comes in the form, as you see in verse 2, of mocking, ridicule, and derision.
[00:09:57] Anyone ever been mocked for their faith?
[00:10:00] Jesus says, if so, rejoice.
[00:10:03] He says, blessed are you when you are persecuted and reviled for my name's sake.
[00:10:08] They did the same thing to the prophets.
[00:10:10] Did they ever make fun of Jesus?
[00:10:12] Oh, yeah, can't a good thing come from Nazareth?
[00:10:14] of course that was one of his disciples he didn't know but uh then later uh you know go and see no prophet comes out of galilee you know who is this galilean ah he's no good he's a trickster he's a
[00:10:25] fraud they even said he was demon possessed blasphemy blaspheming the holy spirit mocking derision ridicule uh the devil is angry what's the response well i can make fun of you better than you can make fun of me watch this no nehemiah goes to the lord in prayer verse three and four
[00:10:44] and actually verse four and five he prays now in this case he prays for god uh to turn their reproach on their own head and not to forgive their sins for uh what they're doing now we
[00:10:58] understand the old testament's a bit different here but nevertheless nehemiah is certain that what he is doing is what God would be pleased for him to do. He is right in the center of God's will
[00:11:11] as an individual believer and as the man God has chosen, brought all the way from Persia to come and lead this effort. And so he prays in faith. Notice when we pray, sometimes does God answer
[00:11:26] our prayers? Does he really hear? Am I praying in the will of God? If you want to know, make sure you're in the will of God. If you're not in the will of God and you're not
[00:11:38] sure that you're doing the will of God, how can you have faith to pray that God will bless you? But Nehemiah is absolutely certain. And that's the way we should be day by day.
[00:11:48] I know that we have different callings. Some of us work, some of us are retired, some in school, whatever it may be. But every day we need to be seeking the Lord's will in the morning.
[00:11:58] Seeking our marching orders. We're called the church militants until we get to heaven. Then we're the church at rest.
[00:12:04] And this is the picture we have here.
[00:12:06] And so he knows this is God's battle, not Nehemiah's battle.
[00:12:11] And so he goes and takes refuge to the Lord in prayer.
[00:12:15] And after he prays, notice verse 6, So built we the wall, and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof, for the people had a mind to work.
[00:12:24] So here's opposition, and what's the opposition for?
[00:12:29] The whole point is to get you to stop doing the work of the Lord.
[00:12:32] That's the whole point.
[00:12:34] And so notice, he prayed and he kept working.
[00:12:40] When you're doing the will of God, the devil will do all he can to get you to stop.
[00:12:44] And one thing that you absolutely cannot do is stop.
[00:12:49] You have to keep going.
[00:12:51] Pray and keep working.
[00:12:52] Because if you stop, the devil has more.
[00:12:56] And so that's why he says, for the people had a mind to work.
[00:13:00] The people had a heart to work.
[00:13:02] But there are many challenges.
[00:13:03] Now that they began to build the wall up to the half thereof, it says in verse 6, now Sanballat hears about this.
[00:13:12] Remember before he was raw, he was angry?
[00:13:15] In verse 1, but now look at verse 7.
[00:13:17] Yes, I like the hope.
[00:13:19] Please don't make me angry.
[00:13:20] Here he's very angry.
[00:13:21] But it came to pass that when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabians and the Ammonites and the Ashtoreths heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up and that the breaches began to be stopped,
[00:13:32] then they were very wrong.
[00:13:34] The more effective you are for God's kingdom, expect greater challenge, greater attack.
[00:13:42] But praise the God, if you're a believer, you don't have to worry because greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.
[00:13:48] The Holy Spirit in me is infinitely greater than the power of Satan.
[00:13:52] Though Satan's power be much greater than yours and mine put together, and yet the power of God inside of me is infinitely greater than the power of Satan.
[00:14:01] He doesn't say this for us to be afraid or not to be afraid, for God's not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind, but for us to be aware.
[00:14:15] To be aware, and not to be surprised.
[00:14:18] Because the devil, all he wants to do is get you to stop doing what God wants you to do.
[00:14:25] And as long as you're in neutral, enjoying Vanity Fair and the things of the world, the The devil is pleased.
[00:14:31] Hey, go on a vacation.
[00:14:33] Get ready to go on myself.
[00:14:35] Lord have mercy.
[00:14:36] And go have fun.
[00:14:39] And just, you know, spend all your money on all kinds of material things.
[00:14:43] And spend all your time on things that have no eternal consequence whatsoever.
[00:14:48] And just have the time of your life.
[00:14:49] And why don't you spend retirement going all over the world and collecting seashells off various beaches.
[00:14:54] And, you know, going and hearing, you know, poetic essays, raves and all.
[00:14:59] Not that these things are bad, but if that's what you spend your life on, you have a meaningless, purposeless life.
[00:15:07] Amen?
[00:15:10] And you cannot say when trouble comes, well, my God will fight for me.
[00:15:15] Why? So you can go find some more seashells?
[00:15:17] Why would God fight for you so you can go ahead and waste the rest of your life that he's given you for no purpose?
[00:15:26] See, the devil doesn't have to win.
[00:15:27] He doesn't have to get you to go to the Satan's house of worship.
[00:15:30] All he has to do is to keep you from doing the Lord's work.
[00:15:34] If he keeps you occupied with yourself and all the things you like to do, and it's just all about you, just like that song, very good.
[00:15:42] Thank you, Steve, Brother John.
[00:15:44] Then he's already won.
[00:15:46] God forbid.
[00:15:47] May it not be so for us.
[00:15:49] And so now he's very rough because there's progress being made.
[00:15:53] Remember in Proverbs, we've been studying Sunday school, 29, 25, The fear of man bringeth a snare, a trap, but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
[00:16:06] Praise God.
[00:16:08] And I think this fits here with Nehemiah and for us.
[00:16:12] And so what did they do?
[00:16:13] They conspired, all of them together, to come and to fight against Jerusalem, verse 8, and to hinder it.
[00:16:19] Interesting, some of your translations will have a different word than hinder there.
[00:16:22] the Hebrew word there might very well be rendered and to cause confusion.
[00:16:29] How does the devil paralyze us, get us confused?
[00:16:34] Now, I don't understand that, Pastor Joseph.
[00:16:36] Well, what are they debating in the Supreme Court?
[00:16:40] What's a boy?
[00:16:42] What's a girl?
[00:16:43] I don't know what a girl is.
[00:16:45] Well, that sounds good to me.
[00:16:47] Go ahead and be a Supreme Court justice.
[00:16:50] Is that called confusion?
[00:16:53] Confusion.
[00:16:53] If we don't even know what a boy and a girl is, if we don't know up and down, if we don't know white and black and yes and no, if we don't even know there's such things as opposites,
[00:17:03] if we can't understand that, how are we ever going to be effective for anything?
[00:17:09] How can we make progress?
[00:17:10] You know, I remember Barack Obama's campaign was one word, progress.
[00:17:15] Well, progress sounds good, but if you're going 100 miles an hour down a road where the drink is out, progress ain't so hot. Right?
[00:17:25] You need regress.
[00:17:27] Amen?
[00:17:30] Confusion.
[00:17:32] Why? Well, if they want to kill him, don't, I mean, if they want to stop him, why don't they just kill him? Well, yeah, we'll kill someone.
[00:17:38] We don't care whether we kill him or not as long as we stop the work of God. See?
[00:17:41] And that's what we have to understand about our own life and purpose, which should be for the glory of God and for his praise and honor.
[00:17:53] Now, verse 9, what's the response?
[00:17:55] Here comes the attacks again, verse 9.
[00:17:57] Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God and set a watch against them day and night because of them.
[00:18:04] Amen.
[00:18:04] And that's a wonderful thing.
[00:18:06] So, where's the refuge?
[00:18:08] Pray.
[00:18:09] Go back to God.
[00:18:10] Understand this is God's work, this is God's battle, this is God's fight, and it's him who is going to bring the victory.
[00:18:17] Now, at this point, The devil tries a different tactic.
[00:18:22] He introduces something long before Donald Trump, fake news.
[00:18:28] The next few verses here, the next few verses in the Bible are fake news.
[00:18:33] Look, verse 9, or verse 10.
[00:18:35] And Judah said, the strength of the bearers of burdens has decayed and there's much rubbish so that we will not be able to build the wall.
[00:18:46] That wasn't true.
[00:18:47] They were able to build the wall.
[00:18:49] And then verse 11, and the fake news is coming from every angle.
[00:18:53] You say, well, I just watch this channel.
[00:18:55] There's no fake news.
[00:18:56] It's all.
[00:18:59] Here's the only news that you can absolutely be sure that's not fake.
[00:19:03] In the other channel beside this one, you have possibility of fake news, okay?
[00:19:08] And so even the Jews in Judah, they had fake news.
[00:19:12] Then the adversaries got fake news, their own form.
[00:19:15] You know, that's over there on NBC or no.
[00:19:18] And our adversaries said, they shall not know neither see till we come in the midst among them and slay them and cause the work to cease.
[00:19:28] It never happened.
[00:19:29] Fake news.
[00:19:30] Verse 12.
[00:19:30] And it came to pass that the Jews, I mean, their friends, their brethren, Jews that dwelt outside and around us, they came and said unto us ten times.
[00:19:40] This is a lot of fake news.
[00:19:42] From all places which you shall return unto us, they will be upon you.
[00:19:47] And so with all this fake news, I guess I'll just lock myself in my house and put on a face mask and do this.
[00:19:56] Right?
[00:19:59] Praise God he didn't listen to the fake news.
[00:20:02] He listened to the good news.
[00:20:05] And look at his response.
[00:20:08] Verse 13.
[00:20:09] It would be very well, well, you know, this may not be the best time, you know.
[00:20:13] This mosque controversy, maybe you shouldn't do anything about Islam right now, Pastor Joseph.
[00:20:19] therefore said i in the lower places behind the wall and on the higher places i even set the people after their families with their swords their spears and their bows praise god and i looked and rose up and said unto the nobles and to the rulers and to the rest of the people be not
[00:20:37] ye afraid of them for our lord is great and terrible fight fight for your brethren fight Fight for your sons! Fight for your daughters and your wives and your houses!
[00:20:50] This is the same fight today that we are called to.
[00:20:54] The fight of faith is the same fight today.
[00:21:01] And guess what? The fake news didn't happen.
[00:21:07] And with that attitude, the enemies were afraid.
[00:21:12] And they never attacked.
[00:21:14] Said, these guys are nuts.
[00:21:16] Now that's not in the Scripture, but it seems like it.
[00:21:18] And, look what happened.
[00:21:22] And it came to pass, I love the way this reads, that our enemies heard that it was known unto us.
[00:21:29] And listen, what else did the enemies hear?
[00:21:32] And the enemies heard that God had brought their counsel to naught.
[00:21:37] Wow.
[00:21:39] That we returned all of us to the wall, everyone unto his word.
[00:21:45] Let's be reasonable, you know, Pastor.
[00:21:47] These people are tired.
[00:21:48] And there's all these people that are going to attack us.
[00:21:51] They want to kill us.
[00:21:53] Everything is against us.
[00:21:55] You know, let's just take a break, shall we?
[00:21:59] It doesn't matter who's against us.
[00:22:01] If God be for us, who can be against us?
[00:22:04] And that's the title of the message.
[00:22:06] Our God will fight for us.
[00:22:08] But the question is, how can you be sure?
[00:22:11] Like we said, you're doing something you know you shouldn't be doing.
[00:22:18] Are you sure that God will fight for you in that?
[00:22:20] And so, these people know they're doing exactly what God wants them to do.
[00:22:29] Wouldn't it be wonderful if every day you knew exactly what God wanted you to do, and you went out and did it, and you said, Praise God, God told me to do this, this, this, this, this, and this,
[00:22:39] and I did this, this, this, and this, this, with a cheerful heart.
[00:22:43] God be the glory. Now go to next step.
[00:22:46] Well, it's not quite as easy as that, but that's the idea, isn't it?
[00:22:50] because then we can have faith that God will fight for us and that he will be with us.
[00:22:58] This passage, this idea, what's the answer?
[00:23:01] We need to understand as Christians, 1 Peter, I've used this as a parting prayer or benediction, but 1 Peter chapter 5, if you look, beginning in verse 2, an admonition to the elders, feed the flock of God which is among you,
[00:23:17] taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy luger, but of a ready mind, neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.
[00:23:29] And when the chief shepherd shall appear, Jesus, you shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
[00:23:36] Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder.
[00:23:39] Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and here we go, and be clothed with humility.
[00:23:44] You see, Nehemiah and this yelling that Pastor Joseph does, It could be mistaken as pride.
[00:23:51] And if it is in my power, it is.
[00:23:54] But if it is in the power of God, it is in the humility that we have strength, you see?
[00:24:00] In the humility.
[00:24:01] Those who abase themselves, I will exalt.
[00:24:06] And those who exalt themselves, that's why that song was so perfect, thank you again.
[00:24:10] Those who exalt themselves, I'm number one, I will abase them.
[00:24:14] And so Nehemiah is right smack in the middle of God's will.
[00:24:20] He knows that God is the one that's going to fight for us.
[00:24:23] Time and time again, challenges come, and he doesn't try to figure it out as much as the first thing he does is pray, more than once here in this chapter.
[00:24:31] And after he prays, he knows exactly what to do, because God answers from on high.
[00:24:36] And this is what we have here, not just for Nehemiah or for Peter and the disciples, but for you and me, verse 5 of 1 Peter chapter 5.
[00:24:44] God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the.
[00:24:50] Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.
[00:25:00] Here we go.
[00:25:00] Be sober.
[00:25:02] Be vigilant.
[00:25:04] Isn't that what the workers, everyone had a sword?
[00:25:08] Everyone, the image is one hand is a trowel and one hand is a sword.
[00:25:13] You ready?
[00:25:13] All right, here goes the next stone.
[00:25:17] Here goes the next stone.
[00:25:19] This is the image that is being presented.
[00:25:22] Be sober.
[00:25:23] Be vigilant.
[00:25:25] Why?
[00:25:25] Because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour.
[00:25:35] He cannot devour you if you're clothed in the armor of God, if you're in the will of God, if you're doing God's will and trusting in him.
[00:25:41] But if you're out there doing your own work, you're easy prey.
[00:25:47] Because by ourself, we are no match for Satan.
[00:25:51] In and through Christ, he is no match for us.
[00:25:55] And so it says, whom resist?
[00:25:58] Resist the devil, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
[00:26:05] But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while make you perfect, complete, establish, strengthen, and settle you. When does the strength come? Oh, I just want the power of the Lord. I want to feel
[00:26:22] the power of the Lord. When you first are humble, sanctified, set apart, sober, vigilant, right smack dab in the middle of doing what God has told you. Then you can have faith and trust that he will empower you.
[00:26:37] But when we're doing our own stuff with very little concern about what God would have us to do, where's the faith to pray that he's going to do anything for?
[00:26:49] You see how that's a problem.
[00:26:51] For Nehemiah, it was not a problem.
[00:26:55] Nehemiah was able to, you know, he wasn't just giving them a pep talk.
[00:26:59] He really believed it.
[00:27:00] And what he said was true.
[00:27:02] Don't be afraid of them.
[00:27:04] Remember how God is great And he uses the word terrible.
[00:27:10] You don't usually use terrible in this context as a good thing.
[00:27:13] But terrible in that he evokes awe and terror of the enemy, you know, in the hearts of the enemy, of God.
[00:27:24] And so he didn't listen to the fake news.
[00:27:27] He listened to the good news.
[00:27:29] And how was he hearing it?
[00:27:31] Well, primarily he was aware of the word of God.
[00:27:34] He quoted it in his prayer when he was back in Persia and reminded God of his promise to bring his people back if they repent.
[00:27:42] So he knew the word of God, but at the same time, he was in constant prayer.
[00:27:47] And he is also listening as much as possible to the voice of God through the lens of Scripture.
[00:27:55] And so we see they're armed, they're sober, they're vigilant.
[00:28:00] And in this place of doing God's will and building his kingdom, Nehemiah has faith, faith that God will answer, and faith to speak to others that God, our God, not just God, or your God, our God will fight for us.
[00:28:17] Wouldn't you love to be able to say that in every problem that comes your way?
[00:28:22] Amen.
[00:28:23] But whenever a problem comes your way, before you say it, make sure that you are actually doing what God has called you to do.
[00:28:32] and so this is a problem because if we're honest there's a lot of things that we do in our life or maybe have done i'm sure for me i don't know about you let me be as honest as i can i try to be
[00:28:47] always but in my earlier life many moons ago there were things that i did i don't know that god had anything wanted me to do it at all things that were displeasing to the lord how can you ask god's
[00:29:00] blessing on that? You can.
[00:29:03] And you know, you could say a prayer, but you know in your heart, God's not going to bless this.
[00:29:11] Have mercy, right?
[00:29:14] We have a vision statement. If you want to turn to the book of Zechariah, just at the end of the Old Testament, before Malachi, our church has a vision statement, and it's probably time to dust it off and bring it back out, because
[00:29:27] a lot of you have not seen it, or it's been a long time since you've seen it. And in our vision statement, we actually quote this section of Scripture in Zechariah chapter 4, and I think this is very helpful, because what's being spoken
[00:29:41] in Zechariah, in the time of Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel, this is 516 B.C. is when the temple, the second temple was built, it seems, and Nehemiah comes a little bit later. He comes in 445 to build the wall. But in the midst of trying to rebuild the temple,
[00:30:02] there was all sorts of challenges and opposition. And this is what God spoke to Zerubbabel, the governor at that time, to encourage him through the prophet Zechariah. We find it in Zechariah chapter 4, beginning in verse 6. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying,
[00:30:21] And this is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, one of the descendants of the royal line of Judah.
[00:30:28] He's now somewhat a governor under Persian control.
[00:30:32] Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
[00:30:37] How are we going to have these victories?
[00:30:39] How are we going to build the kingdom of God?
[00:30:41] Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit.
[00:30:44] Not by some business marketing plan are we going to grow the church.
[00:30:48] And guess what? You can garden, right? You can provide the fertilizer, you can provide the seed, you can provide the soil, you can provide the water, but can you speak to the plants and say, grow? Can you do that? If so, I'd like to see. But God can, and He does.
[00:31:09] And so in the natural realm, the only thing that can cause things to grow, ultimately, is God.
[00:31:13] And in the spiritual realm, the only thing that can cause true and real growth that makes any difference is God and not me.
[00:31:22] And so not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, say the Lord of hosts.
[00:31:28] And what is he talking about?
[00:31:29] Well, here it is.
[00:31:30] He says about building the temple of God.
[00:31:35] That's the work of God.
[00:31:35] building the church, whether the walls of Jerusalem, whether the temple, building God's kingdom. And that's what we're supposed to be about even today.
[00:31:45] Zechariah chapter 4 verse 6, then he answered and spake unto me saying, this is the word of the Lord of Zerubbabel, saying not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts,
[00:31:54] who art thou, O great mountain?
[00:31:56] Whatever is in the way, whatever challenge, whatever problem, whatever obstacle, if you're doing the work of the Lord, it's nothing. Who art thou, great mountain before Zerubbabel you'll become a plain and he shall bring forth the headstone
[00:32:09] thereof with shoutings crying grace grace unto it moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house his hands shall also finish it and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you for who hath despised the day
[00:32:29] of small things for they shall rejoice they shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven. They are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth. Zerubbabel
[00:32:39] was being encouraged, you're doing the work of the Lord. You laid the foundation of the temple in Christ. He's the only foundation we know. He's the cornerstone. The cornerstone, you don't have to know much about building to understand. The very
[00:32:51] first stone is what gives you the direction of the wall. Vertical, horizontal, everything else must match up with the cornerstone.
[00:33:00] It has been laid. The very beginning of the Word was laid in Christ according to the Word of God. And he says, you who've begun it will also finish it. The headstone, the very last
[00:33:10] stone, because not only does he know where he began, what he's doing is the will of God.
[00:33:15] It is to glorify God and to build his kingdom. But the ultimate end, the headstone represents Christ and that's the end of the glory to Christ. And so what you're doing, the foundation is in Christ. The ultimate point
[00:33:30] is to glorify Christ.
[00:33:31] And in this work, if you will remain focused on the Lord, He will bless it.
[00:33:37] He will give the Spirit, not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit.
[00:33:43] And here we go.
[00:33:46] We need to be in the same way.
[00:33:48] Everything that we do needs to have a foundation of Christ and the Word of God.
[00:33:53] And everything we do should be to the glory of God.
[00:33:57] And in the midst of it, we're building the house of God, the kingdom of God, and thereby we know we are in the will of God and so we can pray and trust and believe for the power of God
[00:34:08] to manifest in our lives.
[00:34:11] But if we really don't know, if we're kind of on a shaky foundation or on sinking sand or we're just doing the George Bailey theology, I want to do what I want to do.
[00:34:25] Sometimes what I want to do isn't what he wants.
[00:34:28] And it's just not going to work.
[00:34:30] You can't pray and trust God for his blessing.
[00:34:34] It's very interesting.
[00:34:35] Jesus spoke to this in Matthew.
[00:34:38] If you turn there with me, turn to the right, through Malachi, Matthew chapter 16, verse 24.
[00:34:44] He says, if any man would come after me, anybody who want to be a Christian, listen up.
[00:34:50] You want to be a Christian, what do you have to do?
[00:34:53] Deny yourself.
[00:34:57] Take up your cross and follow me.
[00:34:59] that doesn't sound very seeker friendly does it? In denying ourselves we are accepting his will for our life now notice this next part is so key if you hear anything in this sermon I think this is
[00:35:17] what I want you to hear more than anything else look what he says after that for whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find
[00:35:33] The devil has terrorized the United States of America and the church.
[00:35:39] We are hindered.
[00:35:41] We are in an utter state of confusion.
[00:35:45] We are in a place where people don't know what is a sin and what's not.
[00:35:50] They call good evil and evil good.
[00:35:52] We have churches in this town that celebrate homosexuals in the public as their pastors.
[00:36:00] We know what the scripture says.
[00:36:01] This is an abomination to the law.
[00:36:03] And yet, someone who's outside the church says, oh, well, I can go to this extreme or that extreme and still be in the church and be a Christian. My goodness. How nice. No, this is utter confusion. It's utter disarray.
[00:36:18] And so in this place we don't know what truth is and we look and we live and our heart is trying to find places where we can have God in our lives and have a little bit of religion and have hope that we're going to go to heaven.
[00:36:35] Take away that fear about that place of hell.
[00:36:38] That's not for me.
[00:36:38] I'm not like Hitler.
[00:36:40] And hopefully God will bless what I've decided to do with my life.
[00:36:46] No.
[00:36:47] No, it will not happen.
[00:36:48] and you will be like the rest of the United States of America.
[00:36:51] People own drugs.
[00:36:53] People are...
[00:36:53] How much of our...
[00:36:54] Now, if you need these, it's okay.
[00:36:56] It's all right.
[00:36:57] I'm not saying there's something wrong with you, but I'm telling you there's something wrong with America.
[00:37:01] A huge percentage of our country is on mind-altering drugs, whether legal and prescribed or illegal.
[00:37:09] It used to be marijuana is against the law.
[00:37:13] Now, every sign from Statesville to Mooresville on I-77 is about cannabis.
[00:37:22] Lord have mercy.
[00:37:23] What's next? Come try our latest cocaine.
[00:37:27] We have wonderful heroin in Roseville. Come, let's go.
[00:37:31] That's what's on the way, folks.
[00:37:34] If it continues the way it is.
[00:37:36] And so, it's all about ourselves. It's all about, why do people get drunk?
[00:37:42] Why are they alcoholics? They've got to take the edge off. Edge off of what? Of reality.
[00:37:46] Of life. Because they know that there is no purpose, and there is no meaning, and they will never have faith to believe God for his power, and for the manifestation of his glory, and for that wonderful, glorious thought
[00:38:00] of a life that has been saved, and has been taken into the bosom of Christ, and is hid from the devil, and is clothed in the armor of God, and is drenched in the blood of Jesus, and is marching its way
[00:38:12] to Zion without moving to the right, nor to the left, nor looking back, but knows exactly where he's going because of the power of God and he can pray and he can believe and he can trust
[00:38:23] and he can see the manifestation of the power of his God every day in his life for the glory of his triune God.
[00:38:30] That's a beautiful thing.
[00:38:33] But most men, and I believe, most people in the church cannot say that because they have not made the decision.
[00:38:46] Oh, I made a decision, Pastor.
[00:38:48] I was in a big church the other day, I bowed my head, I raised my hand, I went up front, they threw me in a big thing of water, and they told me I was saved.
[00:38:55] I must be saved, right?
[00:38:59] They've not made the decision to lose their life.
[00:39:07] Until you decide to lose your life, you'll never be saved.
[00:39:11] That's what he's saying, isn't it?
[00:39:13] For whosoever will save his life, I've got certain plans, I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that, and I'm going to have this much money and this kind of life and I'm going to do this and that and the other thing
[00:39:25] and there's certain things that I'll do and there's certain things that are just me and I'm not going to talk about this, talk about that and Lord, you know you can have everything but there's this certain thing I'm not giving up
[00:39:35] for whoever will save his life that's you trying to save your life you're going to lose it for all eternity in hell in separation from God why? because if you refuse to bow the knee to Jesus
[00:39:55] esteem, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, then why would you want to go to heaven where you must obey? No, God set up a place for you.
[00:40:05] It's called hell, where you won't have to be in the worship of God, but you'll get to be with the devil and demons and all kind of wicked people who hate you and torture you and torment you for
[00:40:17] the rest of eternity. And then you won't have to deal with this business of whether or not to worship God.
[00:40:24] He set that up just for you.
[00:40:27] He who seeks to save his life will lose it.
[00:40:31] But he who will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
[00:40:36] The only way you'll have purpose in your life, the only way you'll have meaning in your life, the only way that life itself even makes sense is to lose your life and to get into the will of God
[00:40:47] and then everything makes sense.
[00:40:49] You say, well, I don't want to give up my life.
[00:40:51] You have no life worth keeping until it is bound up in the will and purpose of our Triune God, His glory and the building of His kingdom.
[00:41:01] Otherwise, you're an enemy to the Creator of the heavens and the earth.
[00:41:04] Otherwise, you're walking contrary to the one in whom your very next breath is held.
[00:41:10] And He can take it away any moment.
[00:41:13] You are going contrary to nature.
[00:41:16] It's like Jonathan Edwards said, If you refuse to bow the knee to King Jesus, the air loathes and refuses to fill your lungs and wishes that it wouldn't give you life.
[00:41:26] The ground refuses to support your sinful way and wants to receive that you might fall straight into hell.
[00:41:33] This is the picture, and I think it's a good picture, because all of the creation is subject to the Creator except sinful man, who jerks the neck and refuses.
[00:41:45] I gotta find some church that won't speak like this Lord have mercy if you don't like it guess what neither do I in the flesh but praise God once your heart is changed and he makes you
[00:42:06] leave unto him then there's no other way there is no other way I found my life in Christ outside of Christ there is no life but ultimately eternal death for those who refuse to bow the knee
[00:42:31] to King Jesus if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved the Lord Jesus that means I am professing that Jesus
[00:42:47] is my Lord.
[00:42:49] He's the Lord of my money. He's the Lord of my time. He's the Lord of my affections.
[00:42:53] He's the Lord of everything I do.
[00:42:55] Whatever his word says, I will do.
[00:42:57] Whatever it says, don't do, I won't do. He's my Lord. This is what we trust in in Christ. His perfect work on the cross. His perfect life. His death. His burial. His resurrection.
[00:43:11] You've got to lose your life to save it.
[00:43:16] If any man would come after me and deny himself, take up his cross. This is crucified. This is mortifying.
[00:43:22] This is putting to death the I, the satanic trinity, me, myself, and I.
[00:43:29] Well, we're almost out of time.
[00:43:31] Just a couple points I want you to hear. Our God will fight for us. You cannot have faith that God will bless what you have decided independently of him.
[00:43:43] Your day-to-day life must be directed by him through his word for His glory. The foundation and the headstone must, the basis of what you're doing and the ultimate direction must be born in God and His
[00:44:01] Holy Word by His Holy Spirit.
[00:44:03] Otherwise, you have nothing to base your prayers on that God is going to bless, direct, or even fight for you in the time of trouble. And are these troublesome times?
[00:44:15] Yeah?
[00:44:15] Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might on the whole armor of God, you'd be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, right?
[00:44:23] These are troublesome days. We are given armor to fight. And so here's the end I want you to see.
[00:44:31] Will Christ fight for you? If you're a believer, you already did.
[00:44:39] And you won.
[00:44:42] It says in Isaiah 59, God looks over sinful humanity and even his own people. Judah is sinful. Isaiah 59. Our iniquities have separated us from our God. Just one sin took Adam and Eve out of God's
[00:44:55] presence. We are broken.
[00:44:57] God looks. Is there anyone that is sinless? Is there any man or woman that can stand in the gap that is none? He looked for intercessor. He found none. Therefore, he said, with my own
[00:45:07] arm, I will come and bring salvation.
[00:45:10] He suits up with the very armor that he gives us later. Christ Jesus, clad with zeal as a cloak, the breastplate of of righteousness and a helmet of salvation and he comes and he stands against satan himself
[00:45:24] because satan knows this is the greatest groom of god ever he's come to earth in human flesh i gotta get active and so he tempts jesus and jesus whips out the sword praise god the sword the knee and
[00:45:35] life hey we're building the kingdom in the meantime have that sword ready and what is the sword the word of god it is written thou shalt not put the lord to the test it is written man
[00:45:45] shall not live by bread alone. It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only thou shalt serve. And Satan went off running.
[00:45:56] And you have the very same sword that whipped the devil from hell. You have all the promises. You have the armor. You have the spirit. Not only will God fight for you, but if you're a believer, he fought for you
[00:46:13] and he won. He spoiled principalities and powers. He made a show them openly jesus chapter 3 15 god says to satan who just uh deceived eve and ultimately adam uh i'm going to put enmity between your seed in the moment and and it you will bruise his his heel
[00:46:31] but he shall bruise your head and that's what jesus does on the cross though satan seems to have won the heel of jesus is bruised it's not a mortal wound but jesus bruises the serpent's head
[00:46:44] He's still reeling from that death blow.
[00:46:46] And one day he'll be cast into the lake of fire.
[00:46:49] Well, let me show you before we end here.
[00:46:51] Chapter 19 of the book of Revelation.
[00:46:54] We go there often times to talk about the marriage supper of the Lamb.
[00:46:57] What a wonderful thing for us as believers to look forward to.
[00:47:00] But we generally stop short of reading about the fact that we're believers.
[00:47:05] Not only has God fought for us and won, but he's coming back to fight again.
[00:47:10] Round two is going to be short.
[00:47:13] It's going to be a knockout right away.
[00:47:15] Take a look.
[00:47:16] Revelation chapter 19, beginning in verse 11.
[00:47:21] And I saw heaven open, and behold, a white horse.
[00:47:24] And he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True.
[00:47:28] And in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
[00:47:32] Who is this?
[00:47:35] His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns.
[00:47:39] And he had a name written that no man knew but he himself, and was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood and his name is called the word of God and the armies which were in heaven
[00:47:51] followed him upon white horses is our God getting ready to fight for us clothed in fine linen white and clean and out of his mouth goes a sharp sword and with it he should smite the nations
[00:48:05] he shall rule them with a rod of iron he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of almighty God He hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
[00:48:17] And I saw an angel stand in the sun and cried with a loud voice saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of the heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God.
[00:48:28] There's two suppers in Revelation 19.
[00:48:30] The marriage supper of the Lamb, we'll go to.
[00:48:33] We will be spiritually united in marriage to Christ.
[00:48:36] And then there is the supper of the great God, which is all of the enemies of God will be destroyed and the fowls of the air will come and eat their bodies.
[00:48:48] That they may eat, verse 18, the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and them that sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
[00:48:58] And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together.
[00:49:03] The beast, part of the satanic trinity.
[00:49:05] And all of them are gathered together against who?
[00:49:09] Against Christ.
[00:49:10] It says the beast was gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse.
[00:49:15] That's Jesus.
[00:49:16] And against his army.
[00:49:17] Will God fight for us?
[00:49:18] Yeah, he's going to do it again.
[00:49:19] And the beast was taken.
[00:49:21] Not much of a fight.
[00:49:22] And with him the false prophet, another part of the satanic trinity, who brought miracles before him with which he deceived them and caused them to receive the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image,
[00:49:35] all of them, both the beast and the false prophet and all who followed Satan and his world system instead of bowing the knee to Christ, all that tried to save their life and refused to leave it, lose it for Jesus,
[00:49:48] ended up where?
[00:49:51] In the lake of fire, burning with brimstone.
[00:49:54] And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth, and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
[00:50:08] If you're a believer, Christ has fought for you and won.
[00:50:11] He will come and fight again, this time to destroy those who have refused to bow the knee to King Jesus.
[00:50:21] But if you're a believer, and if you have trusted in him, if you've lost your life for Christ's sake and found it now you know your purpose and you know that you have a firm foundation and footing
[00:50:34] to pray unto our trying God and to believe that he hears from heaven and will answer even as it says in 2 Chronicles 7.14 to my right and left and that you are on that firm foundation
[00:50:44] and that your life's trajectory is to the very head which is Jesus Christ the headstone and so for you the word of God says in verse 1 of Revelation 21 I saw a new heaven and a new earth
[00:50:59] for the first heaven and first earth were passed away there was no more sea and I John saw the holy city new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband
[00:51:13] and I heard a great voice out of heaven saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them
[00:51:24] and be their God.
[00:51:26] And listen, did you have any trouble?
[00:51:28] Did you have any tears?
[00:51:29] Did you have any struggles in this life?
[00:51:31] And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
[00:51:37] Who's going to do it?
[00:51:38] God.
[00:51:40] Wow.
[00:51:42] And there'll be no more death, neither sorrow, neither crying, neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away.
[00:51:52] And he that sat upon the throne said, behold I make all things new and he said unto me write for these words are true and faithful and he said unto me it is done I am Alpha and Omega the beginning
[00:52:07] and the end I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely I'll give to him that is a thirst of the fountain of the water of
[00:52:19] life do you really want to experience life there is no life apart from the author of life i am the way the truth and the no man comes to the father except by me if you have
[00:52:35] not lived your life in the will of christ based on the foundation of the word of god with a mind towards his glory and all that you do it is a time to receive an invitation not from pastor
[00:52:49] Joseph. I'm not a Baptist. But from Jesus.
[00:52:53] God bless the Baptist.
[00:52:55] But from Jesus himself.
[00:52:58] I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
[00:53:07] But you've got to want it.
[00:53:10] He that overcometh shall inherit all things.
[00:53:15] And I will be his God.
[00:53:16] And he shall be my son.
[00:53:19] Who is it that overcomes?
[00:53:22] Everyone who is a blood-bought child of God, overcomes in what? Whatever the challenges are in life. Why? Because everything he's doing is directed toward the glory of God, based on the foundation of the Word of God. And
[00:53:34] just like Nehemiah, he says, don't be afraid. Don't be afraid of man. Don't be afraid of this group or that group or Satan himself. No, because our God is great and he is terrible. Oh, stand and
[00:53:46] fight. Fight the good fight of faith. Yes, fight for your brethren, the church. Fight for your sons and for your daughters. Fight for your wives and for your houses. This is the fight of our life. This is the fight for
[00:53:59] eternal life that Christ has already won.
[00:54:03] He's already given you the high ground.
[00:54:06] He's given you the very armor that he used in defeating the devil.
[00:54:10] He's asking you to stand. To stand and hold that authority and that place for Christ on earth advancing his kingdom day by day. That's our whole purpose.
[00:54:24] And to His glory. And in that purpose, we find purpose. Outside of it, there is no purpose. That's why everybody's going nuts in America.
[00:54:32] They think communism is a good thing.
[00:54:35] They think socialism is a good thing.
[00:54:37] It failed everywhere historically. It created horrible, terrible problems.
[00:54:42] Well, it didn't work in America.
[00:54:45] Yeah. No, it didn't. Go ask the pilgrims.
[00:54:47] They about starved to death.
[00:54:48] And so, people are confused.
[00:54:50] That's what the devil wants.
[00:54:52] The devil is hindering.
[00:54:53] He is confusing.
[00:54:55] He's causing us to be in disarray.
[00:55:00] But we shouldn't have any confusion.
[00:55:03] So these things are difficult.
[00:55:04] Listen to the news.
[00:55:06] Nehemiah had news too.
[00:55:08] Ah, that's fake news.
[00:55:09] He didn't say that, but that's essentially what he dealt with.
[00:55:12] And he says, I'm going to listen to the good news.
[00:55:14] I'm going to trust Christ.
[00:55:15] Yeah, but Pastor Joseph, I may have to sell my beautiful home and live it.
[00:55:22] I may not be able to do the job that I want to do anymore.
[00:55:24] I may not make the big money.
[00:55:25] I may have to sell my yacht on the lake.
[00:55:32] Can't take it with you.
[00:55:36] It's time to get serious about Jesus Christ.
[00:55:38] Amen?
[00:55:40] Don't be afraid.
[00:55:42] Trust in God.
[00:55:43] He fought for Nehemiah.
[00:55:45] He fought for the children of Israel.
[00:55:47] He fought his greatest fight, really, at the cross, defeating death, hell, sin, the grave, and the fear of sin.
[00:55:54] And he will come back. It will be a very quick thing.
[00:55:57] And he will fight once again and destroy all the enemies forever and invite you into the perfect presence of his love and his joy and his peace where the end of your life for all eternity is now made manifest in full bloom
[00:56:16] as day by day you enjoy the very presence of the triune God of eternity.
[00:56:22] day by day to explore more and more of his infinite beauty his infinite holiness, his infinite love, his infinite joy his infinite peace, and there's no more tears and there's no more pain and there's no more
[00:56:35] sickness and there's no more aging and there's no more hypocrisy and there's no more mocking, there's no more devil there's no more unbelievers and there's no more Vanity Fair to pull us away and distract us
[00:56:46] but minds and hearts and eyes and ears fixated on thee. One thing that we can never grow more of.
[00:56:59] The eternal, the infinite, the wonderfully majestic, never-ending beautiful God who created us, who loved us, who gave himself for us and is calling us to submit our life unto him fully, right now. God help us.
[00:57:23] May we live unto his glory both now and forevermore by the power of the Holy Spirit in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ let's go to him in prayer Heavenly Father thank you for your holy word
[00:57:38] thank you Lord for how you show us in the example of Nehemiah a man who knew what he was called to do by you he went and he faithfully did it humbly seeking your help
[00:57:51] every step of the way and faithfully prayed knowing that you would answer and encouraged others of the same thing.
[00:57:58] May we be the very same.
[00:58:00] Lord God, if we have not a foundation of Christ, may we find it today.
[00:58:05] By your Spirit entering in, in thy light shall we see light.
[00:58:08] Bring salvation.
[00:58:09] Oh Lord, help us, we pray, that we might lose our life willingly, that we may find it in your Son, Christ Jesus.
[00:58:17] And may we live it to your glory day by day and the inexhaustible riches of your grace, Lord God, for your ways are past finding out. The joys and the peace that passes all understanding, Lord, may we experience
[00:58:33] it day by day to know that we are in your will and that we are on the right path, which is your Son, Christ Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. Help us, Lord, that we might
[00:58:45] walk forth from this place in faith, knowing that you, our trying God will fight for us, not because you are on our side, but because of your grace you have placed us on your side. And to you be all the glory,
[00:59:01] honor, and praise in Jesus' name.
[00:59:03] Amen.
[00:59:05] Amen. For God be the glory.