How Can We Face Discouragement?

I'm learning is off her down through the years, growing old is not for sissies or that where we learned knowing if we were going to start getting these older years, but I'm thankful that God is with us every step of the way home regardless of what befalls us. Thank you brother Bob. I appreciate that in mind. The position with my okay thank you for the opportunity of being here. Thank you for being here, and I deeply appreciate the invitation of your pastor to be here in his absence tonight. You have a great staff a great congregation church that God is built and I pray for B can I pray for you guys your part of my prayer list and appreciate the ministry of beacon Baptist Church and what God is doing in this place. Let's pray father take this week vessel and by your mighty power. Bring your word to us tonight.

We might leave here encouraged to fight the good fight of faith, fix our eyes on the risen Lord and know that regardless of what we see around us and how discouraging the times may seem there is victory in the Lord Jesus Christ.

May we live as though you are the great sovereign of it all and arresting you in Jesus name.

Let me begin by asking you a question. Have you ever been discouraged by hers and giggles a silly question, isn't it.

Have you ever been discouraged. I see the clock.

I was looking forward I thought it used to be there so I see just article on pulling off a lot by letting you know what it means in a presupposes watch about New Orleans. Nothing will back to my subject. I could ask how many of you have never been discouraged and maybe have never ever been discouraged that when you're a single hand go up.

We all at some time or another have suffered from discouragement. If we were going to be honest with one another because looking at the perplexing circumstances can give us all the evidence that we need a feeling discouraged and depressed, so whenever a Christian is trying to know and do God's will, we are subject to facing opposition and discouragement from the enemy of our souls is no other than who you think he whom we often referred to as the Prince of the powers of the air yes and fierce darks that he throws at us. God has equipped us that whole armor of God, whereby we might do battle with that enemy of our souls probably denied us at all. That descendents, I believe one of Satan's strongest weapons.

One of his most popular weapons. One of his most one of his most most often used weapons is discouragement a person of weak faith like a bent opposition where is a person of strong faith will find the way through Christ to overcome that opposition. But in order for you to understand our text that brother Bob just read in order for it to be refreshed in your mind and I just give you a very brief history lesson and from this text we can see how the Jewish people had to learn to overcome discouragement. This intimate both from within and without the Very briefly, the Jews had been in Babylonian captivity for 70 years.

When I read the Old Testament and I'm sure you heard people make the remark I don't get anything out of the Old Testament. Oh I love the Old Testament.

I cannot tell you any times I've read through the Bible and every time I read through it always get something new and fresh and right now going through the Old Testament again and you know it seems like I'm seeing things that all these many years.

I'm still saying fresh things and new things and how it relates especially in all of God's judgment that was poured out in the Old Testament, we can see the judgment that is bound to keep all being poured out upon the ungodly world in which we live is nothing you is been poured out down through the centuries has been poured out now and will continue to be poured out against the evils of ungodliness. But the book of Nehemiah.

It tells us how the Jewish people and to learn to deal with their discouragement. When I look at Israel in the Old Testament, but chosen nation that God God chose for many reasons they chose them to give the articles they chose them to give the priest together, gave them the prophets he gave his own nation of Israel. The promise that they deliver our was going to come through them whose name was Jesus.

God had plans for Israel.

What did they do in spite of being articles having the priest in spite of having the prophets often said they were up and down like a bunch of window shade that reminds me of a lot of churchgoers today up and down like a bunch window shades, perhaps on fire for what God one day in at the bottom of the barrel.

The next day Israel. There were times when they would be found obedient and there were times when God had to deal with them in judgment and chastisement such as the 40 years of wandering the wilderness when they do not believe they can overtake promise land. There were times when God had to do with him. Like the Babylonian captivity that brings us up to our text, they been in Babylonian captivity for 70 long years in the both the books of Ezra and Nehemiah tells a story of how a Jewish remnant returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, and that's what answer is about Ezra's about the rebuilding of the temple, but 20 years after the rebuilding of the temple was a man by the name of Nehemiah made an appeal to King Artaxerxes the first for him to go and leave the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.

Now Nehemiah is an interesting character. Nehemiah was ever the cupbearer. It was the cupbearer who tasted the wind if need be, before the king's rocket to make sure that it was not poison is very highly esteemed position because he is life could be on the line if someone was trying to pose a king by the drink and that and that the cupbearer got hold of than he did take his own life. But anyway it was a hot position. It was a privilege position and then there came a time in the process of rebuilding the temple that Nehemiah made an appeal for the walls around the city of Jerusalem of the wall to be rebuilt about 20 years after his rough went back to Jerusalem, the rebuilding of the wall began with the Arctic with the approval and blessing of King Artaxerxes the first.

Therefore, the book of Nehemiah focuses attention on the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem had been torn down 70+ years ago and all that was left was a pile of rubbish. I'm sure all of you have seen movies or pictures of like World War II, for instance, are other areas even in more recent happenings or claims have flown over enemy territory and bomb them using pictures of what was left in the simplest and some of the cities after World War II when the bombs were left after they were dropped in all the debris was everywhere and brick was on top of brick and stone was on top of stone and everything was just in a great big pile of of rubbish is the King James puts it, a pile of stones, as the version input from which Bob wrote it was just basically like just like a big pile of garbage all around you, but it is made up of mostly building material is what this is referring to Apollo Apollo, the dirt of cobblestones.

Nothing of constructive value and nothing that was left of a solid construction, just a big pile of mess is what this rubbish is his opponent is referring to.

So for the sake of time we can spend it. Our entire night if you want to stay a couple of hours of the chapter, but I know you're not going to stay for all the verses and so were in the narrow this down and you some key passages to deal with the subject of discouragement. How can you and how can I have face and deal with discouragement. Let's begin the first act.

I want you to notice as we begin our journey verse one the certainty of discouragement.

The certainty of this growth of discouragement is not a matter of if God's people will face discouragement.

But when God's people are going to face discouragement. It's going to come I didn't see any hands go up that you never been discouraged speaking to predominately hopefully Tristian brethren tonight and we all admit we been discouraged in the past and discouragement will no doubt come in the future. I don't how you dealt with it in the past. Well hang my head in shame and say that I always didn't deal with right but I want to learn and that's what this is about tonight. I want to learn how to live by my life for Christ victoriously.

I want to learn how to live in a discouraging world.

I want to learn how to live triumphantly by faith in a discouraging world so is not a matter of if it's a matter win begin with.

In verse one, but it came to pass that when Sam ballot heard that rebuilding the wall. He was raw into great indignation and mocked the Jews and he spake before his brethren in the Army of Samaria and said what do these feeble Jews notice in these verses. Now that were about three he is mocking them. He is doing everything he can to humiliate them. He's doing everything he can to to intimidate them as you as a Christian, have you been intimidated, been mocked as anyone ever make fun of you as a Christian. That's what he's doing is trying to do that to these Jews who are attempting to build a wall around Jerusalem what Elise Lee will Jews would like to fortify themselves will I sacrifice with a make an end in a day will they revive the stones out of the heat to the rubbish which are burned antibiotic. The Amara Ammonite was by him and he said even that which the wall even that which they billed. If the box go up. He shall even break down their stone wall. He saying they done such a shoddy job you got well what you've done so far is such poor workmanship.

It is so pathetic. If a light footed box walked across what you built could fall down a wedding held up a light footed fox once again an active humiliation site and I promise you as an expert mocker is an expert at ridicule three people who have a hatred intent and jealousy against God's people think about the Lord Jesus was. He hated was a mocked was the abuse.

Look at them before he ever went to the cross. We know what happened to him on the calls that he was breathing's so significantly set by the grace of God he didn't literally about beaten within an inch of his life before he ever got to the calls he was beaten in the Bible tells us in Luke 22 and 23 Alec meeting.

They sped up honey and they smacked him and him on the cheek. We know we've beaten with whips and rots the enemies of Christ were so uncomfortable with the son of God, that they ended up nailing him if that wasn't enough I nailed into an old rugged cross and they'll the costly. They smarted off Christ. If you are the son of God same thing they were doing the same active humiliation. They were given to these people right here in our text. You can expect.

It is well and I can expect it as well. You stand up against the trends of the day you stand up against the philosophies of the day you stand up in opposition to humanism and stand up for biblical truth. You'll find out exactly what humiliation is all about intimidation and ridicule is all about.

In the case with Israel. There were three wicked man in particular, we find them listed and that all three together in chapter 2 chapter 2 verse 19 Sam ballot to buy and geisha to those are mentioned in our text, they were named as we see over and later in verse 11. I believe it is in verse 11 called adversaries in the King James in your verse in your text might very well cite enemies. That's what adversaries are adversaries are enemies. The devil has his cohorts. He has his people that are warring against the church, just like God has his people that are fighting the good fight of faith we are fighting a warfare today to talk more about that before we get out of this text, Israel openly mocked, was openly mocked and by sarcastically, sarcastically being called feeble, you're just a bunch of weaklings you're just a bunch of helpless schools where you think what you think you're doing, you can build a wall back up around this place once again calling upon this boxing. The fox could you quitting hold of the fox is just a bunch of rubbish Nehemiah faced this ridicule, Hannity face, how do you think you ridicule when people try to intimidate you.

People try to intimidate me. How we deal with it. We say what Nehemiah did verses four through six. He says he faced his ridicule and prayer to God. He's crying out to God, but I want you to notice something as I read this I want you to notice how I praise.

I know were to pray for our enemies were to pray for those that don't love us and those it pays rent of that. But there are several aspects of prayer and this is aspect and I don't want to share with you.

Nehemiah prayed here all our God.

We are despised there people that hate us there people that despises for trying to do your he says her listen.

He praised her. Their reproach upon their own head turned the reproach they have upon us against their against themselves and give them for a pray in the land of captivity.

Send them back to be devoured by those in their own land reprint like and cover not their iniquity.

Don't hide their iniquity, and let not the sun blotted out from before the for they have provoked the anger before the builders God is a God of judgment just as much as he is a God of love, are we living in a world and maybe I'll say more about this before close what we living in a world where they look as if they look at us as Christians in sight. All you oppose the homosexual movement and you don't think the mother has the right to choose in just don't love like you, I don't know the father's love, because the father hates the week he takes the work of evildoers, and furthermore, he's promised to judge the week if not in this line which they will receive some will most definitely be in the life to come. My Christian brothers and sisters there are things we need to learn how to love and the things we need to learn how to hate when he did I learn how to hate wickedness is much as God we need to love the learn people to love people's souls is much as God loves people. So as a balancing act. You know that that's a balancing act, and perhaps is a sermon into itself, but enough said.

As I read these verses I want to notice. He goes on to say so built.

We the wall and all the wall was joined together into the half their love for the people had a mind to work the people in a mind to work worldly opposition ought to bring God's people to their knees in prayer when people oppose us when people do evil against us. What are we to do to get them back. Yeah, how we do that you don't learning and pray for deal with them. We pray for our enemies. Yes, we turn our enemies over to God because God is out of there with him. Best of all, that's what Nehemiah was doing he was turning the enemies of God against Israel is that were against God's people in God.

You take care you deal with them.

You know how to handle them. Let God deal with those that opposed the church that we need to stand will say more about this a few minutes, but unless we turn God to God in times of adversity will find the strength nor encouragement to fight for the get the good fight of faith. Nehemiah's prayer for deliverance was based upon the righteousness and the justice of God, who said this in Romans chapter 12 in verse 19. Vengeance is mine saith the Lord will repay not only didn't Nehemiah pray for the people but the people continue to work. That's what I see right here in verse six. Nehemiah prayed the people continue to work on rebuilding the wall is been said that God will not do for us what he's already given us the ability to do for ourselves. We don't sit there on our hands and say will guide you do this you do that in turn out our grocery list to God and we never really learn how to pray. Anyway, until we learn how to print submission until we learn how to print submission we not got it to the first base and and per account per line.

But God wants us to pray to God also wants us to work. We must remember that work is not a curse. Work is a blessing in the garden of Eden. We don't see when God gave them the garden to 10 that was a was a curse that was a blessing. The curses the thorns and thistles that we encounter the problems and aggravations all doing I do I need to go any further, to say the computer was great and the computer works wonderful when the thorns and the thistles get in it that good manacles you Harrelson that man alive and the computer can be a blessing that can also be a detriment can also have thorns and thistles, but work is not the curse it says right here so built.

We the wall and all the law was joined Nehemiah prayed in the people kept working. In fact Scripture to go so far as to say, if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Second Thessalonians 3 verse 10, but like those who worked every building the wall of Jerusalem for the Christian ridicule is as certain as death and taxes is going to happen. The world is going to hate us, the world in a despises to be ridiculed just as surely as these Jews were so therefore we must learn never to allow discouragement to hinder harder I work, nor our witness we keep on witnessing.

We keep on working. We keep her eyes on Jesus, and we keep going forward until he takes his like Israel of all, we need a mind to work for God, even in the midst of persecution and adversity.

So we say that the certainty of discouragement. It's going to happen happened Israel is happened is going people happening until the Lord takes his home certain, but now look at the cause of this part one, but the calls of discouragement because of discouragement versus seven through 11 were not gonna read all this passage is in brother vibrated a moment ago solid begin the verse 10 were not tread water right there for a few minutes before we move all for the second time, with verse 10. An important point to learn from this passage is how we are subject to discouragement. Listen carefully when we get to physically tired. Verse 10 says and Judah. I call your attention to Judah. Now Judah was good old Jewish boy inside the camp inside the camp. Judah inside a Jew said the strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed.

The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed.

Nehemiah was not only placing incurred discouragement from outside of Israel.

But now we discovered discouragement was coming from inside the Inside inside of Israel. As a pastor. One of my biggest heartaches. Heartbreaks and discouragements.

I expected people on the outside of the church to discouragement. When Orion people only inside to discourage me and break my heart.

That hurt a lot worse. And just as there was a discourage her only inside of Israel. We can still find discourage errors inside the church today and I can happen. We wound when we don't stay focused on Christ. Judah is the one mentioned in our text complains and he just so happens to be the same person that we found again in chapter 13 verse 15 who appears disobedient to the law so he was a Jew that had spiritual problems. To me this to say, and no doubt there was an element of truth though, and here's what I want to say there was an element of truth in what Judah said this because there was an element of truth in what he said when it comes to dealing with the devil when it comes to the old devil. He has no manpower shortage either inside or outside the church. The devil can raise his head only inside the church. This is easily unfortunately today in most churches is he can in the world you live. I've said it once, I've said it many times, and I'm glad I do believe because of different church.

This the average church of today, the average church of the day there so much of the world and the church continue until the churches in the world.

Most churches fit that description. My brother and there are few churches here and there, like beacon, the devil would like his foot back in here outing don't you ever think you wouldn't. Nothing would delight him more than he was put in here deleting as we hang tough you hang tough you stick to the stuff you don't budge from the truth when it comes to the devil has no manpower shortage. It was the right here in Judah inside the camp. The enemies ridicule the hard labor of building more down the resistance of the people and the man divorced. It was just so happen to be Judah.

The overwhelming demands upon the Jews drained them of their physical strength and that was no doubt turn in it. It's at such a time when we get so physically tired and exhausted that we must remember that our greatest strength comes from the Lord.

I am weak but our strong I am weak. I'm little dark great and mighty and magnificent. I think I sometimes get very weary over get the quicker I get really buddy strong is my strength. Let's not forget what I found and I had another pastor friend of mine to share this with me. Some years ago these now gone home to be with the Lord. But it makes a little better as I started aging myself. He said you know and I said this tonight. I find that when I get so physically exalted exhaust when I get so physically, physically exhausted anything a pastor can get physically exhausted. I think you love you pastors keep on loving you, pastors, people supporting them. People people. I know you having keep on loving and supportive and encouraging them. I think the time I put in cleaning a plenty of time 60 hours a week and I can do that. I painted it where he quicker take this when I get so physically exhausted I become more spiritually susceptible. Can you relate when I become physically exhausted. I become more spiritually susceptible so I must say it's very important we take care of our bodies proper care of our bodies. Proper rest proper nourishment, proper sleep bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit which take care of them were subject to discouragement. When we look back and dwell on past failures. Verse 10 goes on to say.

He says, and there is much rubbish he was looking around looking at all the piles of rock stone is lying in heaps all the powers of rubbish, garbage that may be, he had his eyes on you. Remember this beautiful wall that used to surround the temple and the city and yet it it's a pallet of fish.

It's terrible. This is this is this grace, he had his mind is that as a focused on what used to be like and what it was now look what it is today.

I said all that to say this, if we allow the rubbish of guilt. The guilt of the past to weigh us down, they will never be able to make spiritual progress.

The Lord me tell you something everyone in this congregation tonight has spiritual rubbish from the pass everyone of you because you think I'm world perfect and you perfect and you're not perfect today so we got roundish. We got rubbish.

We got stuff that we wish we had done things we would. I wish I had said we've done something that we regret doing any of the devil loves to do.

I remember watching the don't you want to do. Thanks be to God for the blood. Blood the blood of our Redeemer that washes our sin away from his sight yesterday is gone. Today's a new day and when the devil reminds you of your past and say remind him of his future.

Knowing God's forgiveness through the shed blood of CalPERS Lamb, which take away the sin of the world gives us a piece wherewith we can face the future with joy and with confidence. Therefore, one of my favorite verses. Don't allow Satan to burn it down.

Don't allow him to burn you down with old rubbish from the past from the past, reminding thing you things that you wish you don't you don't like to think about the will pulled you down spiritually. But remember what policy policy.

An interesting care. Listen to this man facility wrote, let me remind you of the Damascus Road experience what he was on his way to do what he was putting Christians to death. He was killing Christians right he was going to Damascus to kill some and God by sovereign grace chosen on the. The other guys think is interesting but HOP chose this murderer, not the ones over with thing, but he chose Paul Saul was gloriously converted.

We know the life of Saul Ellison wants all rights Philippians 3, I remind you, you know it. Three Philippians 313.

This is what he says.

He says in Philippians chapter 3 verses 1340 brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended these II need to review nearby, along with him arriving but I'm hoping in that sector rotation process that were making some in one of these days I will be fully glorified. Hallelujah. Three stages of salvation, justification, syndication, glorification, praise God for the glorification this coming and I will have arrived in the state of a glorification like Paul, he says I have. I haven't Not myself to apprehended. Haven't arrived yet amazing stall to the past pound times this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press toward the mark of the prize. The high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Don't let the devil burn you down with the rubbish of the past was Osama's is a cast RCN as far as the east is from the west, never to be remembered no more those interesting levers mean the meat explained that verse lawfully doing God doesn't have. He doesn't have the intellect to know what I did in the past. We know the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ we believe in. Once saved always saved, we believe it. The justification by faith amputation of Christ's righteousness. We believe in that. What is all that we could all this together. Does God not have the intelligence to know what I did in the past as to what that means. He says I will not remember this as I cast you sin as far as the east is from the west because what he is not going to count my scene against my kickback my camp because my My accountancy and has been paid for in full the shed blood. He is not to see my sin, because that scene is been washed in the blood of CalPERS Lamb, my sin has been washed away amputation of righteousness has been apply, thirdly, notice this were subject to discouragement. When we develop a negative attitude. Verse because only verse bursting in any says so were not able to build a wall to speak from my vantage point coming times that of the years and I try to lead the church to do something and arms and came to well can't do it your can easily horse to water but to make and drink are there that well pastor can preach the word chick making only the Holy Spirit get inside and talk about my experiences but will say this negative attitude like this fuels destroys negativism can kill a marriage negativism can kill a relationship. Negativism can kill a church. I can take you to churches. Today's a negativism curator negativism kills churches, I gotta tell you this in. I hope it illustrates my point. Pastor the church was better church as a pastor I went there we had to exit with some spiritual battle to do. Yes, we did. But the law but the people as we just read the head of the had a mind work had a mind to stand together. This was refreshing because I pastor George's when stand together and they they wouldn't. I dove the Lone Ranger.

I went to this church, I got my goodness I can't believe this. I found the people of God's pastor went out and staying with the pastor and there were some serious issues when to do with you and the people stood together.talk about man things he clean the place up.

God did it. God but I told you not to take this. Don't ever let your guard down all things are going the best they never go. Not since my entire pastor there. We had a deacon and he was doing with the consultant to heat. He was visiting the shut-ins and he was one of the shut-ins and visiting that he was doing something they should have done. He was speaking negatively about the church and I don't know everything he did say I just know this that he said, speaking negatively. One of one of the two things he said was this, he said that there was a lady there that was a real real godly godly godly woman who love the Lord with the best lesson when we've ever had in pastor.

Still a good close friend of ours today and for some reason I'm speaking negatively about that. Get back to us and we did what we are supposed to sit down with her sitdown with him. We were basically witnesses. I worked about and then you actually got this worked out with between what he said and she said he claimed he did know nothing about acting like a minuet get through that deal as it one more thing before we go I will ask you even telling everybody how bad everything is in this church listen to me about. I said you been telling me how bad everything is. Mr. Neff you tell us what is what I had and this is what he said I'll know what it is but it sure is my well we pretty well told him how we felt about that he continue coming radically with that was the end of that when you say were not able. He was actually agreeing with the enemy don't agree with the devil don't approve them in a negative attitude is very contagious and can hinder God's work, among God's people. I never will forget what that he told me and I can't take the history, that he would meet the so much more meaningful if I could buy that he was crippled before I was born because of God's sovereign design from eternity past, I was ever born. It's going to sovereign decree of God I was ever conceived, but I was on Dave's own crutches for 26 years. What you told me never walk again.

26 years later in a wheelchair more years. The biggest part of the rest of his life remarkable man, a wonderful store which I tell you all of this is what my daddy always told me growing up as a little boy can't never could do anything. Can't ever heard that expression can't never could do anything. My daddy in a wheelchair retired 80s 8/82 seven years of age, something like that. He lived in tonight 82 years of age. He kept going up and stopped Amato as believers seeking and seeking and knowing and doing God's will should be looking for 13 I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. So instead of being negatively critical in times of crises. We need to try praising the Lord like the psalmist did Psalm 42 verse 11. We said, why art thou cast down all my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope that when God for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God you see the praise God means that we are looking to him and were trusting him praising and pouting simply don't belong, nor can they inhabit the same heart. At the same time and only when we praise the Lord. Can we become, for God what he wants us to be. Can we come before him in prayer with SMS submissive attitude. Thirdly, last of all, the cure of discouragement is found in verses 12 through 23.

I'll try to summarize some of that very very quickly in one verse I think is a good summary verse 14 and I looked, and rose up and sent into the nobles and the rulers and the rest of the people being not be afraid. Being not be afraid. When discouragement comes were not to be afraid. Have you ever seen a time in recent history when society is more fearful pastor discreetly told me about a lady in our congregation that has been so scared to death and fearful.

She had put a foot outside the house for one of the heavy sounds like something wrong with somewhere, somewhere, something something wrong. Fear and faith cannot go together they can they provide in the same heart, the enemy started a rumor we see down in verse 11. This is enemies are going to attack you ladies are going to overcome you and wipe you out your building this in vain to come in and test it out again is what amounted to inverse 11 and 10 times as rumor circulated. Verse 12 tells us 10 times as rumor circulated around the camp until Nehemiah's and will try to put people's minds at ease. I put a watchmen on the wall, you little watchman was watching out for the enemy and I would sound the enemy started approaching you know about the watchman in the Old Testament. I hope so. Verses 17 and 18. After a lapse of time. Nehemiah sent the people back to work. He did so with a tool in one hand and a sword or a weapon in the other. These workers and warriors are symbolic of us New Testament believers. My fellow brothers and sisters in Christ were to be workers for the Lord Jesus Christ were to be workers for our Lord over also be warriors for Lord reliving the world is very antagonistic to the gospel. Let us not cower down to the world, though not cower down to a world that hates our God hates our principles and takes the values for which we stand, where you are the only sound of truth is left in the world you remove the charge to remove the Bible believing church. The Bible believing church and the sound of truth with we must continue to fight in war.

The good fight of faith. Remember Charles Spurgeon for sure I'm in a church that knows all about Strasburg yeah maybe you heard about the sword and the trial that he produced emblems of working working or and finding spiritually.

It takes us back regular text, Nehemiah, Nehemiah, praying for God to fight their enemies as they continued go back out to cover he left all take your tools that you're working with would be a trial or whatever in one hand he weapon in the working when the enemy comes fighting when he leaves pickup he weapon pick up your tools, people working. That's where we are today working in warring.

When discouragement comes were to remember not only be not afraid, but remember, remember, remember the Lord. We need to remember the Lord God, the creator and he knew anything they can speak this world into existence, he can fight our battles changing my Christian brothers and sisters look back and see the battles in God's fault in your lifespan not the time to pass it up so I won't get into this but can't you look back at I've just about been I just about been on a mountaintop of the last couple weeks I tasting glorious.

I will policing God fights and battles and do some things in the church where I am the only God could do more. That's that's that's getting on top of the mountain rather is it God hath manually been were God's presence. God's done this because fight has fought this battle. God is God's office to pass. God is he still warring for his people, and through his people. Our God is one. His opened up the Red Sea sent manna from heaven.

Broadwater Barack raise the widow's son is passing far from heaven took Elijah to have in a whirlwind spit Jonah Falwell's belly preserved Daniel in the lives then, and only known and all in all we could go. He still doing his work today still doing is he still doing his work. The ordinance and the need of the New Testament.

The New Testament church is a time of remember the time of remembrance. Remember what the Lord Jesus Christ did for us in. He took my sin upon us in the cell he took my sin upon himself and suffer the consequences shed his blood that my sin might be washed away in his side. He was buried, and rose so that when I close my eyes and then I'm going to meeting in the glory. One of these days I'll be close to that glorified by the best is yet to come.

Remember remember where we stand with God is an exciting journey. It's exciting journey. I don't know what God's going to do next but is going to be good. I say what I'm praying for us it just a minute not show it to you in our text. I acknowledge the fact were under God's judgment. This nation is under God's judgment knew what I'm praying for God help me help the church to learn how to live a victorious testimony in this land under which you pronounce your judgment. We need to learn how to be victorious Christians and let others see Christ in us, in the judgment, this being pronounce and I don't know what to face before it's all in with only got last of all, when discouragement comes where to be willing to fight for sick. Verse 14 diversity comment letter part of it. Fight for your brother and your sons and your daughters, your wives and your housings were talking to Carly trying to catch up on some history times got away since the last time we saw her. Then I have a grandchildren they have. We have one now a great scheme and great-grandchildren rather, they have rewrite great-grandchildren Kelly, great, great, the great not okay and okay not possible yet. Okay well I was on okay but I got three grandchildren.

We have three grandchildren and one great and I say this, my grandchildren, yes, I tell you what the precious but ultimately great grandbaby two years old in February I think about her in particular. When I hold her in my arms and sear down there and floorplan the thought crosses my mind what kind of world.

What kind of America what is going to be the church seem when she's grown at the rate it's going. We need to fight the good fight of faith. This is what he told him for the sake of your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses. We need to find it for posterity, so that when they come along they'll have a faith to know. Like we have today. Nehemiah reminds the people of the motivation for building and fighting is to be the spiritual welfare of their families. Time is a permit. I just cut short their I find it interesting though he does tell them down in verse 23 E., a radial time that I moments, no moment about that you're not prepared to fight or to work, except for taking all the closing think about, that God our God, the God of cleanliness is in a verse 23. Don't don't take because we can take a bath and take a look, but they just down to verse 20 I like this and wants place thereof are therefore in what place therefore you hear the sound of the trumpet you want to strip it to sound the trumpet of retreat resort you thither unto us, our God shall fight for us. The bottom line in all I'm saying tonight is that God has called us to be his human and that vessels is human instrumentality is God that flows through us. Does the fine. I am weak. Your week, but God is mine.

He indwells us the power of his Holy Spirit so I'm not so sure it's a sin to be discouraged ask is innocent. I'm not so sure to seem to be discouraged, but it's definitely a sin to stay discouraged and to let it get us down and keep us down.

I can take this much whatsoever is not of faith to sing and I can tell you that discouragement is inevitable. Everyone of us to do God's work and I'm reminded that faith is the victory that overcomes the world.

So as we labor this labor and faith as we prepare to fight prepared to work. Keep your eyes on the Lord trust him to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves and I faith marks fault-tolerant, come what may.

Because faith is the victory that overcomes the world and are Christ is the victim praying with father I pray that we took William to take something with us tonight that will build us up in the faith, and that will give us spiritual equipment fight against all the discouraging errors of Satan's arsenal. Help us to some live and help us to sue fight that you will be pleased that we might leave a testimony in a world that Christ is alive and risen and he is the only conqueror of our sin, of ourselves and are all the wickedness that we find going on in the world. The only answer is Jesus Us to safe, stay focused on the risen Lord is sovereign over all things, even the judgments that befall the world in Jesus name