Being a Change Agent

Hello my friends Michael use of here. I just wanted to thank you for connecting with leading the way. Our entire team is wholly committed to passionately proclaiming uncompromising truth of God's word and it cannot be done without you learn more about what God has charged us to do around the world by clicking around LTW.org that's LTW.org. Thank you and may God richly bless you as you seek to serve in ancient times city wall were of outermost importance most important thing for the city, with its walls. In fact, city walls represented protection, city walls spoke of strength of the city. City walls communicated an image of prosperity for the city, city walls defined as city.

Not only that, but city walls back in ancient times is where all the social and civic activities took place, particularly near the gate of the city wall in ancient times, a city wall surrounded the city from every side.

Most often cities are founded upon a hill just like Jerusalem and you could see the fences. Therefore, he can see those walls from every direction. City walls were built in variety of ways, of course, in the very beginning the work on a Marden rubble and then written in stone. Some city walls were between 12 and 18 feet thick in fact that modern archaeology have the dug up and discovered that the ancient city of Nineveh. The walls around the city of Nineveh was so wide that two chariots can literally be riding side-by-side on top of that wall is how big that wall was, but as weapons and armor is got more powerful so that the construction of these walls infected became very common, later on for cities to build thick walls.

5 feet apart, and then they fill those 5 feet of space with rocks is how fortified these walls were the Bible uses city walls in relationship to a personal life and relationship to family life in relationship to nations and cultures.

One other thing I want to tell you about walls before I get to my text okay. Just be patient. One more thing. She walls always had gates you have to have gates otherwise.

Again, getting a nap okay and you always have gates but gates were always the weakest point in the city walls. In fact, is often called the Achilles' heel of the city wall and that is why strategic defense planners built powers often on the sides of the gate. Why to strengthen that Achilles' heel of the defense system. When you understand that sin and temptation comes to us and attack us through our gates and saw mind gates you will understand what Solomon met when he said you go to that power the name of the Lord you run into your safe around very far because those towers were right next door to the gate. Whenever you face temptation, whenever you face sin, whenever you face times of trial to come to you through the gates of mind and heart you'll run to the tower and that you receive the strength that you received the power that you need to have victory over sin walls in the Bible used as a symbol of a life that is protected under majority from the Scripture walls in the Bible are used as a symbol of life that is secure and at peace walls in the Bible are used as a symbol of a life of purity alive of safety alive of serenity walls in the Bible used as a symbol or a well being in the midst of a hostile in the midst of a threatening environment and therefore the protection of these walls were very important.

In fact, they spared no expense to keep that wall safe. Not only that, but got the same token, the Bible also speaks of the fact that broken wall is a symbol of a life that's in shambles a broken wall is a symbol of a life that's in turmoil a broken wall is a symbol of a life that is continuously being threatened a broken wall is a symbol of a life that is disconnect than discontented. A symbol of a life that is in deep trouble is symbol of alive that are sleepless and worried and anxious. No wonder when Nehemiah come back from exile and he inspected the city of Jerusalem and looked at the wall and he saw the wall of the city totally broken and destroyed, and he just sat there and he wept because it meant that Jerusalem is up for grabs. Then, by the power of God to lead the people to rebuild the walls and everybody was involved in the rebuilding the young and the older men and the women. Everybody was involved in the rebuilding of those walls today. We are seeing broken walls all around us.

Broken walls of individual lives, broken walls and marriages and homes broken homes in children's lives in teenagers lives, broken walls in our society broken walls in our churches. Broken walls are everywhere in the symbolism here is extremely rich from the Scripture in ancient times, a wall of a city that is broken.

It means that that city is vulnerable to enemy's attack that city is vulnerable to foreign occupation that city is vulnerable to wild beasts coming in and out. That city was vulnerable to ravenous animals and no wonder we seeing it happening today in real life. In fact, that is why the wall of Jerusalem, for example, was declared in Psalm 48 verse 12 as a symbol of God's faithfulness and protection was in the brick-and-mortar was God was protecting. And that's exactly what you read in the Bible again and again and again that while walls are symbols of protection. It is really God who protects it is really God who guards it is God who protects nations. It is God who protects cities.

It is God who protects homes.

It is God who protects individual lives listed the Sri Lankan destroyer walls of our lives, but to rebuild them again city can devastate a life, but God can restore that life again. And that is why the Bible said, unless the Lord watches over the city.

Some translations that unless the Lord guards the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. Which brings me to the question is a question that many faithful people are asking in these troubling times in these difficult times. How can I be a change agent. In fact, that is the title of my last chapter in the book with the crosses are gone because I felt that it is not enough to curse the darkness. I wanted to light the candle and I want to help God's people to become a change agent. How can I be used of God. I know that a lot of Christians I want is not me I don't have this and I can have that all you have all you need to have in Jesus.

And if you have Jesus you got everything. How can I be an instrument of change for good or for God that brings me to my text. Now you can turn to Isaiah 58 verse 12 will be referring to the whole chapter but let me focus on verse 12 is with the word of God said to God's people through Isaiah, you will people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will rise up the age-old foundations you will be called the repairer of broken walls, restorer of streets with dwellings really put this in the historical context always with my text and context.

In many ways our day in which we live today very similar to the days of Isaiah. It really is you cannot read the Bible and escape it. In fact, the similarity is so frightfully clear that one has to be concerned because we know what happened to Israel is how it happened. King Uzziah came on the scene at the time. Like many of our politicians.

The campaign for office of the King is a religious man and when he got into office pride and power extracted whatever little goodness he had in him. King Uzziah imposed faulty religious views upon the nation and he ridiculed the priest and the prophets and the faithful people of God.

Up to this point, prosperity and blessing has been Israel stronghold. But then abuse and violence, and rejection of God's covenant with them very fast on the road to destruction.

And yet God in his mercy, God in his grace he kept sending change agents. Jeremiah and Isaiah, and these change agents will not just there to do the job.

There were there to exalt God's people to be change agents, and that is the word spoken in the Lord through Isaiah calling the people of God to be change agents is like he is calling everyone of you today who know the Lord Jesus Christ is calling everyone of us today to be a change agent. You cannot leave the job to the preachers. You cannot leave the job the pastors. You cannot leave the job for somebody else it is you will call them God's call upon everyone of you to be a change agent in our culture and our society today regarding this one God did not save you so that you must set them up your salvation. God did not save you so that you might sit idly while society is rotting Jesus and your assault on lighting in cellular assault on light. If you feel like it or when you feel led to do it.

Your assault on Rod. Whether you like it or not. In the New Testament were all the believers are priests, there is no need anyone to intercede on our behalf. Everyone of us is a priest in the presence of God with a kingdom of priests, and no one can say it was not me only God did finally raise his men and women Boys and Girls Club such a time God finally raise faithful children to be his voice in this time of rebellion in the time of turning away from God. God is speaking to his faithful remnant today as clearly as he can never speak and he is saying you are going to be called the repair a broken walls. Amen.

Everyone must be involving repairing of the broken walls. Every single person just like in the time of Nehemiah when every single person was involved.

Some will go.

Some will price and will give her some Olympus everybody intercede me; how can I be a change agent. First of all, if you not able to see the danger in which we are in and the times in which we live in. The first thing you need to do.

You need to cry.

The guidance of open my eyes open eyes I can see because is something wrong if you can see, as the Lord listed there are so many believers today who are carrying their head in the sand and not realizing the danger of the day in which we live.

Listening happened in history before I can stand here and decide history, but only have yet of spiritualized to see it and understand we all read about the roaring 20s, but only a spiritual eyes were realize that those roaring 20s gave way to the Great Depression cannot happen again not related. I don't think so, unless and until you see the falsehood of today and the moral calamity is leading us to disaster until you see the danger of the consequences of drowning of the truth of compromising the truth but God is calling you to be repairer of the broken walls there. What should I do Isaiah 58, one verse 110 chapter actually gives you the answer, not me, nor the God is and shouted loud. Don't hold back back don't hold back, speaking the truth. Don't hold back on supporting those who are in the front line of preaching the truth.

Don't hold back and sharing of your faith. Don't hold back and standing with those in the filing line. Don't be intimidated don't have a defeatist attitude but be of courage be a change agent because that's exactly what God wants a change agent to do to speak loudly to speak often and to speak wisely.

I am convinced that the greatest threat to the church of Jesus Christ.

Today is the silence of God's people. I am absolutely convinced of that culture is changing at a dizzying and alarming speed. Arch churches are departing from the truth. When an overwhelming pace. Even believers retreating back from the field of battle was a heartbreaking way back in the old days. Harvard and Yale law… It usually took several generations to the park now is not even taking one generation to the part but the question remain. How can I be a change agent. Listen carefully.

Please instead of murmuring and complaining and moping on sulking about silly things share the gospel instead of joining the chorus of gossip of superfluous things speak truth instead of being part of a holy huddle, and the naysayers declare the mysteries of the power of God instead of just saying how bad things are given like the good news is leading the way will be able to get the gospel to hundred and 90 countries and 20 languages and God has given this church some unique opportunities not just to touch the city not to touch a nation, but the ball my friend John Stark used to say. He says Christians must be global minded with a global vision because we have a global God. In fact, Isaiah tells us about couple of obstacles that a change agents were facing at that time. When you see them realize nothing change in time. Verse three first obstacle. Isaiah 58, three is the dead religion and dead rituals that people were practicing at that day. At that time, like other listen to me a change agent, repair of walls amend our broken walls must speak the truth in love, must call sin sin first in our lives. And then in the lives of others. We must call people to repent is what we must repent. First, we must have a lifestyle of repentance, so that will be able to call others to repent God. Calling sin that disease is not a disease it is soon, and it can only be delivered from Betsy and then the power of that sin through the blood of Jesus Christ second obstacle that was creating a job in their own image. Have you seen it. Everybody's got a God everybody has a God created in their own image, creating a God that they could appease creating a God in the minds who doesn't care about morality. The grading of God in their minds who is not interested in their lives creating a God who's not interested on what they do between Sunday's, but the true God wants his people to be not entertain but world changes God wants us children to be a change agents look at verse six to loosen the chains God wants to use his children as a change agents to set people free from sin and bondage. God wants his children to be a change agents to set people free from the slavery of sin or from addiction God wants to use you as a change agents to help open the blind eyes because God wants to set the captives free. He does it all through his change agents for you. It appears the broken walls of lives and homes and churches societies through the Paris of walls you will be called repairer of broken walls, restorer of streets with dwellings. See, God made it clear to Israel and me again if you can muster them you read the Scripture again and again until it becomes monotonous and sometimes I just say, Lord, what incredible patience you have that victory would come when his change agents are willing to be repaired as a broken walls throughout the nation throughout the world. Millions of people waiting there longing for someone to bring them the word that will set them free will you be the change agent will you be the change agent.

I know it's only a spiritually minded person will understand that all of the physical walls, all of the powerful walls cannot protect when there is a moral collapse when there's a spiritual collapse all the education in the world will not change our life and not against education. Believe me on the beneficiary of education and that is why we need to cry to God to empower us to be a change agents material.

This true story hopefully will illustrate what I'm really trying to tell you and the burden of my heart is absolutely true. Started that many years ago and I have never forgotten it. Ancient China and the people who dwelt there were exhausted and tired and frustrated by the invasions of what they call the northern barbaric hordes. I'm courting history on the Mike and Judge and so they come up with a great idea to build the Great Wall of China credible wall. It was so high that there was sure not one could ever climb over it was so sick and why nothing could break it down so that built it and then they settled back in us and now we can enjoy safety and security, we were the invaded, or so they thought. In fact, during the first hundred years of the existence of the wall there were invaded three times by the so-called barbaric hordes three times. No, nobody ever climbed over the wall. Nobody broke the wall but every time the invaders three times and every time they invaded China by bribing the gatekeepers in the cancer. The gate you see will building the wall but they forgot to teach the children integrity and when those kids grew up, they became the gatekeepers office and the architect hours to do, but you get the imagery you have it you get it in our culture, we have given kids trinkets or government toys were given the best of education, but we did not tell them about Jesus and now they are the gatekeepers you will be called repairer of broken walls. Restorer of street with dwellings, shall we pray together. Laura Hudson lifted up to you. Our eyes are focused on you. We know that is inventing for the guards to guard the city unless the Lord himself guards.

It is in vain for the builder to build a house. Alyssa Lord himself builds her and that's what we coming to you. This is not just a theological nicety that we just pray after a sermon because I was about heads and it's a ritual thing to do Lord in our hearts is not the issue for us.

We coming to you because with desperate and we believe only you can change hearts and you can transform lives in you the only one who can do the impossible. You are the cause of the impossible. And so we come to you. We cry to you in a variety of ways. Now, variety of personalities we cry to you when you hear us with your answers when you empower us to be change agents for father we pray this in that mighty powerful name of Jesus, a