CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE: NEHEMIAH, PRAYERS, WATCHMAN AND WEAPONS

On the first Tuesday after the Sunday encounter with God the Holy Spirit, Jack decided to spend time doing the morning worship and Bible reading on his own. He started his praise and worship in the spirit while driving and by the time he reached home he continued to sing hymns and choruses. Then he read the Bible. The Book of Nehemiah came to his mind and he read the verses aloud. The reading continued and before he realized it was noon and he had spent the whole morning reading the Bible. The reading was different from his previous reading of the same Book. The whole Book brought to him a clear message about the church they are building right now.
The place was meant for prayers and intercessions and was used for that purpose for the past ten years. All the services were conducted in the evenings and focused on worship, healing and deliverance. People came and left as they wished. Many had been ministered to, received healings and deliverance but had not returned with gratitude. The Christians returned to their own churches. The non-believers maintained their distance. Only now a decision is made to start the Sunday morning worship like a church does.
Jack pondered on the task of re-building of a church. He could imagine how Nehemiah felt. It was a monumental task for Nehemiah, to rebuild the Jerusalem walls. Nehemiah started the project alone. With God. God was the master builder. Nehemiah merely listened and obeyed. He prayed every step of the way. He prayed and God answered immediately. He did not take things for granted. In fact, Nehemiah had followed the Holy Spirit all the way.
Nehemiah was a watchman. He watched and prayed and interceded. God answered and gave him the solutions. He obeyed and followed the instructions. His problems were thus solved.
Jack noted in Nehemiah the following spiritual truth applicable in the present re-building efforts:
1. Recognize that the war is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual principalities, rulers and wicked forces in the heavenly realm. (Ephesians 6)
2. Recognize the key role of the Holy Spirit (the power behind all re-building efforts) and the words of God (the sword of the Spirit).
3. Recognize the importance of regular prayers and intercessions (to switch on the power).
4. Recognize the rightful functions of the gates and the walls. The gates are to open and welcome the entrance of the King of kings, Lord of lords. The walls are for the defense against the enemies.
The strategy of Nehemiah is to: watch, pray, defend and build.
Jack was led to note that Nehemiah deployed half his men to build and half to be equipped with weapons and posted behind the workers/builders. Even the builders wore swords. The materials carriers worked with one hand and held a weapon in the other. Such caution and defense!
His conclusion is that we need to pray more and read the Bible more, much more than what we have been doing. Without the words of God (the swords of the Spirit), without the switch (prayer) that switches on the power of God in the spiritual realm, the battle will be lost. Above all, we must seek the presence of the Holy Spirit as He is the power source.
January 6, 2010