I've previously written about my concern for Christians to be holy in doctrine and behavior and along with that our need to be united together in Christ (e.g. - please see here and here). The only true unity we have comes through the Holy Spirit, the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ; I've expressed my deep concern about our need to be rooted in and united in the Gospel.

I've been chewing on the book of Nehemiah for a while now here as well as on my other blog (please see here for the links to those posts). I would like us to consider Nehemiah 8 and 9, specifically to focus on and reflect on the centrality of the Word of God we see there and pray God might give us a similar passion for His Word in our own lives, our congregations and the life of the Church as a whole. The purpose of this website is to be praying for revival in the Church. All the true revivals of religion have had associated with them a return to Biblical preaching. Some might say the preaching spurs the revival; others might say the revival spurs the preaching, but regardless, Biblical preaching is central to any true revival of Christian religion.

I would ask you to read through Nehemiah 8 and 9 on your own and reflect on the emphasis on the Word of God we see there and ask yourself:

Today I would like us to look at just the first few verses of Nehemiah 8, and D.V., I hope to continue on with more from these chapters in coming days.

Nehemiah 8:1  And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. 2  So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3  And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand...

Holy Father, Son and Spirit,

We see your people gathering together as one man here. What were they doing?

They were asking for the Word of God to be read! Their leaders read from the Word of God! They were listening to the Word of God! They listened to Your Word for hours on end. How wonderful! How often does that happen in our churches today?

I've previously written about the opposition that had arisen against the building of the wall and repair of its gates in my prayers here and here.

Today I'd like us to focus on our need to continue in prayer day and night as we work because just as was happening in the time of Nehemiah, opposition to God's work is continuing day and night. Throughout the book of Nehemiah we see how the enemies of Israel kept coming back again and again to discourage and dissuade the people of God from the work of building and repair. That's particularly apparent in Nehemiah 4:

Nehemiah 4:6  So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

7  But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. 8  And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. 9  And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.

10  In Judah it was said, “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” 11  And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.” 12  At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.” 13  So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14  And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”

Notice that the wall had already been built to half its height, and notice how the people had a mind to work (after being mocked prior to this time). At this point there is real visible progress, and even so the people began to lose perspective, they became fearful and began to despair and wonder if the work could really be completed all due to the continuing attacks of the enemy. I've known that feeling. Have you?

This is a real reminder to us of our need to encourage one another (I wrote on this here on my other blog yesterday) and to continue on in prayer as we work, not only at the beginning of our work but throughout the entire span of our work (which means we ought always to be praying for our work on earth is not completed until our days here on earth are completed!). We must not ever sit back and relax and let down our guard – and we must especially persevere in prayer once we begin to see answers to our prayers. The devil is ready to step in, take advantage when we let down our guard and take a foothold wherever and whenever we give him an opening to do so!

15  When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16  From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, 17  who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. 18  And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19  And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20  In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

Once more we see here the continuing guard, the day and night diligence we must have as we work, which includes a day and night covering in prayer. So often we can get busy, busy, busy with our work and we neglect to persevere in the necessary work of prayer.

21  So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. 22  I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” 23  So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.

The work of the devil and his minions is 24/7. That's why Paul told us to pray without ceasing...

Holy and everlasting God,

Make us more and more aware of our need to pray without ceasing. We confess we so often busy ourselves with working and doing and we so easily forget the work of prayer. We think that prayer is a secondary thing, but it is a primary thing. Prayer must undergird, guard and surround all we do. The devil is prowling waiting for an opportune time to come and attack us as we work. May we be steadfast, immovable and abounding in all the work You call us to, and that work includes the work of prayer. May we take heed, lest we fall. When we think we are strong, when we think we can do all things, remind us we have no power, no reserves and no protection unless we continue to root all we do in prayer, that we can do nothing apart from You, but praise God, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! We can build, and we must build, but we must continue to set a guard and protection in prayer. We can plant Your gospel seed, and we must plant, but as we plant, we must continue to water it with prayer.

May we be like the watchmen described in Isaiah, may we never give you rest but continue to intercede to your for guidance, protection and help.

All the day...All the night...

You know our spirits are willing but our flesh is weak.

Yet we know enough to know we must continue in prayer.

Strengthen us, O Lord, to pray, through Your eternal, omnipotent Spirit who dwells in us. You are the God who never ceases in prayer in heaven. You are the God who never ceased to search after us while we were lost sheep. You are the God who is from everlasting to everlasting. You are the God who has the power of an indestructible life. Apart from You we cannot even desire to pray all the day and all the night. So certainly then apart from You we cannot even begin to pray all the day and all the night. These things are possible for us through Your life which dwells in us.

We confess we find time for all sorts of other things, but seem to find little time for prayer. Father, forgive us for quenching Your Holy Spirit and grieving You. Our Father, forgive us for Jesus' sake. We are not our own, but we are Yours. Our lives are hid with Christ in God. Therefore help us to set our minds on things above, to remember we are Your ambassadors here sent to build the wall wherever You send us and we cannot do so apart from continuing in prayer day and night.

Whom have we in heaven but You? You are are guide. You are our protector. You are our help. We confess we often forget we are totally dependent on You for all things. All things. We can do nothing apart from You. Jesus Christ is our life. Your Holy Spirit is our breath. Our Father, we are Your children. We ask You to remind us when we forget, when we begin working and have a zeal to work, but when we do not continue to abide in You and continue instant in prayer. We confess we need Your zeal for prayer.

When we do not draw our strength from You in prayer, our labor will be in vain, for it is not being done in You. Forgive us, O Lord, when we forget, and draw us back to You once again, take us to our knees in utter dependence on You, the Chief Shepherd. How can the sheep do or know anything apart from the Lamb who bought us, the Lamb whose lives indwells us, the Lamb who is seated at the right hand of the throne of God in heaven interceding for us? Forgive us, good Shepherd, when we forget You. May we continue in prayer without ceasing. May we continue in prayer day and night at Your throne of grace. Lord Jesus, You are continuing there on our behalf. Our Father, we know You are waiting to hear our prayers. Your Spirit longs to pray along with us there.

We come to You, our Father, in the Name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. While we continue to work strengthen us to continue in prayer without ceasing, to continue in prayer day and night...all the day, all the night...so we might see Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. So Your Kingdom might come in greater measure here in our own lives, in our churches, in our communities, in our countries, to the ends of the earth, as well as in the blogging communities of Xanga and Revelife. We long for the Church to be a praise in the earth. We long to see the earth filled with Your glory, O Lord. Amen.

Earlier this week in my post "Your good hand continues to be on us in spite of opposition," I touched on how the work of rebuilding and repairing the walls and gates of Jerusalem was opposed. This opposition began in heaven when some of the angels rebelled against God's authority and they were cast out. We then saw in the garden how there would be enmity between the serpent and Eve's seed. Throughout the Bible we see Satan's continued attempts to destroy the people of God and thwart the work of God. But God is having none of it! God's work will not be thwarted. He is God and there is none like Him. He who has spoken will bring it to pass. Whatever our God has purposed, He will do. His plans for His Church will be fulfilled. (e.g.- see Isaiah 46).

Jesus told us that the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy. The devil is our adversary and accuser. He is a liar, a deceiver and a murderer. As Luther wrote, He is a real foe who seeks to do us woe. Let us never forget when we are doing the work of God, Satan is busying himself trying to tear it down any way he can.

Today's prayer is based on Nehemiah 4:1-5 and focuses on the temptations Satan continues to send to God's people as they are engaged in God's work...

Nehemiah 4:1  Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. 2  And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” 3  Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” 4  Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. 5  Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.

Omnipotent God,

You set Your love on us before we loved You. You sent Jesus Christ to die for us while we were sinners. You foreknew and predestined us before we knew You. You called to us and gave us ears to hear. Our eyes were blinded to Your glory but You opened them to the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. We came to You only because You drew us. You have given us eternal life, the life of God in our very souls!

These things were impossible for us, but possible with You.

You, O Lord, are powerful. There is none like You. Though Satan is a defeated foe, he continues to prowl. He is powerful. More powerful than any of us, but not more powerful than You. Though he is the prince of the power of the air, though he is the ruler of this world, we know that You alone are the sovereign Ruler of all. Though it does not look like it some days, Satan has already been wholly defeated at Calvary's cross. Amen. Christ is the Victor. We confess we sometimes forget that. All things, including the devil's workings here in this world, are under Your authority. He can only do what you allow him.

In Nehemiah we see how the temptation came at the builders of the wall to focus on themselves rather than focus on You.

"What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?”

We face similar temptations. We hear taunts such as these (from outside ourselves and from within our own minds). As we begin to entertain such questions, we begin to doubt and to fear. We begin to doubt and question Your goodness, Your sovereignty, Your sufficiency, Your power and Your strength. We begin to take our eyes off You and we look at the work You have called us to. We begin to take our eyes off You and begin to look at ourselves. That is all the plan of the devil for as soon as we focus on the work and ourselves, we are no longer looking squarely at You. As a result we soon lose our vision and our hope and our source of strength, for we are no longer abiding in You as we ought. You alone are our strength. We, Your people, are the branches. Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Vine. All we have comes from You, O Lord and Giver of Life. Apart from You we can do nothing. We can never expect to do You work apart from Your Holy Spirit's power, Your resurrection life at work in us, working in us to will and to do of Your good pleasure.

Help us to keep our eyes fixed on You at all times, not on the work, not on ourselves, for in and of ourselves we are nothing. When we look at ourselves we will despair and lose hope.

Help us to keep abiding in You at all times, for in and of ourselves we have neither life nor power. When we rely on ourselves we will despair and lose hope.

Help us to keep our minds fixed on Your truth at all times, not on the lies of Satan, for He is a deceiver, a liar and the father of lies. When we listen to Satan's lies we will despair and lose hope.

Help us to keep drawing on Your life, for Satan is a thief and a murderer, there is neither life nor hope nor health in him. When we entertain his ideas, we will despair and lose hope.

You alone are mighty to save, to deliver, to equip and strengthen us.

In and of ourselves we have neither strength nor power.

You have promised You would never leave us or forsake us. You sent Your Spirit to bring us life when we were dead, and You have promised Your Holy Spirit would abide with us forever to sustain that life in us. We have the power of Jesus Christ, the one who conquered the grave, at work in us; Your incorruptible seed has come to birth us into Your family and to keep us. And we have the Lord Jesus Christ our great high priest interceding for us at the right hand of majesty in heaven.

When we hear the taunts from the enemy, instead of despairing in our weakness and poverty and inability, let us look to Your strength, riches and ability, Almighty God.

When we hear the taunts of the enemy, let us proclaim boldly and without reservation what You exhorted the Church at Laodicea to do (based on Rev. 3 ~ paraphrased/expanded):

As we remember Your mighty all-sufficient power given to us through the cross of Jesus Christ, we will respond to the taunts of the enemy with bold proclamations of Your sufficiency and strength and grace:

What are these feeble Jews doing?

We are weak, we are feeble, but You are strong! Oh, yes, we admit we are feeble, but You, O Lord, are our strong. But no, not only strong but You are our strength. We have no strength apart from the strength You provide us by Your indwelling Holy Spirit. Our weakness is the opportunity for Your grace and light to shine through us so You might be glorified in our earthen, cracked and feeble vessels.

Will they restore it for themselves? (will they fortify themselves? (KJV))

No, we will not restore it ourselves. We can do nothing at all apart from You, O Lord. We were unable to restore ourselves. And we are unable to restore ourselves must lest restore anything or anyone else! You alone, O Lord, will work in us so we might restore Your Church. Without You we can do nothing. We have no strength, no fortification apart from You, Almighty God.

Will they sacrifice?

We have no sacrifice to bring, except the all-sufficient sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We bow to You and You alone. No other sacrifice is needed. We stand in His righteousness alone. Because of Your mercies to us in Jesus Christ, however, we bring ourselves to You to do with us as You will. Our lives are not our own. We present ourselves as living sacrifices to do whatever work You call us to do for Your Kingdom and for Your glory. This is not a sacrifice but a joy and a delight to be able to bring ourselves to Your service, O Lord. Continue to work in us to will and to do of Your good pleasure.

Will they finish up in a day?

We do not know how long we will need to work but as Your power and grace work in us, we trust You will finish the work You have begun in and through us. By faith and patience we will inherit the promises. Let us labor hard, yet not us, but Your grace and Your Spirit who dwells in us. May we not grow weary in well doing. May we continue to plant ourselves in You and in Your Word, to study to show ourselves approved. May we put off the sin that easily besets us and run the race with perseverance and fix our eyes on Jesus. May we run to attain the prize of the high calling in Jesus Christ and lay hold to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of us. May we press on to know You and count all things loss for the all-surpassing value of knowing Jesus Christ. May we strive for the imperishable crown and discipline ourselves so we might not be disqualified. Strengthen our hands and our hearts and our minds, O God, for the work to which You have appointed us.

Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?

No! Amen. We fully confess we have no power to revive anything. We have power only as Your Holy Spirit breathes into us and dwells in us. We will work to revive but only as You work in us. Lord Christ, we know it is Your good pleasure that the stones in Your Church as revived once again. We see the heaps, we see the burned stones. We grieve along with You, O Lord. We are living stones only by Your life come to indwell us, but too often we confess we have fallen into states of deadness and lethargy. You are the source of our life. You quickened and revived our dead and dry souls, and we are trusting You will revive us again for Your glory. Your Church needs reviving. We lie in ruins. We are a reproach and shame to Your blessed and holy Name, much like Jerusalem was after the exile. We are trusting that You who created the world out of nothing will revive the dry bones in Your Church once again. Work in us as You will to be Your instruments of that work of revival in Your Church.

Our Father, we pray with one mind and one heart that the plans of Your enemies would be turned back. We ask this humbly and only because we see Your Name disgraced and reproached. Yet we know in Your mysterious and inscrutable ways, You are sovereign over Satan, You are sovereign over all Your enemies and are using them to Your glory. We confess we do not understand this. You allow the tares to grow up with the wheat. You allow false teachers to prosper. But we do know that as we Your people, as Your holy bride is attacked, You are attacked. And we grieve when Your Name is blasphemed and despised. We pray You might help us to face Your enemies and answer them with truth from Your Word through Your Holy Spirit. Grant us wisdom and words in dealing with Your enemies. Open our mouths, give Your words, and then shut our mouths as You will. Strengthen us so we might stand strong against all the enemy's attacks.

We also pray Your kindness would bring even Your enemies, the opponents of Jesus Christ and His Gospel of grace through faith, to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. We humbly confess that we were once Your enemies and Your kindness drew us to repentance. Our minds were enmity against You. We were not worthy and You made us worthy. You loved us first. We were blind but now we see. We were not a people but now we are Your people. We once knew no mercy but now we have know Your mercy through the cross. Help us to love our enemies as You loved us, and to pray for those who persecute us. We pray Your Holy Spirit might work in Your enemies, open their eyes, soften their hearts. May we continue to witness to all peoples of Your amazing and abounding sovereign grace available through the cross of Jesus Christ to all who believe. May Your irresistible grace bring many to faith in Jesus Christ, so they might receive Your manifold mercies and great grace in abundance as we have. We intercede for them today, O Lord God. As many as You have called to eternal life, draw now, O Lord, Great Shepherd of the sheep, and increase Your Kingdom, so we might rejoice with the angels in heaven and You. Amen.