In the midst of adversity...

I preached on Sunday morning at Darwin corps... Here's a summary:
Nehemiah heard news that the walls of Jerusalem had been destroyed, and after hearing this he wept, fasted and prayed. He then felt God wanted him to travel from Persia, where he was living, (Today: Iran), and travel about 700km west (through today's Iraq), to Jerusalem.

He got there, he rallied some Jews and started rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem (c.a. 445BC). Then in Neh 4:6, it says, 'So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.'

Have you ever been half-way through something and then have just given up? Maybe it was a project, or a vision God gave you, or maybe a Uni degree... Then you just stopped.

In the next part of the story of Nehemiah, people start criticising Nehemiah, and opposing his passion to rebuild the walls. Then the Jewish people start complaining... It's never gonna work Nehemiah. It's useless, we've never done anything like this before.

But Neh 4:14 is the key... 'After I looked things over... I STOOD UP...' In the midst of adversity, in the midst of opposition, and in the midst of pessimistic attitudes, Nehemiah chose to STAND! He addressed the crowd, and inspired them to continue on and rebuild the walls. After 52 days, they completed the rebuilding of the walls around Jerusalem...

In the midst all the things you have started, and are going through, and are experiencing, will you choose to STAND? To stand before God and say, 'I'm going to finish the dream you placed on my heart! I'm going to complete the study I believe you wanted me to do. I'm going to pay off this mortgage, and reclaim steady finances. I will STAND!

If you want to go a little deeper... Nehemiah had a few things that enabled him to STAND in the midst of adversity:
* He and others PRAYED (Neh 4:9a)
* He was WATCHFUL (Neh 4:9b) -- i.e. be alert when you pray, ask God to show you things
* He PERSEVERED
* GOD'S PRESENCE was with with (Neh 4:14)

In the midst of adversity, will you STAND?