Where we have come from in the last few weeks:

• Zerubbabel rebuilt the temple
• Ezra rebuilt the law
• Nehemiah is tasked with rebuilding the WALL

The Wall is Down - Nehemiah 1:3–4 (NLT) — 3 They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” 4 When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.

The King Shared the Burden Nehemiah 2:2–3 (NLT) — 2 So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.” Then I was terrified, 3 but I replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”

Shows Contemplation, Meditation, and Vision Nehemiah 2:11–13 (NLT) — 11 So I arrived in Jerusalem. Three days later, 12 I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding. 13 After dark I went out through the Valley Gate, past the Jackal’s Well, and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates.

The People Shared the Burden Nehemiah 2:17–18 (NLT) — 17 But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” 18 Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king. They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work.

The people were there, the temple was there, the homes were there, but there were no walls..

Nehemiah was grieved that the wall was down, he was burdened:

• The wall symbolic of STRENGTH - unity in the church
• The wall symbolic of SECURITY - prayer in the church
• The wall symbolic of DIGNITY - purity in the church
• The wall symbolic of BOUNDARIES - conviction in the church

The walls are our unity, our prayer, our purity, our conviction

• Nehemiah got a BURDEN that transcended everything else
• Nehemiah cried out to the KING who also cared about it. The King gave His favor.
• Nehemiah understood that it would require UNITY to bring it to pass.

How to rebuild a wall: ONE TEAM, ONE HEARTBEAT - Coach O

1. We must share the BURDEN 
   1. A shared burden is a breakthrough waiting to happen
   2. Deuteronomy 32:30 (NLT) — 30 How could one person chase a thousand of them, and two people put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
   3. We must all become passionate about the local church! 
      1. Missionaries will spend decades of their lives trying to build a local church, and how easily we will turn our eyes to what we have. 
      2. A local church can be the solution to every need of society
         1. Poverty, Foster Care, Mentoring, Food dist, etc.
      3. We must be more passionate about the local church than any other passion. It’s time to turn our hearts and passions towards the church.
2. We must share the BUILDING
   1. A church is not a LEADER, the leader only serves to give united focus and direction.
      1. There was no way Nehemiah could build the wall alone. The only chance he had was to engage EVERYONE
   2. All of chapter 3 gives the names of the people that linked arms to build
   3. Have you found your section of the wall?
      1. Humor - Nehemiah 3:5 (NLT) — 5 Next were the people from Tekoa, though their leaders refused to work with the construction supervisors.
   4. God has a part of the wall for you to build! 
3. We must share the BATTLE
   1. When the work begins, so does the battle. The devil can’t stand to see a unified church!
   2. Sanballat and Tobiah were Samaritan rulers that were jealous of seeing the wall go up.
      1. They made fun
      2. They cursed
      3. They sabotaged
      4. They took legal paths
   3. Ways that they warred:
      1. They were always armed - The full armor of God! 
      2. Half of them always stood guard - the importance of a prayer guard
      3. They never let up from the work - part of the way that we war is we work! 

In closing:

• If we will unite our hearts together in BURDEN, in BUILDING, in BATTLE, the wall will go up! 
• For salvation - Your adversary the devil goes around like a roaring lion seeking people to devour. The name of the Lord is a strong tower that the righteous run into and are saved.