Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / The Work Must Go On - 3/11/26 - Bro. Austin Elkins - Meadows Baptist Church

Transcript

The Work Must Go On - 3/11/26 - Bro. Austin Elkins - Meadows Baptist Church · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

• 0:02
  Welcome to the podcast of Meadows
• 0:05
  Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North
• 0:07
  Carolina. We're so glad you joined us
• 0:10
  today. If you enjoy today's message, be
• 0:12
  sure to subscribe, follow, and share
• 0:15
  with your friends. Now, let's join
• 0:17
  Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from
• 0:20
  God.
• 0:27
  And the truth is, if we really ever got
• 0:29
  a hold of what she just sang,
• 0:32
  if we really just grasp that that he is,
• 0:37
  he's it.
• 0:42
  >> You don't need nothing else.
• 0:44
  >> You don't need nobody else. You don't
• 0:46
  need nothing else.
• 0:48
  >> He's all you need.
• 0:52
  And uh
• 0:55
  I think until we get to that point, I
• 0:57
  think we're we're still not going to see
• 0:59
  revival until we get to the place where
• 1:01
  we say, "Lord, I don't know what else is
• 1:04
  going I don't know what's going to
• 1:05
  happen. I don't care. I don't know what
• 1:07
  it's going to cost me. I don't care. I
• 1:09
  don't know where it's going to take me,
• 1:10
  but I don't care, Lord. I just want
• 1:13
  you."
• 1:15
  >> You get to that place, you'll have
• 1:17
  revival.
• 1:18
  >> Amen.
• 1:20
  Amen. Well,
• 1:23
  it's good to have brother Austin Elkins
• 1:25
  back with us tonight. And uh I
• 1:29
  appreciate this man of God. I really do.
• 1:31
  >> And God has used him uh in my life. He's
• 1:34
  been a been a help. And uh more than he
• 1:37
  realizes. His his pullpit ministry has
• 1:40
  been such an encouragement to me. And u
• 1:43
  I guess probably about the age I am now
• 1:45
  was how old you was when I first started
• 1:47
  preaching. I guess so. somewhere around
• 1:49
  there. And he's always stayed the same,
• 1:52
  preaches the same, and God uses him. And
• 1:55
  uh he just goes preaching uh wherever
• 1:58
  God lets him. And I thank him. Thank
• 2:00
  thank the Lord for using him and the
• 2:03
  open door that he has. And I appreciate
• 2:05
  him minding the Lord these last two
• 2:06
  nights. And preacher, you come preach
• 2:09
  what's on your heart. And let's get
• 2:11
  behind it. May help him preach. And I
• 2:14
  know he's got what's on the heart of God
• 2:16
  for this service tonight. So you pray
• 2:18
  for him, worship with him.
• 2:20
  >> Amen. Love you, preacher. I appreciate.
• 2:22
  >> Yes, sir. Amen. Well, I'm glad I'm
• 2:25
  saved. Amen. I'm glad to be in church on
• 2:28
  this Wednesday night. And I can say
• 2:31
  already, it's been good to be here. And
• 2:33
  I'll be honest, I can sit and listen to
• 2:35
  singing like that, listen, testifying
• 2:36
  all night. That stuff don't bother me. I
• 2:37
  grew up around stuff like that. And I'm
• 2:40
  thankful for God's goodness and his
• 2:42
  mercy and for his amazing grace. The
• 2:45
  book of Nehemiah tonight. The book of
• 2:47
  Nehemiah, chapter number four. Nehemiah
• 2:49
  chapter number four. When you find your
• 2:51
  place, we'll invite you to stand with us
• 2:53
  as we'll read and pray together and give
• 2:55
  you the thought uh that is in our heart
• 2:57
  for tonight. Nehemiah chapter number
• 3:00
  four. And we'll give you this thought.
• 3:02
  And uh you know, we'll be timely and
• 3:04
  trying to get it to you. And this has
• 3:06
  been on our heart since about the time
• 3:08
  we left yesterday. Started trying to
• 3:09
  pray towards tonight and have direction.
• 3:12
  I I was looking I was hoping to get do a
• 3:14
  series this week. Uh, but it seems like
• 3:16
  the Lord's just orchestrated everything
• 3:17
  the way he's wanted it. And I'm not
• 3:19
  going to complain about his leadership
• 3:21
  one bit. I'm thankful uh for his
• 3:23
  goodness and his mercy and for his grace
• 3:26
  and uh for all that he's done. Church, I
• 3:28
  want to say thank you for the room.
• 3:29
  Thank you for all the meals, the
• 3:30
  fellowship. Uh it's always always a
• 3:33
  precious thing to be around you. I love
• 3:34
  getting to be with you y'all. Some of
• 3:36
  the friendliest people I've met. And I
• 3:38
  mean, man, he made me a a tumbler with
• 3:40
  Tennessee on it. I know it pained him
• 3:42
  greatly to do it, but he did it. And I
• 3:44
  praise the Lord for that. And uh I mean
• 3:46
  all the kindnesses and all the all the
• 3:48
  blessings, all the giving, all the
• 3:49
  things y'all done just to make us feel
• 3:51
  welcome. And since this is my life, I
• 3:53
  sure do appreciate places that feel like
• 3:55
  home. And I appreciate that uh much the
• 3:58
  Lord. Let's read together tonight
• 3:59
  Nehemiah chapter number four. And we'll
• 4:02
  start our reading in verse number one
• 4:04
  tonight. The Bible said, "But it came to
• 4:06
  pass that when Sand Ballot heard that we
• 4:08
  builded the wall, he was wroth and took
• 4:11
  great indignation and mocked the Jews,
• 4:13
  and he spake before his brethren and the
• 4:15
  army of Samaria, and said, "What do
• 4:19
  these feeble Jews? Will they fortify
• 4:22
  themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will
• 4:25
  they make an end in a day? Will they
• 4:28
  revive the stones out of the heaps of
• 4:31
  the rubbish which are burned?" Now thai
• 4:34
  the Ammonite was by him and said even
• 4:36
  that which they build if a fox go up he
• 4:40
  SHALL EVEN BREAK DOWN THEIR STONE wall
• 4:43
  here oh our God for we are despised and
• 4:46
  turn their reproach on their own head
• 4:49
  and give them for a prey in the land of
• 4:52
  captivity and cover not their iniquity.
• 4:55
  Let not their sin be blotted out before
• 4:57
  thee for they have provoked thee to
• 4:59
  anger before the builders. NOTICE VERSE
• 5:01
  NUMBER SIX. SO built we the wall, and
• 5:05
  all the wall was joined together unto
• 5:08
  the half thereof, for the people had a
• 5:12
  mind to work. Now if you will skip to
• 5:16
  verse number 10, the Bible said, and
• 5:19
  Judas said, the strength of the bears of
• 5:21
  burdens is decayed, and there is much
• 5:25
  rubbish so that we are not able to build
• 5:29
  the wall. And our adversary said, "They
• 5:31
  shall not know, neither see do we come
• 5:34
  in the midst among them, and slay them,
• 5:37
  and cause the word to cease." Skip over,
• 5:40
  if you will, now to verse number 14.
• 5:44
  "And I looked and rose UP AND SAID UNTO
• 5:47
  THE NOBLES, and to the rulersh, and to
• 5:49
  the rest of the people, be not ye afraid
• 5:53
  of them. Remember the Lord which is
• 5:57
  great and terrible uh and fight for your
• 6:00
  brethren, your sons, and your daughters,
• 6:02
  your wives, and your houses. And it came
• 6:06
  to pass when our enemies heard that it
• 6:09
  was known UNTO US. AND GOD HAD BROUGHT
• 6:12
  THEIR COUNSEL TO NOT that we returned
• 6:14
  all of us to the wall, everyone unto
• 6:20
  his work. Let's pause and ask God's help
• 6:23
  again tonight. Father, in Jesus lovely
• 6:26
  name. Thank you so much for YOUR
• 6:29
  GOODNESS AND YOUR MERCY in your amazing
• 6:31
  grace. Thank you for what you've done
• 6:34
  already these couple of nightsh in this
• 6:36
  meeting so far and for working in the
• 6:39
  hearts of your people and in the hearts
• 6:42
  and saving sinners. God, I pray for a
• 6:44
  little while that you'd MAKE PREACHING
• 6:46
  EASY. GOD, THAT you'd help us to focus
• 6:49
  our HEARTS ON YOU. GOD THAT you'd give
• 6:51
  ALL THE PRAISE AND THE honor and the
• 6:54
  glory safe sinners. Help us, oh Lord, as
• 6:57
  your people to continue on until you
• 7:00
  come again. And we'll thank you and
• 7:02
  praise you for it's in that name above
• 7:05
  every name, Jesus Christ, THAT WE ASK
• 7:08
  WITH MUCH THANKSGIVING AND FOR YOUR
• 7:10
  GLORY. AMEN. And amen. You can be seated
• 7:13
  tonight. Thank you for standing as we've
• 7:16
  read and prayed together. Again,
• 7:20
  this is a very familiar book and it is
• 7:22
  one of my favorite books of the Bible.
• 7:25
  Uh, as we come to this book of Nehemiah,
• 7:28
  I know most people have heard it taught
• 7:30
  on, preached through, and dealt with,
• 7:33
  and I'm not going to tell you anything
• 7:35
  that you've not heard before, but listen
• 7:37
  tonight. I believe as we come to chapter
• 7:41
  number four uh that God is doing a great
• 7:44
  and mighty thing through his servant
• 7:47
  Nehemiah. And you remember back in
• 7:50
  chapter NUMBER ONE THAT GOD I believe
• 7:53
  HAD RAISED HIM UP FOR THAT SPECIFIC TASK
• 7:57
  and that specific time. And let me say
• 8:00
  this, I believe the church of the living
• 8:03
  God has been brought to this place and
• 8:05
  this time, hey, so we can fulfill the
• 8:08
  will of God and accomplish exactly what
• 8:11
  he wants us to accomplish. You remember
• 8:14
  chapter number one, hey, Nehemiah hears
• 8:17
  about the destruction of Jerusalem. He
• 8:20
  hears about the walls that have been
• 8:22
  torn down. He hears about the gates that
• 8:25
  have been burned with fire. And what it
• 8:28
  does is it he does not harden his heart
• 8:31
  but it breaks his heart and he melts
• 8:34
  into a season of prayer. And as HE
• 8:37
  BEGINS TO PRAY, God begins TO WORK NOT
• 8:41
  ONLY IN his heart but on THE KING'S
• 8:44
  HEART AND ON OTHER HEARTS BEFORE he ever
• 8:47
  gets back to Jerusalem. And God directs
• 8:50
  him with a burden. And I want to say
• 8:53
  this before I move ON TONIGHT THAT IF
• 8:56
  WE'RE EVER going to accomplish anything
• 8:58
  for God, in reality, we are going to
• 9:01
  have to be guided and directed by A
• 9:05
  GENUINE heaven sentent burden from God.
• 9:10
  Oh friend, our our own acts and our own
• 9:13
  self will never do the trick. It must be
• 9:17
  that God gets the glory and gives the
• 9:20
  burden to guide us in the right way.
• 9:23
  There are not only in chapter one, God
• 9:25
  begins to direct him with the burden,
• 9:28
  but in chapter number two, God begins to
• 9:30
  let the burden spread. For when he gets
• 9:33
  back to Jerusalem, he begins to look
• 9:36
  around. He's observing. He's figuring
• 9:38
  things out. And then God begins to
• 9:41
  assemble people around him that say,
• 9:45
  "Hey, let us rise up and build." Can I
• 9:49
  just remind you as way of introduction
• 9:51
  tonight that oh that Nehemiah could not
• 9:55
  DO IT ALL ON HIS OWN. THOUGH HE WAS THE
• 9:58
  SPEARHEAD, though he had the first
• 10:01
  burden, though he got things going, OH
• 10:04
  FRIEND, IT COULD NOT be born alone on
• 10:08
  his shoulders. It took everybody in the
• 10:12
  family of God. It took everybody in that
• 10:15
  area that day to be able to get that
• 10:18
  great job accomplished.
• 10:22
  God directs him with a specific burden.
• 10:24
  God lets the burden spread. Chapter
• 10:26
  three, God begins to bless their
• 10:29
  efforts. And they began, hey, where
• 10:31
  every great where every Christian must
• 10:34
  begin at the sheep gate. And when they
• 10:37
  get that foundation right, and when they
• 10:40
  began to build from the sheep gate on,
• 10:43
  hey, that is how God begins to set
• 10:47
  things in order. And I'll tell you, if
• 10:50
  we're ever going to see GOD DO MUCH, WE
• 10:52
  BETTER get back TO BLOODY CALVARY. AND
• 10:55
  WE BETTER REALIZE it was he that bled
• 10:58
  and died for us, he's the one that
• 11:01
  opened THE LIFEGATE THAT ALL MAY GO IN.
• 11:04
  AND THAT is where we start our work for
• 11:08
  God.
• 11:10
  >> Ever since the first effort was made,
• 11:12
  you know this in chapter number two all
• 11:15
  the way until they are completely
• 11:17
  finished. The enemy begins with a
• 11:20
  malicious attack on the work of God and
• 11:24
  the PEOPLE OF GOD. CAN I JUST THROW
• 11:26
  THIS? Y'all know this is true. That's
• 11:29
  Wednesday night crowd. But listen to me.
• 11:31
  We are in a day if we are going to do
• 11:33
  anything FOR GOD, THERE'S GOING TO be an
• 11:36
  attack. THERE'S GOING TO BE UPHEAVAL,
• 11:39
  HEY, THERE'S GOING TO be some things,
• 11:41
  hey, that the enemy is trying to throw
• 11:44
  at us. Let me say this tonight though,
• 11:47
  EVEN THOUGH THE ENEMY IS TRYING TO STOP
• 11:50
  THE WORK, THERE ARE WALLS that need to
• 11:53
  be rebuilt in our day. There needs to be
• 11:57
  WALLS OF DOCTRINE. THERE NEEDS TO BE
• 11:59
  WALLS of discipline. There needs to be
• 12:02
  WALLS OF DIRECTION. OH FRIEND, LIKE THE
• 12:06
  SONGWRITER SAID, there need to BE WALLS
• 12:09
  OF PRAYER. THERE NEED TO BE WALLS OF
• 12:11
  POWER. THERE NEED TO BE WALLS of
• 12:14
  protection. HEY FRIEND, THERE NEEDS TO
• 12:17
  BE WALLS OF THE WORD. THERE NEEDS TO BE
• 12:20
  WALLS OF WORSHIP AND WALLS of
• 12:23
  well-being. You say, "WHAT IN THE
• 12:25
  WORLD?" HEY, CAN YOU NOT LOOK around and
• 12:28
  realize the need for the wall tonight?
• 12:32
  >> Oh, friend, our churches, our homes, our
• 12:34
  families, our our ministries across this
• 12:37
  generation, they're crumbling. They're
• 12:38
  falling apart. And we HAVE NEVER SEEN A
• 12:41
  MORE NECESSARY DAY FOR SPIRITUAL WALLS
• 12:45
  TO BE BUILT around each one.
• 12:48
  Paul friend, let me say as we look in
• 12:50
  these verses, the enemy tried everything
• 12:52
  they could to cause the word to cease.
• 12:56
  But even though they did, by the grace
• 12:59
  of God and some divine determination,
• 13:02
  divine direction, and divine
• 13:05
  discernment, Nehemiah says, "WE ARE NOT
• 13:08
  STOPPING for anything." Amen.
• 13:12
  >> Aren't you glad for some people that
• 13:14
  have not quit, that have not given up,
• 13:18
  that have not stopped in the great work?
• 13:20
  Hey, they had, listen now, THEY HAD
• 13:23
  MISERABLE MOCKERS, BUT THEY HAD A MIND
• 13:26
  TO WORK. THEY HAD THREATS AND THEY HAD
• 13:29
  ANGER, BUT THEY HAD THE THRILL OF THE
• 13:31
  ALMIGHTY. THEY HAD MARCHING ARMIES, BUT
• 13:35
  THEY MADE MORE EFFORT IN PRAYER. AND GOD
• 13:38
  SAW TO IT THAT IN RECORD TIME IN 52 DAYS
• 13:42
  THEY GOT THE JOB DONE AND GOD GOT THE
• 13:45
  GLORY AND A GENERATION SAW GOD.
• 13:50
  >> That's right.
• 13:50
  >> You know what I love about this is it's
• 13:52
  not just about their generation. It's
• 13:54
  about the next generation and the
• 13:56
  generation after that. I'm just telling
• 13:58
  you tonight I sure want to see God hey
• 14:01
  move in the next generation if he don't
• 14:03
  come back real soon. And I believe he
• 14:05
  is. Hey. But I say this, HEY, WE NEED TO
• 14:08
  HAVE SOME WALLS SO GOD CAN WORK
• 14:11
  TOMORROW.
• 14:13
  As I think about this, let me just say,
• 14:16
  oh,
• 14:19
  Amen. As I think about these walls going
• 14:23
  up, as I think about THE GREAT WORK THAT
• 14:25
  HAD and needed to be accomplished, I'm
• 14:28
  reminded that IF THEY DID NOT do it,
• 14:31
  nobody else was going to.
• 14:34
  Somebody had to step up. Somebody had to
• 14:37
  be the one to have the burden and go
• 14:40
  forward.
• 14:42
  But just because they faced obstacles,
• 14:44
  just because things were not easy, just
• 14:46
  because things were not, hey, the way by
• 14:50
  the way, serving God rarely is easy. But
• 14:53
  I will say this, it is always worth the
• 14:56
  effort put in.
• 14:59
  >> I'm interested tonight as we think about
• 15:02
  this. You notice in verse number n and
• 15:05
  verse number six he said the for the
• 15:07
  people had a mind to work. Verse number
• 15:09
  nine. Nevertheless, we made our prayer
• 15:11
  unto our God and set a watch against
• 15:13
  them by day and night BECAUSE OF THEM.
• 15:16
  HEY, THEY CONTINUED ON. They did not
• 15:19
  stop. Hey, verse number 15. HEY, GOD
• 15:22
  BROUGHT THEIR COUNSEL TO NOT THAT WE
• 15:24
  RETURNED all of us to the wall, everyone
• 15:28
  unto his work. Let me just for a little
• 15:31
  while tonight, I'd like to preach ON
• 15:33
  THIS SIMPLE THOUGHT ON THE work must GO
• 15:37
  ON. THE WORK MUST go on. Oh, friend,
• 15:42
  aren't you glad that THE WORK WAS
• 15:44
  STARTED BEFORE WE EVER GOT HERE? AREN'T
• 15:47
  YOU GLAD THAT THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A GOD
• 15:49
  IN HEAVEN THAT'S had everything running
• 15:52
  in THE RIGHT DIRECTION? HEY, THANK GOD I
• 15:55
  DIDN'T START IT AND I CANNOT STOP IT.
• 15:58
  I'M JUST TRYING TO GET IN AND HANG ON.
• 16:00
  HEY, THANK GOD. THERE'S A WORK TO BE
• 16:04
  DONE.
• 16:06
  >> Number one, we must realize the reproach
• 16:08
  of the adversary tonight.
• 16:11
  Notice the mocking of their efforts.
• 16:15
  Verse number two, he spake before his
• 16:16
  bre. Matter of fact, verse number one,
• 16:19
  it came to pass that when Sam Ballot
• 16:20
  heard that we builded the wall, he was
• 16:23
  wroth and took great indignation and
• 16:25
  mocked the Jews. And he spake before his
• 16:28
  brethren, the army of Samaria, and said,
• 16:30
  "What do these feeble Jews? Will they
• 16:32
  fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice?
• 16:35
  Will they make an end in a day? Will
• 16:37
  they revive the stones out of the heaps
• 16:40
  of the rubbish which are burned?" You
• 16:42
  say, "What happened?" The very first
• 16:45
  thing is the enemy begins TO RUN THEIR
• 16:50
  MOUTH.
• 16:53
  >> Can I just remind you tonight? I know
• 16:54
  y'all know this, but that's just
• 16:57
  spiritual warfare.
• 16:59
  Every time before there's ever a sword
• 17:02
  drawn,
• 17:03
  before there's ever an issue of any kind
• 17:07
  of warfare, before there's HEY, THEY
• 17:10
  WEREN'T THEY HADN'T gathered armies yet.
• 17:12
  They said they were going to. Hey, here
• 17:14
  they are. And they're getting ready to
• 17:17
  fight. They're getting ready FOR
• 17:18
  SOMETHING. AND NOW THE ENEMY BEGINS TO
• 17:21
  REPROACH AND TO MOCK THEM.
• 17:25
  >> Do you remember? Do you? Oh, y'all know
• 17:27
  this already. But it's amazing to me how
• 17:30
  quick the enemy is to open his mouth. Oh
• 17:33
  yes.
• 17:34
  >> When you going to try to serve, when you
• 17:36
  going to try to do, when you going to
• 17:37
  try to sell out and go for God and live
• 17:40
  for God and REBUILD SOME WALLS, THERE
• 17:43
  WILL BE WORDS from the enemy.
• 17:48
  >> There's wrath encountered. You know why
• 17:50
  they're encountering the wrath of the
• 17:51
  enemy? Because they are trying to do
• 17:54
  something in the opposite direction.
• 17:57
  Anytime you try to do something in the
• 17:59
  opposite direction of the enemy, the
• 18:02
  forces of hell and Satan, there will be
• 18:05
  opposition
• 18:07
  and there will be words of evil. From
• 18:11
  from chapter number two, they have been
• 18:13
  matter of fact, it's the Ammonites. It's
• 18:15
  those there's a three-fold enemy that
• 18:18
  you'll find a picture of the world, the
• 18:20
  flesh, and the devil. It's a wicked
• 18:23
  enterprise. THEY BEGAN, HEY, TO TRY TO
• 18:25
  GET IN THE mind of those that are trying
• 18:30
  to do something for God.
• 18:33
  >> Can I remind you this week, it is
• 18:35
  Wednesday night. Y'all still got two
• 18:36
  more nights of revival efforts coming up
• 18:38
  before you. The enemy would love to say,
• 18:41
  "Well, there's no sense in trying to
• 18:43
  fool with anything else. Hey, there's
• 18:46
  we've already seen this or seen that."
• 18:48
  OH, FRIEND. OH, GOD, help us to
• 18:50
  remember. HEY, THERE IS SOME REASON TO
• 18:54
  CONTINUE ON. THERE ARE THOSE DEPENDING
• 18:57
  ON US AND THE REPROACH OF THE ADVERSARY
• 19:01
  must be ignored.
• 19:03
  The mocking of their efforts. Notice
• 19:05
  this. There is the ministry of effectual
• 19:08
  prayer. Look at verse four.
• 19:11
  He said, "Here, oh our God, for we are
• 19:14
  despised.
• 19:16
  turn their reproach upon their own head,
• 19:18
  and give them for a prey in the land of
• 19:21
  captivity. Cover not their iniquity. Let
• 19:24
  not their sin be blotted out before
• 19:26
  thee, for they have provoked thee to
• 19:28
  anger before the builders.
• 19:31
  Yes, there was the mocking of their
• 19:33
  efforts. But there was the ministry of
• 19:35
  effectual prayer. You know what GOD DID?
• 19:39
  AS SOON AS THEY STARTED FACING ATTACK
• 19:42
  from the enemy, you know what they did?
• 19:44
  They said, "We're going to pray, boys."
• 19:47
  And they geared down and THEY GATHERED
• 19:49
  UP AND THEY GOT UP UNDERNEATH one
• 19:52
  another and they SAID, "WE'RE GOING FOR
• 19:54
  GOD." HEY, GOD, LOOK ON the enemy.
• 19:56
  Listen to what they're saying. Hey, they
• 19:59
  directed THEIR ATTENTION TO THE GOD OF
• 20:02
  HEAVEN AND THEY DESIRED HIM TO AVENGE
• 20:06
  them of their enemies.
• 20:09
  Oh friend, you know what? Our most of
• 20:11
  the time our last response is to look to
• 20:15
  God.
• 20:16
  >> Yeah.
• 20:16
  >> But it is time for it to become our
• 20:19
  first response.
• 20:21
  >> It is time for it to become our
• 20:23
  preparation. It is time for it to become
• 20:26
  our every step. It is time FOR FOR
• 20:29
  PRAYER TO BECOME THE THING WE DEPEND ON
• 20:33
  AND we need in our day. Yes, sir.
• 20:36
  >> The mocking of their efforts, the
• 20:37
  ministry of effectual prayer. There's
• 20:40
  the mind of the essential labor.
• 20:43
  Verse number four, actually verse six.
• 20:46
  So built we the wall, and all the wall
• 20:49
  was joined together under the half
• 20:50
  thereof, for the people had a mind to
• 20:55
  work.
• 20:58
  I love this. You know what they did?
• 21:02
  Their key to success was simply this. It
• 21:05
  was their unity.
• 21:08
  I'm going to come down here again.
• 21:11
  That way they'll listen.
• 21:13
  >> You know what they had?
• 21:16
  They had unity.
• 21:18
  >> In order for the work to be done,
• 21:22
  it wasn't just that they got along,
• 21:25
  but they had to have a united vision and
• 21:28
  a united direction.
• 21:31
  They had to have united efforts.
• 21:33
  There's a lot of places I go in and they
• 21:35
  don't have much unity.
• 21:37
  It's sad. Remember what the Apostle Paul
• 21:39
  wrote? He said, "Endeavoring to keep the
• 21:42
  unity of the spirit in the bonds of
• 21:45
  peace.
• 21:46
  >> It takes effort to stay unified. It
• 21:49
  takes effort to keep your eyes on Jesus
• 21:52
  and off of everybody and everything
• 21:54
  else." Hey friend, forbearing one
• 21:56
  another in love. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT
• 21:58
  MEANS? IT MEANS BECAUSE I LOVE YOU IN
• 22:00
  the Lord AND I LOVE JESUS, I'M GOING TO
• 22:02
  PUT UP WITH YOU AND I'M GOING TO FORGIVE
• 22:04
  YOU. AND IF YOU LOVE JESUS, YOU GOING TO
• 22:07
  FORGIVE ME. AND WE GOING TO HOOK UP AND
• 22:09
  GO ON FOR JESUS AND TRY TO BUILD
• 22:12
  SOMETHING FOR GOD AND HAVE SOMETHING
• 22:14
  THAT will last.
• 22:19
  >> Their key to success was unity. It was
• 22:22
  faithfulness. I know it's Wednesday
• 22:25
  night and I ain't going to beat that
• 22:26
  drum too hard, but let me just remind
• 22:28
  you again, faithfulness still matters
• 22:32
  >> to God. One of these days when we stand
• 22:35
  before him at the bema seat it will not
• 22:37
  be well done thou grand and glorious
• 22:40
  servant. It will not be well done thou
• 22:43
  fabulous and flamboyant servant. It will
• 22:46
  not be hey you WERE GREAT AND SUCCESSFUL
• 22:49
  BUT IT WILL BE THOU GOOD and faithful
• 22:53
  servant.
• 22:55
  If there's ever been a day for a revival
• 22:58
  of faithfulness, just oldfashioned
• 23:01
  >> Holy Ghost Christian faithfulness,
• 23:03
  >> it is today.
• 23:06
  >> There's the keys to success, their
• 23:08
  unity, their faithfulness, the direction
• 23:10
  they had. They were going in God's
• 23:13
  direction. They were trying to do
• 23:15
  something that would protect the house
• 23:17
  of God. Do you realize that?
• 23:20
  years prior, the Lord had allowed the
• 23:23
  house of God to be built. And now they
• 23:26
  needed something to be rebuilt. Now they
• 23:28
  needed something to protect the house of
• 23:31
  God. You know why? Because where would
• 23:33
  they have to worship if they did not
• 23:36
  protect the house of God?
• 23:38
  >> Oh yeah.
• 23:40
  Where would they live in safety if they
• 23:43
  did not have those walls? Where would
• 23:46
  they be able to enjoy the upbringing of
• 23:48
  for the next generation had somebody not
• 23:51
  done something about it? There's the
• 23:54
  reproach of the adversary. Number two,
• 23:56
  I'm moving on. There's the
• 23:57
  responsibility
• 23:58
  to arm the people. Look in verse 10.
• 24:02
  Judah said, "The strength of the bears
• 24:03
  of burdens is decayed. There's much
• 24:06
  rubbish so that we're not able to build
• 24:08
  the wall. And our adversary said, "They
• 24:10
  shall not know, neither see, till we
• 24:12
  come in the midst among them, and slay
• 24:14
  them, and cause the work to cease." And
• 24:16
  it came to pass when the Jews which
• 24:18
  dwelt by them came, they said unto us 10
• 24:20
  times, from all places, when she shall
• 24:22
  return unto us, they will all be upon
• 24:26
  you. Therefore said I in the lower
• 24:28
  places, behind the wall, on the higher
• 24:29
  places. I even set the people after
• 24:32
  their families, with their swords, their
• 24:34
  spears, and their bows. And I looked and
• 24:37
  rose up and said unto the nobles, we'll
• 24:40
  pause there for just a minute. BUT THERE
• 24:42
  IS NOT ONLY THE REPROACH of the
• 24:44
  adversary, but there is the
• 24:46
  responsibility
• 24:47
  to arm the people. You say, "What do you
• 24:50
  mean?" Hey, as soon as they began, as
• 24:53
  soon as they prayed, they began to go
• 24:56
  back to the work. And now there is a
• 24:58
  wrathful plan of the enemy. Our enemy
• 25:01
  hates the REVIVING WORK OF GOD with an
• 25:05
  evil and hatred and a passion IN HIS
• 25:08
  HEART. HEY, AND IT'S TIME FOR US TO
• 25:10
  REALIZE WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO SKIP ON
• 25:12
  THROUGH THE TULIPS. HEY FRIEND, THERE IS
• 25:15
  A BATTLE AND THE ENEMY has a plan.
• 25:20
  >> But you know what they did? As soon as
• 25:23
  that wrathful plan was realized, they
• 25:27
  took one more time to watching and
• 25:31
  praying.
• 25:34
  You know what I'm learning, brother
• 25:35
  Charlie? People don't get excited about
• 25:38
  prayer much.
• 25:40
  They don't.
• 25:42
  Oh, yeah.
• 25:46
  You know why? Cuz I ain't doing it.
• 25:49
  >> Amen. People don't have a personal
• 25:52
  prayer life.
• 25:54
  >> Amen. I know some people do,
• 25:57
  >> but I'm learning as I go. You know why?
• 25:59
  You know what? I've sat and listen, Miss
• 26:02
  Sister Betty. I've listened to some
• 26:04
  generations gone by and I've heard about
• 26:07
  the preachers of days gone by, those
• 26:09
  older men of God that mentored me and
• 26:10
  and you and tried to help us come up and
• 26:12
  they they talked about the prayer life
• 26:14
  of the people of God. It wasn't just the
• 26:17
  preacher. It wasn't just the s the song
• 26:20
  leader. It wasn't just the deacons or
• 26:22
  the Sunday school teacher, but it was
• 26:24
  mamas and daddies. Hey, it was those
• 26:26
  that were laboring, THOSE THAT SHOWED UP
• 26:28
  TO CHURCH, they invested themselves in
• 26:31
  prayer.
• 26:33
  >> If you want your life to be a success,
• 26:35
  you want your church to be a success for
• 26:37
  God, you want your witness to be a
• 26:39
  success, GET YOURSELF IN A PRAYER PLACE
• 26:42
  SOMEWHERE, YOU AND GOD, AND WALK WITH
• 26:45
  GOD IN PRAYER. AND WHEN THE ENEMY
• 26:47
  ASSAILS, HEY, WHEN THE VOICE OF THE
• 26:50
  ENEMY COMES THUNDERING IN, HEY, RUN TO
• 26:52
  THE SECRET PLACE AND GET WHERE GOD IS
• 26:56
  AND HE WILL HELP YOU.
• 27:01
  >> Oh friend,
• 27:07
  they continued
• 27:09
  in watching and prayer. There's
• 27:11
  weariness in the progress.
• 27:13
  Verse 10. Judah said, "The strength of
• 27:15
  the bears of burdens is decayed.
• 27:18
  There is much rubbish
• 27:20
  so that we are not able to build the
• 27:24
  wall."
• 27:28
  They're worn out. They're tired. And
• 27:32
  they have nothing left to give.
• 27:36
  But the work cannot cease, and the work
• 27:39
  cannot stop.
• 27:41
  For there are several thousands
• 27:44
  depending on this work. Can I remind you
• 27:47
  tonight, our work is not just about us.
• 27:50
  Our labor for the Lord is not about our
• 27:53
  life. It is about those that are coming
• 27:55
  behind us. There's the reproach of the
• 27:58
  adversary, the responsibility to arm the
• 28:01
  people. Thirdly, and lastly, there is
• 28:03
  the Almighty's plan, the returning to
• 28:05
  the Almighty's plan. Verse number 14.
• 28:08
  And I looked and rose up, said unto the
• 28:09
  nobles, and to the rulers, and to the
• 28:11
  rest of the people, "Be not ye afraid of
• 28:14
  them. Remember the Lord, which is great
• 28:17
  and terrible, and fight for your
• 28:20
  brethren, your sons, and your daughters,
• 28:22
  your wives, and your houses." And it
• 28:24
  came to pass when our enemies heard that
• 28:27
  it was known unto us, and God had
• 28:29
  brought THEIR COUNSEL TO NOT THAT WE
• 28:31
  RETURNED ALL OF US TO THE WALL, everyone
• 28:34
  unto his work.
• 28:38
  You say, "How did Can I get somebody to
• 28:39
  come to the piano for me?" Go ahead and
• 28:41
  be making your way on this direction and
• 28:42
  they'll think I'm quitting and they'll
• 28:44
  be happy.
• 28:47
  Amen.
• 28:52
  They began to remember the Lord. Look at
• 28:55
  verse 14. Remember the Lord
• 28:58
  which is great and terrible and fight
• 28:59
  for your brethren.
• 29:03
  Now they are looking. They are turning
• 29:05
  their eyes one more time upon Jesus.
• 29:13
  You know what it's time for us to do
• 29:15
  tonight? It is time for us to remember
• 29:17
  our great God
• 29:20
  >> so that we may be everything he wants us
• 29:23
  to be.
• 29:25
  There's the resolution to labor.
• 29:30
  Verse 15. It came to pass when our
• 29:33
  enemies heard that it was known unto us.
• 29:36
  And God had brought their counsel or not
• 29:37
  that we returned all of us to the wall,
• 29:39
  everyone
• 29:41
  unto his work.
• 29:45
  The remembering of the Lord. There's the
• 29:47
  resolution to labor. Now they have not
• 29:50
  only continued in the face of all this
• 29:52
  opposition,
• 29:54
  but they're going back to finish what
• 29:56
  they started. Church, it's time for us
• 29:58
  to finish what was started. He that hath
• 30:01
  begun a good work in you, he shall
• 30:03
  perform it under the day of Jesus
• 30:05
  Christ, and he will do exactly what he
• 30:07
  said. Let us continue on to be faithful
• 30:10
  to him. And there's the revival of
• 30:12
  longevity. He through the rest of the
• 30:14
  chapter says, "Whenever you're ready,
• 30:16
  just start playing."
• 30:20
  There's a time to guard and a time to
• 30:22
  build. He said, "You take the trial in
• 30:25
  your hand and you take your sword in the
• 30:27
  other hand." That's the balance of the
• 30:29
  Christian life. You're to build and
• 30:31
  you're to guard,
• 30:34
  to fight, and to finish the job that God
• 30:36
  has for us to do.
• 30:39
  Christian, it is not time to back up. It
• 30:41
  is not time to quit.
• 30:43
  >> The work must go on. There is no place
• 30:46
  for compromise. There is no time to come
• 30:49
  off the wall. The work must go on.
• 30:52
  There's no time to go to the plane of oh
• 30:55
  no like is offered in chapter six.
• 30:59
  There's no time to listen to the lies of
• 31:01
  the adversary.
• 31:03
  >> For there must be something finished.
• 31:06
  And when it is done one of these days
• 31:09
  and we look back, there'll be some that
• 31:12
  we did not even know we were building
• 31:14
  for. Could you imagine that generation,
• 31:17
  brother Charlie? They built and they
• 31:19
  labored and they SWEATED AND THEY GOT IN
• 31:21
  the trenches and they dug and they built
• 31:23
  and they had no idea
• 31:26
  hundreds of years down the road they
• 31:27
  turn around and there were some
• 31:29
  generations they had a temple TO WORSHIP
• 31:31
  IN. THEY HAD A PLACE TO GO MEET GOD.
• 31:34
  HEY, THEY HAD FAMILIES AND THEY HAD
• 31:36
  PROTECTION AND THEY HAD the goodness of
• 31:39
  the Lord all around them. HEY, BECAUSE
• 31:42
  YEARS AGO, HEY, THERE WAS A MAN OF GOD
• 31:45
  THAT STOOD UP AND SAID, "LET'S BUILD."
• 31:48
  AND THE PEOPLE SAID, "LET'S BUILD." AND
• 31:51
  THEY BUILT IT.
• 31:53
  >> And in 52 days, they did the impossible.
• 31:58
  >> I tell you what, let's do tonight while
• 32:00
  she's a play. Brother Charlie, Miss
• 32:01
  Abby, get your young ones come this way.
• 32:05
  I want them to get in this altar
• 32:06
  tonight. I've had this on my heart for a
• 32:08
  while this week. I just I don't know.
• 32:11
  Oh, I just in prayer. I felt impressed.
• 32:14
  Church folk, I want y'all to gather
• 32:15
  around them. Fellas, get over here on
• 32:17
  Brother Charlie's side. Ladies, get over
• 32:19
  here near her. If there's ever been a
• 32:21
  time to pray, if there's ever been a
• 32:23
  time to seek God,
• 32:25
  man, it's right now.
• 32:28
  If there's ever been a time to dig your
• 32:30
  heels in and do something for the Lord,
• 32:33
  to pray a hedge about your pastor and
• 32:35
  his family, it's now.
• 32:45
  I want to see y'all succeed for God so
• 32:47
  bad it ain't even funny.
• 32:49
  I want to see God bless. I want to see
• 32:51
  God work. I want to see God do. I want
• 32:54
  to see God blow your mind.
• 33:02
  Let's pray together tonight. All right.
• 33:05
  Father in Jesus name, thank you for your
• 33:08
  love, your mercy, and your goodness, and
• 33:09
  your grace. Thank you for the people of
• 33:12
  God. Thank you for this dear man of God
• 33:13
  and his family. God, I beg you, Father,
• 33:16
  in Jesus name that you'd put your touch
• 33:18
  on them, God, that you'd fill them, God,
• 33:20
  that you'd help them, that you'd
• 33:21
  strengthen them, God, that you'd put
• 33:22
  that hedge, that guard about their home,
• 33:24
  their the guard about their minds, the
• 33:26
  guard about the direction for the
• 33:28
  future. God, you'd bless them in a
• 33:29
  mighty way. God, we want, Lord, we know
• 33:31
  the adversaries everywhere. We know the
• 33:32
  enemy is fighting. But God, I beg you
• 33:34
  for a little while that you'd please
• 33:36
  touch. And God, bless the remainder of
• 33:38
  the week, God, that you'd do, I mean,
• 33:39
  exceedingly abundantly above all that we
• 33:41
  ask or think. And Lord, one day when we
• 33:43
  look back at this week, and when we look
• 33:45
  back in our minds and our hearts, we'll
• 33:47
  say, "It was God that did it all. It was
• 33:50
  God that did the work. It was God that
• 33:52
  accomplished everything that we needed
• 33:54
  done. For it is of you, God, that it'll
• 33:56
  get done. God, you're the one we're
• 33:58
  looking to. You're the one we're
• 33:59
  LISTENING FOR. GOD, YOU'RE THE ONE WE'RE
• 34:02
  leaning on. God, we're weak in
• 34:03
  ourselves. WE HAVE NO ABILITY. WE HAVE
• 34:05
  NO STRENGTH. GOD, Charlie can't do it.
• 34:07
  Miss Abby CAN'T DO IT. GOD, I BEG YOU,
• 34:10
  DO GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS. BLESS THEIR
• 34:12
  FUTURE HERE. GOD, I BEG YOU. Use them.
• 34:14
  Send them do mighty power. Save their
• 34:16
  young ones, God. Just help them, GOD, IN
• 34:18
  A POWERFUL and a mighty way, God. Keep
• 34:20
  the enemy off of them. Help them to be
• 34:22
  able to get REST AND REFRESHMENT. AND
• 34:24
  GOD, BE BLESSED IN serving you. Have
• 34:26
  your will and way, God. Help the church,
• 34:28
  oh Lord, like like Aaron AND HER TO GET
• 34:30
  UP UNDER THEIR ARMS. HOLD THEM UP SO
• 34:32
  they can serve so they can do what
• 34:34
  you've called them to do. Uh have your
• 34:36
  way, oh God. Do mighty things. We thank
• 34:39
  you and we love you for your kindness to
• 34:41
  us. HAVE YOUR WAY NOW, OH GOD. Unify
• 34:44
  this place. Unify these people. And
• 34:47
  Lord, let mighty WALLS GO UP FOR THE
• 34:49
  GLORY OF GOD. In Jesus' name we ask with
• 34:52
  much thanksgiving.
• 34:54
  Amen. And amen.
• 34:57
  Thank you for joining our service today.
• 34:59
  We'd love it if you'd join us in person
• 35:02
  the next time you are able at Meadows
• 35:04
  Baptist Church. Our physical address is
• 35:07
  2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North
• 35:11
  Carolina. Our service times are Sunday
• 35:14
  school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning
• 35:16
  worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
• 35:18
  worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
• 35:21
  evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more
• 35:24
  information, visit us at
• 35:26
  meadowsbaptisturch.com.
• 35:28
  Thanks again for tuning in.