Nehemiah (Part 8 of 9) - The Joy of the Lord is your Strength

The joy of the Lord can be your strength.

Nehemiah and the children of Israel returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls and the gates of the city. By chapter 7 of Nehemiah, there is a recording of all the people who had returned to Jerusalem for the rebuilding.

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Nehemiah 7:66-67

Nehemiah knew that Ezra was the one who would keep the people on track with the Word of God.

Nehemiah 8:1

The walls and gates had been finished. Now Ezra was coming forward and reading from the law of God.

Acts 2:44

Acts 2:46

Acts 4:24

Acts 4:32

This whole project had pulled everyone together. Now the work had been completed, and, as one man, they all grouped together to hear the reading of God’s law. They were of one accord and one mind: united.

I think God, in this church, is formulating our hearts together as one man, with one accord. Over this year it will be a progression of everyone, young and old, coming together more and more to worship and praise God and study his word. More will come to this church and be changed. You will share what is happening. We’re all inviduals and we’re all different, but our common denominator is Jesus Christ.

Nehemiah must have looked around that city and seen all the walls and gates completed. And the people inside the city and in the surrounding area knew that God had done it.

Nehemiah 8:1-3

Ephesians 5:26-27

Here there was complete freedom to hear God’s word and proclaim it.

Nehemiah 8:4-8

They realised where their foundation was. This was the law of the God who they served. He was the reason for their existence, as he is the reason for ours.

Nehemiah 8:9-13

The joy of the Lord is your strength. But what exactly does that mean?

John 15:11

John 16:17-22

There’s a joy in knowing the Lord Jesus Christ that no man can take from you. You accept and realise that he is Lord of your life. You accept and realise that you have been forgiven your sin. And you accept and realise that the power of sin is broken in your life. That joy, no one can take from you.

John 16:22-24

The risen saviour was making it quite clear that you need to ask in that day, and Father will answer, that their joy might be full. What have you prayed to God about this week? Keeping track about what you’re praying for, because then you can look back and see God answering, and record it. What’s on your mind? What are you asking God for?

James 1:1-8

James 1:2

Does that mean you rejoice in disaster?

The joy of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ is that he wants you and me, prompted by his Holy Spirit, to pray to him. He wants us to ask him about things. He wants to provide that answer to your prayer so that your joy may be full. If you are a Christian, you want to live your life to please God. Whatever pressure, trial or circumstance of life, your joy will be full when you bring everything to God in prayer.

Your joy is to be full when you share everything with your heavenly father.

The progression of the church this year will be an enhancement of you and I learning how to pray. We need to recognise when God brings the answer. For some, it’s as if you’ve been in a situation that you’ve never faced before.

James 1:5

Nehemiah 8:10-19

In Chapter 9 they recount the history of how they got there.

Nehemiah 9:1-3

Then there is a recounting of how, from Abraham onwards, they had got to this place.

Nehemiah 9:32-38

They had heard the word of the law for a whole week. They were there for a purpose and they confessed their sins and made a covenant with God.

In Chapter 10 he lists the names of those who sealed according to that law.

Nehemiah 10:29-31

Nehemiah 10:39

Nehemiah 11:1-2

Nehemiah 12:26