"I'm Staying on the Wall"
Pastor Albert Almore
“When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates—”
Nehemiah 6:1
“Sanballat and Geshem SENT ME THIS MESSAGE: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” BUT THEY WERE SCHEMING TO HARM ME;”
Nehemiah 6:2
“So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work CEASE while I LEAVE IT and go down to you?””
Nehemiah 6:3
“But they SENT ME THIS MESSAGE FOUR TIMES, and I answered them in the same manner.”
Nehemiah 6:4
But they SENT ME THIS MESSAGE FOUR TIMES….
WHAT MESSAGE HAS THE ENEMY BEEN SENDING YOU LATELY?
We know that it’s the enemy because 2 Corinthians 12:7 says,
“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, A MESSENGER OF SATANto buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.”
II Corinthians 12:7
The thorn, the pain, the weakness that’s plaguing your life is connected to a messenger of Satan. So I’ll ask you again….
WHAT MESSAGE HAS THE ENEMY BEEN SENDING YOU LATELY??
HOW IS THE ENEMY TRYING TO GET YOU TO COME DOWN FROM OFF THE WALL?
He wants the work to cease. He wants you to leave, he wants you to abandon what God is calling you to build.
Has he sent messengers to you lately telling you:
You’re wasting your time.
You’re not enough.
Your past is too much.
It’s too late for you.
It’s too hard.
You just don’t got it.
What’s the big deal?
May I suggest to you today, that the enemy is after your obligation.
The word obligation is defined as a duty, or a commitment. He’s aware of Proverbs 16:3 where it says,
“COMMIT your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.”
Proverbs 16:3
He’s after your commitment. Nehemiah had an obligation, a duty, A COMMITMENT to Heaven to rebuild the wall. Here’s where the battle lies…
📝 For every heavenly OBLIGATION, you can expect Hell’s OPPOSITION.
Anytime you set out to BUILD something for God, you can expect messengers from Satan to attempt to tear it down IN YOUR MIND.
The attack often doesn’t come to a physical location, but rather a spiritual location, that being your mind.
The enemy knows that if he can get to your mind, then he can get to everything that’s connected to you.
This is why Ephesians 6:10-12 says,
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
Ephesians 6:10
“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against THE DEVIL’S SCHEMES.”
Ephesians 6:11
How does it make you feel to know that the devil has schemes? 2 Corinthians 2:11 says,
“in order that Satan might not outwit us. For WE ARE NOT UNAWARE OF HIS SCHEMES.”
2 Corinthians 2:11
Jumping back to Ephesians 6, verse 12 says,
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 6:12
Because of all of this, Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1:13,
“Therefore GIRD UP THE LOINS OF YOUR MIND, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”
I Peter 1:13
The amplified version puts it like this…
“So PREPARE YOUR MINDS for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
1 Peter 1:13
A prepared mind will be able tell opposition when it arrives, "I’VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU!” I’m not caught off guard. I’m not shocked. I’m not moved. I’m not taken back when Sanballat shows up. I’VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU! But come what may, I’M STAYING ON THE WALL! Through the good times, I’M STAYING ON THE WALL! Through the bad times, I’M STAYING ON THE WALL! Through the uncertain times, I’M STAYING ON THE WALL! That’s our sermon title for today…
I’M STAYING ON THE WALL
Beloved…
📝 For every Kingdom CONQUEST, there will be Kingdom CONFLICT.
Jesus himself said in Matthew 11:12,
“And from the days of John the Baptist until now THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERETH VIOLENCE, and the violent take it by force.”
Matthew 11:12
📝 Find it not strange. Find it as CONFIRMATION.
1 Peter 4:12…
Beloved, DO NOT THINK IT STRANGE concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 1 Peter 4:12
It wasn’t strange that Sanballat showed up. He was supposed to be there! He was confirmation to Nehemiah, that Nehemiah was on the right track. He was confirmation to Nehemiah, and his team that they were building something worth building. Nehemiah recognized that he was right where he needed to be. Sanballat’s arrival confirmed that Nehemiah was working in his purpose. This is why Nehemiah said in Nehemiah 6:3,
“So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I AM DOING A GREAT WORK, so that I CANNOT COME DOWN...
Nehemiah 6:3
That’s how you and I must respond as well. I’m doing a great work for my family. I’m doing a great work for this generation. I’m doing a great work for this community. I’m doing a great work for the unborn. I’m doing a great work for those stuck in addiction. I’m doing a great work for the Kingdom of God. I can’t come down! I won’t come down. Come what may, I’M STAYING ON THE WALL!
HOW DO YOU STAY ON WALL???
📝 SET YOUR MIND.
Another way to say this is you stay focused. Jesus Christ Himself lives this out before us in the face of TREMENDOUS opposition. Isaiah saw this 700 years before Christ came to earth and wrote in Isaiah 50:6,
“I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.”
Isaiah 50:6
Check out how Jesus sets His mind. The next verse says,
““For the Lord God will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I HAVE SET MY FACE LIKE A FLINT, And I know that I will not be ashamed.”
Isaiah 50:7
In real time Luke 9:51 writes,
“Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that HE STEADFASTLY SET HIS FACE to go to Jerusalem,”
Luke 9:51
Now that we know this, I say to you Philippians 2:5…
“LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU which WAS ALSO IN CHRIST JESUS,”
Philippians 2:5
We know that this is possible because 1 Corinthians 2:16 says,
“For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, FOR WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST.”
1 Corinthians 2:16
How do you set your mind? Philippians 4:8 says,
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. FIX YOUR THOUGHTSon what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
Philippians 4:8
Colossians 3:2 tells us plainly,
“SET YOUR MIND on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Colossians 3:2
As you set your mind on things above, Psalms 1:3 says,
“He shall be like a tree PLANTED by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”
Psalms 1:3
As you set your mind on things above, you’ll be able to respond like Paul in Acts 20:24 when he said,
“BUT NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME…
Acts 20:24
I’m staying on the wall because my mind is set. I’m staying on the wall because my mind is fixed.
I’m staying on the wall because I’m planted.
I’m staying on the wall because NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME. Come what may, I’M STAYING ON THE WALL!
And when things try to move me, I’ll be able to contend for my mind because 2 Corinthians 10:3 says
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.”
II Corinthians 10:3
We do not wage war in the flesh. We do not wage war by getting the last word in. We do not wage war by getting our point across at the expense of misrepresenting Christ.
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but MIGHTY IN GOD FOR PULLING DOWN STRONGHOLDS,”
II Corinthians 10:4
I’m mighty IN GOD to pull down strongholds in my mind. I’m mighty IN GOD to pull down the lies of the enemy. I’m mighty IN GOD to pull down the schemes of the enemy. I’m mighty IN GOD to pull down the threats and slander of the enemy that’s been taking place-IN-MY-MIND!
“CASTING DOWN arguments and every high thing that EXALTS ITSELFagainst the knowledge of God, bringing EVERY THOUGHT INTO CAPTIVITY TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST,” II Corinthians 10:5
You are the bouncer of your mind. You are the bouncer of your thoughts.
📝 Stop allowing the LIES of Satan to be exalted above the TRUTH of God!
Cast it down!
Feelings of guilt, Cast it down!
Feelings of shame, Cast it down!!
Lack of self worth, Cast it down!
Feelings of depression, and low self esteem, Cast it down! This is why Nehemiah told the people In Nehemiah 8:10,
“Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. DO NOT SORROW, for THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH.””
Nehemiah 8:10
📝 SET YOUR JOY.
I need strength to set my mind. I need strength to stay on the wall. I need strength to combat against the schemes of the enemy.
📝 My strength FLOWS from my joy, because the joy of the Lord is my strength.
If it’s one thing you can’t have devil, it’s my joy. To lose my joy, is to lose my strength. To lose my strength is to lose the battle. That’s not going to happen because this joy that I have, the world didn’t give it to me and the world can’t take it away! Hebrews 12:2 says,
“looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, WHO FOR THE JOY that was SET BEFORE HIM endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2
We look to Jesus because Philippians 2:10 tells us,
“that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,”
Philippians 2:10
The good news is this….Sanballat has a knee! Fear has a knee! Anxiety has a knee! Worry has a knee! Depression has a knee. Sickness has a knee. And at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW! For that very reason….
I speak the name of Jesus, Over every heart and every mind. I speak the name of Jesus, Til every dark addiction starts to break! I speak Jesus Cause Your name is power! Your name is healing! Your name is life! Your name is strength to stay on the wall! Your name is strength to stay on the wall! Your name is strength to stay on the wall!
“So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. WHY SHOULD THE WORK CEASE while I LEAVE ITand go down to you?””
Nehemiah 6:3
The enemy wants the work to cease. The enemy wants you to leave what you’ve been building. Don’t fall for it. Set your mind. Set your joy. STAY ON THE WALL.