From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. Matt 11:12 (NIV)
America’s Heritage
I pledge allegiance to the flag… One Nation Under God…
I am grateful for the heritage of this nation… Truly it was founded on the principles of Christianity. The first settlers came, for the most part, to escape religious intolerance.
It was not necessarily to escape their homeland, or even the governments. It was to escape the spiritual powers that they felt held their respective nations captive.
I love this… In 1647 – Pilgrims passed the first public education law in America, “The Old Deluder Satan Act”. It began with the words - It being one chief project of that old deluder, Satan, to keep men from the knowledge of the Scriptures…
As a nation – we are becoming less free, not more. It’s not another nation that we must fight – but it is the same enemy that our founding fathers were fighting. At some point – we lost sight of the real source of bondage and oppression.
Keys to Revolution
I want to share with you the story of an oppressed people in the Bible…
…I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire." When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Neh 1:2-4 (NIV)
1) Recognize oppression
2) Become dissatisfied
3) Choose an allegiance
4) Take action
5) Identify oppressor
To summarize what happened next, Nehemiah went before the king (Artexerxes) who funded his journey back to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the walls. It is important to note that Nehemiah is operating under the king’s authority.
To have a successful revolution – you must make sure that you are operating under allegiance to a higher power. This is the reason that the America has been successful – it has, for the most part, remained One nation under God.
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7 (NKJV)
Some of you might think that I got that backwards… Shouldn’t I identify the oppressor before I begin the revolution? Not really… When you begin a revolution, the oppressors will make themselves known.
One modern writer stated that revolutionary war only occurs to protect a revolution that has already started.
Who is the oppressor?
3 Of course, we are living in the flesh, but we don't fight in a fleshly way. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not those of the flesh. Instead, they have the power of God to demolish fortresses. We tear down arguments 5 and every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God. We take every thought captive in order to obey Christ. 2 Cor 10:3-5 (ISV)
The pilgrims recognized something that we generally fail to recognize today. The visible “enemy” is not the enemy. The enemy is not the Democrats, or the Republicans. The enemy is not the president, or the IRS.
The enemy is not the Jews, or the Muslims.
The enemy is not a person… As with any group of people, we have experienced some relationship difficulties. It is easy for me to get angry with people that aren’t thinking straight. But then – I have been reminded that they are not the enemy.
My hope today is to incite Revolution. I had considered calling this message “A Call to Arms”. But not against the government. I’m ready to fight against the prince of America. George Bush? (NO)
12 Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come… Dan 10:12-14 (NIV)
The enemy is not the other side of the tracks. It’s not the person of another color. It’s not Vestavia Hills, Hoover, or Birmingham.
The enemy is not the unsaved family member.
So many people think that religion is for the weak. That Christianity is nothing more than a crutch for a crippled spirit. But there is nothing weak about true Christianity. It takes a fighter to be a Christian!
Some of us guys were talking recently about handguns – protecting our homes against intruders, etc. We may have differing opinions about that… But truthfully I hope that none of us ever have to find out whether our opinion is right or not.
But I came to tell you today that there is an intruder in your home. There is an enemy – an oppressor. There is someone that is stealing your joy, that is taking peace from your family.
I wonder if we have any fighters in the house today. I wonder if there is a mom, or a dad – that says, “Not on my watch!”.
I’ve thought about the gunman that walked into a church in Colorado and opened fire… I have wondered what my response might be if that happened here. Again – I hope I never find out. But there is an enemy that would like to walk in here and open fire with weapons much more deadly than bullets.
I wonder if there is anyone that will rise up and say, “Not on my watch!”
Back to our story…
Nehemiah and the people of Judah began their work… Sure enough – the oppressors began to show up. Two of them:
Sanballat - Babylonian Sin-uballit, "may Sin give him life," He was apparently governer of Samaria during this time, and his daughter had married a priest (Neh 13:28)
Tobiah – Hebrew “pleasing to Jehovah, the servant”. Apparently a man of great religious influence – Eliashib the priest prepared quarters for him in the temple in Nehemiah’s absence. (Neh 6:17-19). He was a son-in-law to a prominent Judah-ite and his son had married the daughter of another. (Neh 6:18)
What does the oppressor do?
The oppressor wants to make you feel small. (Neh 4:1-3)
…For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. Rev 12:10 (NIV)
The oppressor wants you to live in fear. (Neh 4:7-8)
…because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)
The oppressor wants to distract you (Neh 6:1-7)
Many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and shall lead many astray Mark 13:6 (ASV)
The oppressor wants to steal the fruit of your worship. (Neh 13:4-5)
If he can’t stop it altogether, he will try to corrupt it. The adversary will attempt to remove:
- meal (Word of God) - the enemy is trying to remove the Word of God from our storehouses
- frankinsence (prayer) - he would love to destroy the practice of passionate prayer
- vessels (hunger) - there is a lack of hunger in our churches today
- tithes (giving) - because the storehouse is corrupt, people are discouraged from giving - and not receiving God's blessing
- oil and wine (Spirit) - he doesn't mind church, as long as the Spirit is not present. One chief goal of the enemy is to steal our joy and power.
- singer (worship) - he really wants to distract worship
- porters (service) - the enemy will attempt to destroy the gift of service in our hearts
- priests (ministry) - ultimately, these things destroy our power to minister, to lead people to Christ.
Notice that in all of these situations, Nehemiah consistently took these actions:
1) Prayed
2) Watched
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matt 26:41 (ASV)
3) Repented (tossed Tobiah out, restored the missing items)
Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:19 (ASV)
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