How To Rebuild, Restore, and Protect Your Life | Walls & Gates - # 1 | Pastor Jason Henderson

Walls and Gates - Pt 1 | Pastor Jason Henderson (Second Service)

How Do I Rebuild, Restore, And Protect My Life?

Proverbs 25:28
Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit. (NASB)

There are 12 total gates that surround the city of Jerusalem but in Nehemiah chapter 3 it details the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and 10 gates.

Historical Background
The King of Babylon was a man by the name of Nebuchadnezzar. He was the king of modern-day Iraq. In 586-587 he completely destroyed the city walls and gates of Jerusalem. It was a city with no defenses. It remained that way for 140 years. When the Babylonians were defeated by the Meads and Persians (Iran and Kurds). Nehemiah was called by God to return to Israel and oversee the rebuilding of the walls and gates of the city. His story and trials are recorded in the entire book of Nehemiah.

FACTS OF THE REBUILDING

The book of Nehemiah was originally part of one larger book, Ezra-Nehemiah.

Nehemiah is written to form the people of God during a time of disappointment and marginalization.

The primary title for God in Ezra-Nehemiah is “God of heaven.” (12 Times)

There are zero miracles in the book of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah ends on a huge bummer — on purpose. The future hope of God’s people will only be possible through God’s Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Nehemiah took 52 days to rebuild the walls

Show The Picture of the entire walls of Jerusalem

Show the Picture of Each Gate Listing

Q. Have you ever experienced hurt before from a relationship?
A. Yes, we all have.

Through our pain and abuse from previous relationships, we respond in 2 different ways.

1) We respond by building up thick walls of self-defense.
2) We respond with NO walls and NO Gates and Allow ANYONE to come and go.

We MUST learn to build proper walls and gates that control our access points.

The Bible is a LIVING Book that transcends all people and cultures. We all can read scripture and somehow, someway, it can speak to us.

1 Corinthians 10:11 (NKJV)

All these events happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us, who live at a time when this age is drawing to a close. (NLT) (The Message)

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)

Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV) (NLT)

1 Peter 1:23 (NLT)

EVERY WORD OF THE BIBLE HAS A PURPOSE

Nehemiah 3 is the story of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, but on a practical level, they speak to us about how we can rebuild, restore, and protect our lives.

If you feel like you live with a target on your back.

If you feel like you live a life of defeat.

If you live the life of a victim, you are living with broken walls and gates.

There are two essential elements of a balanced life:

We need WALLS

Ephesians 3:2-3 (we fight the world, flesh, Satan)
Not walls of isolationism, but protection.
Walls that are not made out of brick and stone, rules and regulations, tradition and religious activity, or dress and speech…but walls made of character and integrity, values, and biblical truth.

We need GATES

These are points of controlled access. What we SEE, What we HEAR, What we EXPERIENCE, What we feel EMOTIONALLY, SPIRITUALLY, MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY

In the Bible, gates mean something. They are places where leaders meet. Places of honor in that city. These were often locations for doing business or for legal proceedings.

THIS IS WHERE THE POWER WAS HELD!

Psalm 87:2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion More than all the dwellings of Jacob. (more than anything else, God says that He wants and desires to rule in His people's hearts and lives.)

Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

(Jesus says that the leaders of Hell will not be able to stop the message of the Gospel.)

Our God is in the business of rebuilding and restoring lives, which are broken down.