Rise Up and Build
Text: Neh. 2-3
Introduction
Life is filled with many different seasons. The season Nehemiah found himself in was undoubtedly troubling and often deeply frustrating. He had received a clear vision from God regarding his calling, yet he was serving the most powerful man in the known world at that time—an unbelieving king. This created a serious dilemma. If Nehemiah suddenly left his post, it could cost him his life. Even expressing a desire to leave might have been seen as disrespectful or rebellious—punishable by death. He couldn’t simply put in a two weeks’ notice. This was a season marked by waiting and prayer.
Thankfully, Nehemiah understood the Scriptures. God’s Word was surely what sustained him during this time. Without a doubt, he was familiar with the truth found in Proverbs 21:1:
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.
Yes, Artaxerxes was the most powerful king of his time—but even he was under the authority of the King of kings. His heart was still in the hands of the sovereign Ruler. Nehemiah understood that he couldn’t change the king’s heart, but he trusted that God could turn it toward him and his burden. So Nehemiah prayed and waited on God for the right opportunity—and when it came, he was ready:
“In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.”-Neh. 2:1-5
God opened the door, and Nehemiah’s prayer was answered. The king noticed his sorrowful countenance and asked what was troubling him. It was a clear reminder that God truly holds the hearts of kings in His hands. But Nehemiah’s response revealed that this season had been more than just one of prayer—it was also a season of diligent preparation.
A Season of Preparation
Examine Nehemiah’s response—he knew exactly what to ask for, and in explicit detail. This shows that he had spent a great deal of time carefully thinking through the project. He was prepared. True faith expresses itself in thoughtful planning. Too often, as Christians, we assume that faith and planning are somehow at odds with each other, when in reality, faith is often demonstrated through wise preparation. Ask yourself: which farmer shows greater faith—the one who stays inside praying for rain, or the one who plants seeds in anticipation of it? Genuine faith takes action. It organizes. It plans. Charles Swindoll powerfully emphasizes this point in his book Hand Me Another Brick:
I weary of people who call it faith when they can’t tell you their plans. Some say, ‘We are not going to think this through. We are just going by faith. God will lead us. True faith has plans and organization.”
Nehemiah was prepared. His detailed plans revealed that he truly believed God would send him on this mission. His faith wasn’t passive—it was active and expectant. This is clearly evidenced by his response:
And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. 7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.-Neh. 2:6-8
God honors a plan. Planning itself is an act of faith. I had to learn this lesson the hard way. In November 2013, I went through a church planting assessment retreat. I entered that weekend full of passion, zeal, and vision. What I lacked, however, was a plan—and that became clear almost immediately.
At the time, I had an idea to plant three churches at the same time. But when I was pressed with questions, I couldn’t articulate any clear steps for how that would happen. As a result, I was asked to spend six months focused exclusively on one thing: developing a plan. Looking back, that was one of the best things that could have happened to me.
Plans are good. God is the one who directs our steps, but He works through our planning. As Proverbs 16:9 reminds us, “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Planning is not contrary to faith—it’s an expression of it. Abraham Lincoln is often quoted as saying, “If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first four sharpening the ax.” Preparation matters. Planning matters.
Are you currently in a season of preparation? Don’t waste it. You’re in good company. Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness being prepared for his calling. Joseph was enslaved and imprisoned for 14 years before he stepped into leadership. Paul waited 14 years before launching his church-planting ministry. Even Jesus did not begin His earthly ministry until the age of 30.
Be patient, and use this season well. Let it be a season of seeking, praying, and planning for what God may call you to do. Before you rise up and build—sit down and plan.
A Season of Action
One cannot remain in a season of preparation forever. Eventually, action is required. As the saying goes, when all is said and done, more is often said than done. This is a trap many fall into. In fact, church planters are notoriously known for making one of two mistakes: jumping straight into action without adequate planning, or spending all their time planning and never actually stepping out. Both are significant errors.
There always comes a definitive moment when it's time to rise up and build. For Nehemiah, that moment came when he received his commission from the king. And notice—he didn’t waste any time. He immediately set out on his journey.
There are several key lessons we can learn from how Nehemiah stepped into action. The first is this: he led with vision before focusing on the task. Consider what he said to the people:
17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work."-Neh. 2:17-18
Notice that Nehemiah led the people by first focusing on why they needed to rise up and build—not just how. And because he led with vision, the people responded and began the work.
Nehemiah was also intentional about building the people to build the wall, rather than trying to build the wall by himself. That’s no small task. Think about it—if he had taken it upon himself to do all the work, he could have ensured it was done exactly how he wanted. He wouldn’t have had to deal with other people’s problems or shortcomings. He could have just put his head down and kept building. The only problem? It would have taken forever.
On the other hand, building people is hard work. People are sinful, jealous, rebellious, and often won’t meet your expectations. The process is longer and more frustrating. But in the end, it’s far more effective. It not only gets the job done faster, but it also creates shared ownership and buy-in from the community. It’s always better to focus on equipping and empowering others to accomplish a task than trying to do it all on your own.
As Nehemiah cast vision and focused on developing the people, two distinct groups emerged. The first were the early critics—those who felt threatened by the project because it disrupted their comfort or personal prosperity. They didn’t like it, and they let it be known. If you’re going to pursue a Kingdom vision, expect early critics. They will always be there.
But the second group was just as important: the early adopters. These were the people who, like Nehemiah, could already see the wall finished in their minds. They believed it could be done—and they believed they were the ones to do it. They had faith.
Conclusion
Jesus Christ has summoned all of us to rise up and build His Kingdom. He has commissioned us to make disciples of all nations. He died and rose again to ensure that His Church would be victorious—and it will be.
And He has specifically called us at Ekklesia to reach the 750,000 people in our region who do not yet know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. That’s not just a statistic—that’s a calling. That’s our mission field. That’s the wall we are building.
So the question is: who are the early adopters?
This kind of work requires inconvenience. It will demand sacrifice. You may never get applause, credit, or fame. But you will be part of something eternal. You will be helping build what Jesus died to establish—His Church.
Who’s in?
Imagine it—our region fully surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Imagine families restored, addictions broken, schools transformed, and churches multiplying. It starts with a group of people who say, “We believe it can be done—and we believe we are the people God has called to do it.”
Let’s rise up and build.
Introduction
Life is filled with many different seasons. The season Nehemiah found himself in was undoubtedly troubling and often deeply frustrating. He had received a clear vision from God regarding his calling, yet he was serving the most powerful man in the known world at that time—an unbelieving king. This created a serious dilemma. If Nehemiah suddenly left his post, it could cost him his life. Even expressing a desire to leave might have been seen as disrespectful or rebellious—punishable by death. He couldn’t simply put in a two weeks’ notice. This was a season marked by waiting and prayer.
Thankfully, Nehemiah understood the Scriptures. God’s Word was surely what sustained him during this time. Without a doubt, he was familiar with the truth found in Proverbs 21:1:
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.
Yes, Artaxerxes was the most powerful king of his time—but even he was under the authority of the King of kings. His heart was still in the hands of the sovereign Ruler. Nehemiah understood that he couldn’t change the king’s heart, but he trusted that God could turn it toward him and his burden. So Nehemiah prayed and waited on God for the right opportunity—and when it came, he was ready:
“In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.”-Neh. 2:1-5
God opened the door, and Nehemiah’s prayer was answered. The king noticed his sorrowful countenance and asked what was troubling him. It was a clear reminder that God truly holds the hearts of kings in His hands. But Nehemiah’s response revealed that this season had been more than just one of prayer—it was also a season of diligent preparation.
A Season of Preparation
Examine Nehemiah’s response—he knew exactly what to ask for, and in explicit detail. This shows that he had spent a great deal of time carefully thinking through the project. He was prepared. True faith expresses itself in thoughtful planning. Too often, as Christians, we assume that faith and planning are somehow at odds with each other, when in reality, faith is often demonstrated through wise preparation. Ask yourself: which farmer shows greater faith—the one who stays inside praying for rain, or the one who plants seeds in anticipation of it? Genuine faith takes action. It organizes. It plans. Charles Swindoll powerfully emphasizes this point in his book Hand Me Another Brick:
I weary of people who call it faith when they can’t tell you their plans. Some say, ‘We are not going to think this through. We are just going by faith. God will lead us. True faith has plans and organization.”
Nehemiah was prepared. His detailed plans revealed that he truly believed God would send him on this mission. His faith wasn’t passive—it was active and expectant. This is clearly evidenced by his response:
And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. 7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.-Neh. 2:6-8
God honors a plan. Planning itself is an act of faith. I had to learn this lesson the hard way. In November 2013, I went through a church planting assessment retreat. I entered that weekend full of passion, zeal, and vision. What I lacked, however, was a plan—and that became clear almost immediately.
At the time, I had an idea to plant three churches at the same time. But when I was pressed with questions, I couldn’t articulate any clear steps for how that would happen. As a result, I was asked to spend six months focused exclusively on one thing: developing a plan. Looking back, that was one of the best things that could have happened to me.
Plans are good. God is the one who directs our steps, but He works through our planning. As Proverbs 16:9 reminds us, “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Planning is not contrary to faith—it’s an expression of it. Abraham Lincoln is often quoted as saying, “If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first four sharpening the ax.” Preparation matters. Planning matters.
Are you currently in a season of preparation? Don’t waste it. You’re in good company. Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness being prepared for his calling. Joseph was enslaved and imprisoned for 14 years before he stepped into leadership. Paul waited 14 years before launching his church-planting ministry. Even Jesus did not begin His earthly ministry until the age of 30.
Be patient, and use this season well. Let it be a season of seeking, praying, and planning for what God may call you to do. Before you rise up and build—sit down and plan.
A Season of Action
One cannot remain in a season of preparation forever. Eventually, action is required. As the saying goes, when all is said and done, more is often said than done. This is a trap many fall into. In fact, church planters are notoriously known for making one of two mistakes: jumping straight into action without adequate planning, or spending all their time planning and never actually stepping out. Both are significant errors.
There always comes a definitive moment when it's time to rise up and build. For Nehemiah, that moment came when he received his commission from the king. And notice—he didn’t waste any time. He immediately set out on his journey.
There are several key lessons we can learn from how Nehemiah stepped into action. The first is this: he led with vision before focusing on the task. Consider what he said to the people:
17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work."-Neh. 2:17-18
Notice that Nehemiah led the people by first focusing on why they needed to rise up and build—not just how. And because he led with vision, the people responded and began the work.
Nehemiah was also intentional about building the people to build the wall, rather than trying to build the wall by himself. That’s no small task. Think about it—if he had taken it upon himself to do all the work, he could have ensured it was done exactly how he wanted. He wouldn’t have had to deal with other people’s problems or shortcomings. He could have just put his head down and kept building. The only problem? It would have taken forever.
On the other hand, building people is hard work. People are sinful, jealous, rebellious, and often won’t meet your expectations. The process is longer and more frustrating. But in the end, it’s far more effective. It not only gets the job done faster, but it also creates shared ownership and buy-in from the community. It’s always better to focus on equipping and empowering others to accomplish a task than trying to do it all on your own.
As Nehemiah cast vision and focused on developing the people, two distinct groups emerged. The first were the early critics—those who felt threatened by the project because it disrupted their comfort or personal prosperity. They didn’t like it, and they let it be known. If you’re going to pursue a Kingdom vision, expect early critics. They will always be there.
But the second group was just as important: the early adopters. These were the people who, like Nehemiah, could already see the wall finished in their minds. They believed it could be done—and they believed they were the ones to do it. They had faith.
Conclusion
Jesus Christ has summoned all of us to rise up and build His Kingdom. He has commissioned us to make disciples of all nations. He died and rose again to ensure that His Church would be victorious—and it will be.
And He has specifically called us at Ekklesia to reach the 750,000 people in our region who do not yet know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. That’s not just a statistic—that’s a calling. That’s our mission field. That’s the wall we are building.
So the question is: who are the early adopters?
This kind of work requires inconvenience. It will demand sacrifice. You may never get applause, credit, or fame. But you will be part of something eternal. You will be helping build what Jesus died to establish—His Church.
Who’s in?
Imagine it—our region fully surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Imagine families restored, addictions broken, schools transformed, and churches multiplying. It starts with a group of people who say, “We believe it can be done—and we believe we are the people God has called to do it.”
Let’s rise up and build.
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