Almighty Father, we thank You for this wonderful day You have given us, Father, to come together as believers for worship. We thank You, Father, for the privilege of living our lives as believers, for the opportunity to gather every Sunday to worship, to praise You, and to glorify Your name. We also thank You for the privilege of sharing our faith with those You bring into our lives. Father, we are grateful for the plans and purposes You have for each one of us. Help us, Lord, to understand these plans and to work towards fulfilling them. We give You all honor and glory. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Praise the Lord.

How many of you believe that God has gifted us and that we are leading comfortable lives? Can I see your hands? Almost all of us, right? We have the privilege to live our lives as believers without fear. We have the privilege to come together every Sunday for worship, and we have the privilege to share our faith with those whom God brings into our lives, all without fear. But do you know that there are many places in the world where people cannot do this? In fact, there are some places even in our own country where people cannot gather freely for worship. Where sharing the faith could be considered a conversion and result in imprisonment.

So, it is indeed a comfort that God has blessed us. But God has not blessed us just to be comfortable. He has blessed us because He has a plan and a purpose for us. He wants us to use this blessing to understand His plan and to be part of the Great Commission—to take God's word to every part of this nation, to share the faith and the gospel everywhere.

Today, as we discuss living a comfortable life, let us look at someone who was leading a very comfortable life. He held a high and respected position, earned well, and was very well respected. He had no reason to worry about anything. But one day, he learned about the situation in his country, and he became concerned for his nation and his people. He decided to step out of his comfort zone and do something about it. He went on to undertake one of the most challenging projects in the Bible, a gigantic project which he completed in just 52 days. Do we know who we’re talking about? It is Nehemiah.

Nehemiah was not just a cupbearer; he was someone who had to taste the wine first to ensure it was not poisoned. As a cupbearer, he had to be a very trustworthy person and, obviously, very well compensated. When Nehemiah learned from his brothers about the conditions in Jerusalem, he decided to take action. He could have said, "This is not my gift. I’m not an engineer or an architect. I don’t know masonry or carpentry; I’m just a cupbearer." But he chose to use whatever gifts he had to contribute to the project.

The Bible reminds us in 1 Peter 4:10 about gifts: "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." Every one of us has received some gift. When we consider the purpose God has given us in life, we might think, "I don’t know how this can help. Maybe I’m not a good communicator, maybe I’m not outgoing." But Nehemiah didn’t focus on what he didn’t have. He focused on what he had—a connection with the king. He used this to work towards the project.

Today, as we look at the purpose God has for us and how to fulfill it, let us examine Nehemiah’s life and his approach. We will focus on three important things he did to achieve his purpose.

The first is prayer. Nehemiah’s prayer life is evident throughout the Book of Nehemiah. He prayed both in extended periods and in emergencies. Before undertaking any significant action, Nehemiah would spend extended time in prayer. For instance, in Nehemiah 1:4, it says, "When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven." This was not a short prayer but an extended period of mourning, fasting, and prayer. He praised God, confessed his sins, confessed the sins of his family, and prayed for success in his upcoming project.

Additionally, Nehemiah practiced emergency prayers. In Nehemiah 2:4-5, when the king asked him what he wanted, Nehemiah prayed to the God of heaven before answering the king. The context is that Nehemiah was concerned because presenting sadness before the king was risky, and he prayed for guidance before responding.

I see you don’t seem ill, but there is sadness on your face. This must be sadness of heart. Nehemiah was afraid because, when you go before a king, you’re not supposed to bring sadness or bad news. If you remember what happened when David met the messenger who was bringing news about Saul’s death, it is in 1 Samuel chapter 4. The messenger rushed to David and wanted to share that David’s enemy Saul was dead. The messenger thought he was bringing great news to the king and that he would be happy, but David turned around and had him killed. Nehemiah was afraid that if he brought sadness, the king could kill him. That’s why, before he responded to the king, he prayed. It was a short prayer; there was no time for an extended prayer. He just needed to make a quick connection with God. This is something we can always do: anytime before we enter a situation or while in the situation, before we respond, we can make a quick connection with God. “God, I’m going into this. Please help me.” We see this several times in the Bible where Nehemiah prays emergency prayers in the middle of a situation. Before he responds or acts, he makes a quick connection with God and then takes a step.

These are the two things we learn throughout the Book of Nehemiah: extended prayers and emergency prayers, depending on the situation. The second thing Nehemiah did after praying was to prepare. When people were plotting together to fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it, Nehemiah prayed to God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. Again, we see that when he’s facing a threat in the middle of the action, while the building is ongoing, they immediately prayed and then took the next step.

Preparation is important whenever we take on a project. It’s crucial to sit down and prepare: determine what the project will require in terms of effort, time, and money. In fact, Jesus Himself reminded us about this. He said that before you start building a house, you need to sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it. Jesus mentioned this in Luke 14:28. Nehemiah also did this as he was preparing for his project and preparing to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. He prepared for three things. The first thing he prepared for was how much time it would take. He was in a very important position; the king depended on him daily for every meal as the cupbearer. So, if he was asking for leave, he had to inform the king how many days he would be gone and when he would return. Nehemiah had to estimate the time for the project. In Nehemiah 2:6, we see that the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” Nehemiah had already set a time because he had worked on that estimate. He could set a time only because he had first determined how much time the project would take, and then he was able to reply to the king immediately.

When planning a project, it’s important to detail all the necessities and steps, and estimate how much time it will take.

When we are planning a project, it’s also important to plan for uncertainties and include time for rest. Let’s look at what happened next. Nehemiah had now received permission and had gone all the way to Jerusalem. In Nehemiah 2:11-12, we read that he went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days, he set out during the night with a few others. He had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. The first thing we see is that Nehemiah reached Jerusalem. Although he had already given a time to the king to complete the work and return, we would expect that as soon as he arrived, he would rush into the work and try to complete it as quickly as possible. However, we see that he did not do that. He took three days to rest from the journey and refresh himself before starting. He could do this because he had already planned that when you look at Ezra’s journey, also, when Ezra went to build the temple, we see the same thing. When Ezra reached Jerusalem, he also took three days of rest before starting the work. This rest was possible because Nehemiah had planned effectively.

So, whenever we plan a project and there are many activities to be done, we should plan for rest and be prepared.

It's important to schedule time for rest and recuperation so that we can continue to work effectively. The second thing is that we see Nehemiah took time to go around the city at night to assess the situation. He went by himself before he met anybody else. He inspected the entire situation, including the walls and gates, to get a clear understanding.

When starting a project, it’s important to reassess how much time is required, how much effort is needed, and what the actual situation on the ground is. Nehemiah did this by taking a thorough look around the walls and reassessing whether his initial plan was still valid or if it needed changes.

So, when talking about timing, the first thing we need to prepare for is how much time the project will require. In that time, we should schedule for unexpected events, breaks, and periods of refreshment. We should also continuously assess whether the initial plan is still effective or if adjustments are necessary.

The second thing is resources. For any project, resources are crucial, and Nehemiah addressed this by going to the king and asking for resources. In Nehemiah 2:8, it says, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors to provide me safe conduct until I arrive in Judah, and a letter to Asaph for timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple, and for the city wall and the residence I will occupy.”

Time alone is not sufficient; you also need resources. Nehemiah planned and organized for these resources while he was with the king. He knew that timber was required for the gates and where to obtain it. He also anticipated potential opposition on the journey and prepared letters for safe passage.

Once Nehemiah reached Jerusalem, he needed people to work on the project. To get the people involved, he first approached the leaders. In Nehemiah 2:18, he says, “I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.” They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So, they began this good work.

Before getting everyone involved, Nehemiah first convinced the leaders. It was crucial to get their support because if they bought into the project, they would encourage the people to participate. Nehemiah needed the leaders to see the vision and commit to the project.

Now, if everything is in place, what else is needed? Whenever we undertake a project, especially one involving a higher purpose, opposition is likely. Nehemiah faced opposition and had to persist. The first type of opposition he faced was mockery from his enemies. In Nehemiah 2:19, we read, “But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. ‘What is this you are doing?’ they asked. ‘Are you rebelling against the king?’” Despite the ridicule, Nehemiah persisted and continued the work.

The second type of opposition came from his own people. In Nehemiah 4:10, we read that “the strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.” These were the very people working on the project. Despite their discouragement, Nehemiah persisted and motivated them to continue.

But then they see that there’s so much trouble, so much work to do, and they are so tired. The laborers are exhausted, and it seems impossible to continue. Nehemiah persisted despite the dissent. There can be times when our own people may not be convinced about the project. They may have been excited initially, saying, “Wow, this is a great project! I’m with you,” but as the work progresses, they might feel overwhelmed. They might say, “This is too much for us. Let’s step back and plan something smaller.” This could come from our own team members or even our family members who might not share the same vision or passion. However, this is the time when we should still persist, and that’s what Nehemiah reminds us.

The third thing is persisting despite threats. The first type of opposition is discouragement and mockery. The second type is dissent from our own people. But the third is facing real threats to our lives. In Nehemiah 4:11, we read, “Our enemies said, ‘Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them; we will kill them and put an end to the work.’” This was a serious threat. Unlike the previous cases where Nehemiah could encourage and motivate the team, this situation required a different response. It was a matter of real life and death.

Nehemiah’s response to this threat was strategic. The first thing he did was to encourage the people. In Nehemiah 4:14, he said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” Nehemiah reminded them that this battle was not just their own but belonged to the Lord. They needed to fight not just for themselves but for their families and homes. Encouragement was the first step in countering the threat.

The second thing Nehemiah did was to implement a strategy of defending and working. In Nehemiah 4:16, he arranged that, “From that day on, half of my men did the work while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah.” Nehemiah divided the team into two groups: one group continued working, while the other group defended and protected them. This strategy ensured that the work could proceed while also addressing the immediate threat.

This approach reflects an important lesson: in any project or team, there are different roles. While some people are at the forefront, others are responsible for supporting, protecting, and praying. Those not in the frontline have the critical role of covering their teammates in prayer and support.

Nehemiah further emphasized this in Nehemiah 4:17-18, “Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other. Each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked, but the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.” This shows that everyone needed to be prepared, even those who were primarily working. Each person had a dual responsibility: to work and to be ready for defense.

The fourth thing to remember is that if one person is impacted, it affects the entire team. Nehemiah made sure that if any part of the wall was attacked, all would come together to defend it. In Nehemiah 4:19-20, he said, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us.” This strategy ensured that everyone was prepared to respond quickly to any attack, reinforcing the idea that collective effort is crucial.

With these strategies, Nehemiah and his team were able to complete the wall in just 52 days. Although this project was not the largest compared to Noah's Ark or the Temple of Jerusalem, it demonstrates how Nehemiah’s leadership and strategic planning led to remarkable success. God did not speak directly to Nehemiah as He did to Noah or Solomon, but Nehemiah was still able to discern God's purpose and take action.

We might be leading comfortable lives, but like Nehemiah, we should be concerned about the needs around us. Even if we don’t receive direct instructions from God, we should seek His purpose in our lives and step out of our comfort zones to make a difference. We, as believers, are a small percentage in this nation, but we are called to make a significant impact. Just as a pinch of salt adds flavor, we are to take God’s word to others.

Let us use our gifts for God’s glory, discern His purpose for our lives, and learn from Nehemiah to pray, prepare, and persist in fulfilling His will.

May God bless us as we commit to these principles.

[Applause] Amen. Hallelujah. Thank you, Brother Shahi. I don’t know how he manages to make it so memorable—pray, prepare, persist. I want you all to take this message to heart. God has called each one of us. You don’t need to hear an audible voice or see thunder and lightning. Like Nehemiah, you can sense the need around you and take action.

I pray that we all get involved in building the Kingdom of God. Amen. There is no one who can say they are not called; all of us are called to build the Church of God. Hallelujah.

There is a specific call upon your life. Though Nehemiah led the people to complete the project, it was a collective effort. Similarly, God gives tasks to groups of people to accomplish His vision.

Our project as a church is not to rebuild physical walls but to mend broken lives. As we see the shattered lives around us—broken families and individuals—let us be the hope that Jesus offers. We can work individually and as a church to rebuild lives for God’s glory.

Let us take a moment to reflect on what God is calling us to do. Seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance on how to act in your ministry, personal life, career, or studies. Even if the task seems overwhelming, trust God, pray, and face it with faith.

Father, we thank You for Your presence this morning. Your word does not return void. We recognize Your voice and receive Your message. As a church, we pray that we will rise up like Nehemiah and rebuild the broken lives around us.

We may feel weak or inadequate, but these feelings drive us to lean on You. Your word says, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,” and through Your Spirit, we can accomplish mighty things.

Help us put this word into practice. We thank You for speaking to us through Brother Shahi and ask Your blessing upon him and his family. We commit the week ahead into Your hands. We give You all the glory, honor, and praise.

In Jesus’ mighty name, we pray. Amen.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the everlasting love of the Father, and the sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with each one of us, both now and forever. Amen.