THE MAN GOD USES Nehemiah 1:2-4 Prepared & delivered by Michael Onyegbu at Ikoyi Baptist Church on Sun, January 21, 2018 INTRODUCTION Last Sunday, God continued His transformation agenda with us as He reminded us through His servant that ‘He is speaking’. Today, the Lord will be drawing our attention to the subject of the one He can use. God in all His rebuilding process is always looking for men. Men He can trust! He is in constant search for holy, trusted, dependable, separated and consecrated men. More urgently, in the face of the devastating attack on the Christian faith and the worrisome Lukewarmness that is breathing down on some believers, God is in dire need of men that He can use- ‘A boy’ who can give up his five loaves of bread and 2 fishes so that men will not faint for hunger (John 6:1-13), ‘fisherman’ who will surrender his boat for the work of missions and evangelism (Luke 5:1-3), ‘simon’ who will bear the cross of Christ to Golgotha (Matthew 27:32) and ‘Isaiah’ of our days who will say ‘here am I, send me’ (Isaiah 6:8). These men are people like you and I. Never in history has God being in dearth of someone to use. This does not mean that some have not disappointed neither is it to say that all men at all times have been available for God to use. The truth of the matter is, God can replace men (even if it is with a stone) to accomplish His purpose. INQUIRY v2 - Whenever God sets out to use a man, He begins by stirring in the man a holy passion, unquenchable thirst for transformation, genuine hunger for change and unquantifiable drive for sanity and sanctity. That is evidenced in verse 2 of our text. Nehemiah asked of the J________ and inquired about J__________________. Nehemiah was absolutely in no mood for felicitation and exchange of pleasantries. His heart was on fire, God was not allowing him rest, and he wanted to know the state of affairs of his people and the city of God. He was deeply concerned about the condition of the Jews who had survived the devastation and dastardly attack of the enemies. He passionately wanted to know what has become of them after the captivity. Did they survive the aftermath of the captivity? Was the trauma too much for them to bear? What about the holy city, Jerusalem? What is the condition of the city? INFORMATION v3a - The man that God will use will stay with Lord, pant after God until deep insight, dire information, definite instruction and direct inspiration are released.

Nehemiah asked to know and it was said to him; the R_____________ who A_____ left are in great A___________ & R____________. The inquiry into the condition of Jerusalem and the Jews opened up a myriad of issues. Oh, it was thought that the people had escaped and were free. Maybe it would have been safe for Nehemiah to have concluded that the people have moved on and life has gradually become better. Their worst days were over, they have probably started finding a new course for their lives, but that was not to be. They have been plunged into a devastation that has refused to leave them. It is sad to know that even after the escape, God’s people still were trapped in a web of affliction and reproach. ISSUE v3b - The man that God will use must guide his walls and gates with passion and purpose and build enduring consecrations.

1. The Wall The wall of Jerusalem is B____________ down and the gates B_____________ with fire. The eye-catching wall of Jerusalem has broken down. That historic and iconic wall of about 4,018meters in length, with an average height of 12meters (39.37ft) and an average thickness of 2.5meters (8.2ft). A wall that chariots ride on! How did it happen? Who could have orchestrated such a devastation on a wall, considered impregnable? Oh, how the mighty have fallen (2 Samuel 1:25-27)? Who could have imagined that such a monumental wall can be broken? The same way so many of us have fallen from our very lofty position. Men who we never thought will ever commit sin, have started romancing sin. These walls are the strong consecrations that we have created over time to keep us from error. What are those strong consecrations that we have made in the past that we have broken down with reckless abandon? In the past we use to uphold them but not anymore, we have pulled down every wall of spiritual consecration and sanctity. In our mind, God understands! The faithful city has become an harlot and the silver has become dross (Isaiah 1:21-22), remember your first love (Revelation 2:4) and remember the height from where you have fallen (Revelation 2:5). You that use to shun sin, you are now the one that oppose the truth and celebrate sin- Your walls have broken down. Did you start in the spirit only to end in the flesh? (Gal. 3:3) 2. The Gates The gates are burnt with fire. Gates are representative points where men gain entrance and exit a place, they are well placed avenues through which access is guaranteed. Unfortunately, many of us have become like the walls of Jerusalem. Our gates are no more! We have become broken down walls without gates. Everywhere has become porous, free entry and free exit. Everything is allowed and no one to check the activities going on in our lives anymore. The elders at the gate have gone to sleep and the gate keepers have resigned to fate. Oh dear! Where are the gatekeepers? We must erect our gates again.

Some of the people who can act as a spiritual gate-keepers for us are: 1. A_____________________________ 2. B_____________________________ 3. C_____________________________ 4. D_____________________________

IN CONCLUSION v4 The heart of this whole discussion is the burden that the situation leaves every one of us with. It is a call to P______, P______, P__________________ and P__________ God’s P_______________ for our lives. God is searching for you so that He can use you. Something must be done about this situation. We must not let the deterioration to go on unabatedly. We must, like Nehemiah Sit down, weep, mourn, pray and fast. Whenever men weep, heaven reacts. God is always concerned about the tears of His children (Exodus 3:7) So, if the Lord will use us, we must be: 1. P__________________ in concern vs2 2. P_________________ in listening vs3 3. P___________________ in prayer vs4 4. P___________________ in action vs4