Open Doors Nehemiah 2 1 8 Nehemiah 2

Open Doors Nehemiah 2: 1 -8

Nehemiah 2: 1 -8 • 2: 1 – “In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when the wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I has not been sad in his presence. ” • 2: 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. • 2: 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 father’s graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire? ”

Nehemiah 2: 1 -8 • 2: 4 – “Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting? ” So I prayed to the God of heaven. ” • 2: 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 father’s graves, that I may rebuild it. ” • 2: 6 – “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. ”

Nehemiah 2: 1 -8 • 2: 7 – “And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, letters be given to me for the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, ” • 2: 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 granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my good was upon me. ”

Open Doors – Be in Tune with God’s Will • Chapter 1: 8 -9 • Quoted from Leviticus 26: 27 -45 • Quoted from Deuteronomy 30: 1 -5 • Predicted the 70 years of Babylonian captivity • Predicted Jews return and rebuilding of Jerusalem • God’s word is God’s will • Not all open doors are God’s will • To be in tune with God’s will, know God’s Word

Open Doors – Be in Tune with God’s Timing • Neh. 1: 1 – month of Chislev, 20 th year • Mid-Nov to mid-Dec • Neh. 2: 1 – month of Nisan, 2 oth year • Mid-March to mid- April • Nehemiah had to wait 4 months

Open Doors – Be in Tune with God’s Timing • Fulfilled prophecy – Daniel 9: 25 • “So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. ” • Neh 2 is only decree to rebuild Jerusalem (others to build temple and exiles to return) • Occurred in 445 BC • Week – literal a 7 unit time period • 69 weeks – 69*7 = 483 years • Prophetic year – 360 days (used by Jews and confirmed in Scripture) • Terminates with the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem

Open Doors – Be in Tune with God’s Timing • Believers in the Bible who had to wait • Abraham – waited 25 years for Isaac to be born • Joseph – waited as Potiphar’s slave as a prisoner • David – waited as he ran from Saul • Paul – waited 3 years in the Arabian desert • Make sure your watch -clock (spiritually) is correct

Open Doors – Overcome Fears and Obstacles • Verses 2 -3 • Nehemiah's obstacles and fears • V. 2 Sad in the king’s presence • Ezra chapter 4 – Artaxerxes had stooped the rebuilding of Jerusalem a few years earlier • Topic of Jerusalem was very controversial • 2: 2 – Nehemiah was very much afraid • God is bigger than nay fear or obstacle believers face

Open Doors – Through Prayer • Verses 4 -5 • Chapter 1 Nehemiah prayed for this open door • 2: 4 – door is open, Nehemiah prays while facing an obstacle walking through that door • Nehemiah was a man of prayer – 11 times in 13 chapters • God help me prayer • Effective when backed with a life of prayer • ASK – Ask, Seek, Knock • And God will open doors for you to serve

Open Doors – Planning and Preparation • Verses 6 -8 • Nehemiah prepared and planned: • Verse 6 – gave the king the time of how long he would be gone and when he would return • Verse 7 – ask for letters for protection • Verse ask for a letter specifically to Asaph • Be prepared for when God opens the door for you

Conclusion • Open doors • In line with God’s will the Bible • God’s timing • Trust God to overcome fears and obstacles • Pray for them and while walking through them • Plan and prepare so to be ready • Walking through God’s open doors results in: • THE GOOD HAND OF GOD BEING UPON YOU