18 July 10
a) Example of the devastation of a Fire – Hettinga Estate
· Building ravaged by fire, blackened, smoke shared ruins
· People wander through ruins of the building, dream, hoping to find something value
b) Bible Example of Jerusalem
Neh 4:1-3
“Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish, stones that are burned?”
· Intense opposition to the work of God.
· The Jews were mocked, despised, laughed and scolded
· Bitter hate and ridicule of the people, God and of the building materials
· Picture of demonic spirits arrayed against the people, the work of God, His purpose and plan
· Is it possible to make a difference? It is not ‘too hard’ for the Lord to save and revive burnt stones
· “Revive” =2421 = to bring back to life, restore strength
· “Rubbish” = 6038 = rubble of a destroyed city, worthless material discarded
· God is always ready to restore and to rebuild, also His Church.
· What a great thing to respond to God?
a) Buildings in the Old Testament
· Walls and buildings were made of great shaped stones – limestone blocks
· When limestone is burnt by fire it gets softened, loses strength and vitality and begins to crumble to powder
· Burnt stones are easily removed from their position, alignment and cast aside as worthless
b) Stones are Pictures of People
1 Pet 2:4-5
“You also as living stones are being up a spiritual house…”
· Believers are living stones – quarried and shaped by God for a purpose
· “Stone” = root 1129 = to build, establish
· Eph 2:20-22
“You are also being built together for a dwelling place of God”
· God shapes us and positions us for His purpose to be fulfilled
· “Position” = place, location, an attitude, way of thinking
i. Where God locates, plants, connects you
ii. Way of thinking, mindset
· God calls us a living stone, desired to shape and position us. Building us together.
c) Stones can become Burnt
Neh 4:2
“Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish, stones that are burned?”
· These stones once formed part of a great building of God
· Now they are burned - softened, blackened, charred, lost vitality and strength
· They had been burned by fire and broken down by the enemy
· How do stones become burnt? The believer goes through painful experiences
i) Spiritual Conflict and Pressure
· People attacked by wicked spirits = offended, angry, hurt, weakened
· People become weakened, burnt
· Kings 19 - Elijah got burnt and lost his position in the Nation
ii) Painful Experiences in Relationships and Life
· Betrayal, judgments, conflict
· People become burnt by grief, disappointment, offence
· God becomes dislodged by people getting burnt
iii) Broken promises and Dreams
· Unexpected loss of a dream or hope
· Dreams you had in your mind and ‘not seeing’ it come to pass
iv) Refining by God
· Painful experiences in life that God permits to develop our character or faith
· Josephs’ experience: betrayal, slavery, false accusations, prison
· God restored the burnt stone and positioned him in a place of honor
· He kept faith during the fire Ps 106:19
3. Can God Restore Burnt Stones?
Neh 1:3-4
“I sat down and wept and mourned for many days”
· “Nehemiah” = Comfort of God = picture of the Holy Spirit
· God does not abandon burnt stones. The heart of God is to restore
· God sees possibilities in stones burnt, charred, disfigured by pain, failure and disappointment
· God grieves if we get displaced
· God can restore a burnt stone and set it back in the wall of destiny and purpose
Neh 2:17
“Come and let us built the wall of Jerusalem”
· Rise up and build – Inspired by the Holy Spirit
i) Holy Spirit inspires fresh hope = He helps us to get up, rebuilding dreams and fulfilling purposes
ii) The Holy Spirit draws our attention to the Word and Power of God
iii) The holy Spirit imparts vision for people to build and restore
4. How Burnt Stones are restored
i) You must want to be Restored
· Ruth 1:6-7 Naomi returned
· Famine – she and her husband left the land of promises, they went to Moab, a forbidden place
· Burnt – suffered grief, loss of husband and both sons
· Must maintain right attitude in famine – believed God, returned to the Lord, her place of destiny
ii) You must Face Reality
· 2 Sam 12:13 David – “I have sinned against the Lord”
· David weary of battle – he left the battlefield for the bedroom, he left the war for watching woman
· David endangered his destiny, family, ministry
· David was burnt by sin – many lost their lives
· He had to face reality take responsibility
iii) You must Receive Healing and restoration of the Holy Spirit
· Welcome the Holy Spirit and the process
· John 21:15 Peter – “Do you love me? Feed my lambs”
· Overconfidence and Pride – Peter fled
· Burnt by failure and broken promises
· He had to receive forgiveness and the love of God
· The love of God may also come through people many times. Relate and commit.
iv) You must Commit to Being Repositioned
· 2 Tim 4:11 Mark – “Take Mark and bring him with you”
· Mark acted in fear – Mark abandoned Paul’s ministry Act 15
Acknowledge your part in being burnt, come back and get repositioned.
God has changed our life; get back into your destiny.
Become and army to change the world