God has a blueprint on how to build the life, family, and ministry (inside and outside the church walls) He has for you. Join John and Brandi Belt as they discuss the plans God gave Ezra and Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem.
The Transcription
So guys, one thing we really want to talk about a little bit today was rebuilding and building, you know, we’re in such a time and season of transition, that we in many ways our re awakening reopening up, if you will to the world. And so we want to make sure though, that we keep the right foundation and that we’re building the way God’s calling us to, and not just building as a ministry or building as individuals. But whatever it is that God’s calling you to build, whether it has to do with your school, or your workplace or your family, you know, you need to make sure that you’re building it to God’s blueprint.
That’s right. And, and we’re living stones in regards to the church, you know, he builds us together as living stones. And for the purpose of being a habitation of God and the Spirit. If you look at Ephesians 222, God wants us to be totally saturated with his presence totally saturated with His Spirit. He wants us to surround us, he wants to surround us with people that encourage us to grow into him and doing his call just to do because there’s plans for each and every one of us. And some of you want to surround yourself with that encouragement, especially in this season. You know, there’s so much going on. And so people can get just caught up in that. I’d encourage you not to get caught up in that get caught up in in what God has planned. You know, because even in the midst of everything that’s been going on, God’s been very encouraging to us about what’s going to happen in the near future, even what he’s doing right now. And so we want to press into that and seek him first. Yeah. And it says in, in, in Proverbs, that those who seek the Lord shall like no good thing, you know, so God has good things in store for you.
Yeah, but I want to take just a couple of minutes and talk about the book of Ezra. So as we’re in Nehemiah, we’re actually one book, you might not realize that they’re actually the last books chronologically, in the Old Testament, and so I want to just spend a little time digging in because they were given somewhat of a blueprint on how to build, and it was building the ark, building the temple, building the city, or building the walls in building the sea. And so the reason I’m bringing this up is because I think it’s so important, we realize that it all starts with the right foundation of the ark, which represents worship, it represents sacrifice. And it’s not only God’s sacrifice, but it’s us choosing daily to lay our lives down and sacrifice to see God’s glory manifest on the earth.
That’s right. And God calls us to Met Life of commitment. And the Lord spoke to me this week, he said, you know, extraordinary lives have extraordinary commitment. And commitment is a word that a lot of people shy away from these days, especially this younger generation, they don’t understand commitment, in some ways. Yeah, it’s really important that we grasp the importance of being committed to being in covenant with God, first, and then with, even with other people that we learn to walk together. Because God, you know, he blesses us. When we dwell together in unity, there’s a power, there’s an anointing that’s released, when we come together in unity for the same purposes that he is playing for us. So just want to encourage you to walk in that place of power and agreement with others, you know, it’s like Jesus said, or two or more of you agree of asking anything, my name is shouting done for you by My Father in heaven. So we want to walk in that place of power, that place of agreement for what God wants to do.
So if you will, if you’ll turn with me to Ezra, three, Ezra is back with the people that have have been given the opportunity to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the city. But so I just want to start in Ezra, let’s start with Ezra three, though fear had come upon them, because the people of those countries, so the people of the countries around them are coming against them and what they’re trying to do, how many of us can say no, when you start moving out and what God’s calling you to you might get a little resistance. But so they set the altar on its basis, and they offered burnt offerings to the Lord on it both in the morning and evening burnt offerings. And the reason I bring this up is because again, going back to that place of sacrifice and keeping the main thing, the main thing, realizing that Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice, he’s the one who created really the opportunity to worship and love and relate with God freely. But it’s that’s got to be the foundation. And that’s why when Ezra and the people go back to Jerusalem, that is what they’re building on. The very first thing they institute is this idea of sacrifice, and reinstituting and re establishing the Mosaic law, because again, it’s so important that that is the foundation. You know, it’s great if you have you know, wonderful ideas of things you’re going to do that you believe God’s called you to. It’s wonderful if you’ve opened doors and opportunities even but if you lose that foundation of personal relationship, personal worship, personal sacrifice, you actually Doesn’t matter how great you build, it will all come down to try it. And God calls us to that. And you think how does that work out? It’s not this legalistic thing, but God wants it to be from the inside out by His Spirit that as we saturate ourselves in the presence of God, surround ourselves with people who are pursuing God, that there’s a natural flow and a desire from the heart that we want to live a life of sacrifice for Jesus, because it’s not like we’re trying to fulfill a list of things today, we just want to live out of the heart in our heart, a Holy Spirit inspires us to live that life of sacrifice. Hi,
Amber, we just wanted to shout out and say Hello, thanks for coming back, since you can hear us now. But so then the next part of this is they start with laying this foundation of the Ark of the Covenant and the sacrifice and worship. But then the next thing they get into is building the temple. And so I want to just read a little part of this. So if you go with me, as we’re for the second part of verse three, it says, the people surrounding you have come asking if they can help build the ark, or build the temple, excuse me, and, and the people of God responds, and you may do nothing with us to build a house for our God. But we alone will bill to Lord our God of Israel, and then they go on. But it’s so important that we understand relationships that we are tying ourselves to, whether it is relationships, we feel called to build with, or relationships, we feel called to maybe submit to, or maybe even help oversee, and mentor, and so into. It’s so important and critical. I believe in this season, that we are really reevaluating the relationships around us. So that way we are not yoking ourselves or joining ourselves with people that aren’t called to the same things we are and don’t have the right motivation. It wasn’t that these people were incapable of helping, it was that the motivation for their help was wrong.
Yeah. And you want to be surrounded with people who are hungry for God. It doesn’t mean that everybody is perfect, but you have people who are in pursuit of God. And yet those who are not, right, you will be surrounding yourself with people who really want the Lord really want His presence, and that are not living in this place of discouragement, and where they discourage you from pursuing God with all of your heart. So especially in this season of time, and get people that are focused on what’s going on around the world, and all this kind of stuff. And it’s important to understand what’s going on. But at the same time, you’ve got to keep your focus on the Lord, and fix your eyes on Jesus, who’s the author and finisher of your faith, because you want to stay in that place of faith. You want to stay in that place of believing and pursuing him with all your heart with a whole heart, we want to serve and worship the Lord, you know, so yeah, and really even I would encourage you during this time to check if there are relationships that you’re around, that maybe for whatever reason, over various seasons, you felt like it would be better to, to take a break from now’s a good time to evaluate that, you know, because we’re also somewhat separated and isolated, now is a great time to say, You know what, I think it’s good for me to put this relationship on pause. You know, I was I was talking to someone recently, and they were mentioning a relationship that they had with a friend that for a while they had seen some red flags, but didn’t really do much about it, and just, you know, through the Lord, and this time, they have said, you know, I just need to pause that relationship. But in the process of doing that, they’re seeing more of what God’s trying to do in and through them. And so sometimes it’s not necessarily that they’re people are bad or you know, are out for your, your evil or anything. It’s just that people might just not be the right people to grow with at this.
They may just not know what they’re doing exactly. Jesus or forgive them for they know not what they do is on the cross, and he’s being crucified. So he still loves those people, but he still realize that these people are ignorant what they’re doing. Because if they would know what they’re doing their crucified the Lord of Glory, they wouldn’t have done that, you know, so we need to realize that, definitely. But John has had some great revelation recently on being a son of revival and Sons of revival. And I’m gonna let him share that for a minute. And then I’ll kind of jump into investment.
A few years ago, I had a dream about the sons of glory. And in that I’ve been reminded of this in the last week. And because Oklahoma is filled with such deposits, of anointing of revivals of past the different things that have happened here, and God wants to resurrect those things, he wants to bring us back up to the surface. But in this dream, I saw all these books and the authors of the books and the names was like Mac Hamon, Mac, Arthur, Macintosh, and they all had Mac in front of the first name as the first prefix of the name. So I looked it up. And Mac actually means son of and so on the stream the glory of God came in to the room and people are on there. Face seeking the Lord, the presence of the glory of God was there. And it was speaking of the sons of glory, and how God wants us to come into that place of being true sons of His glory that reveal His glory, when the sons of God are manifest, all creation groans for that. So we want to see that happen. We want to pursue the Lord for His glory, because he is the King of Glory, was saying the book of Psalms it says, open up your gates to the King of glory that He may come in. And so we want to open up the gates of our heart, we want to open up the doors of our hearts of the King of Glory can come inside of us, and that we would be sons of glory as well, you know, so God wants to establish His glory in the earth, as the waters cover the seeds and as prophesied in Isaiah, at the glory of the Lord will fill the earth as the waters, the knowledge of the glory will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea is the glory of God through us, because it’s Christ in us, which is the hope of glory, you know, so we want to see that happen.
Amen. Amen. Well, hi, I want to say hi, Pastor Bishop. Hi, Paula. Hi, guys. Hi, everybody. Hi, Dan, in Tennessee, in Charleston. And anyway, we love you guys. We’re excited with this. But just as John was talking about the sons of revival, I actually was sharing with him earlier that I’ve really felt like the Lord was encouraging me to just make August a month focused on a month of revival and just spending my time spending my energy just focused simply unrevised, and the Lord was speaking the same thing to me. Yeah. And so it was a really good confirmations. But I want to just take a minute and kind of help us all get the right terms. So revival means reviving something that’s dead. So in our case, we’re believing for revival of the church, the Body of Christ being revived, then you have awakening awakening is to the world, the world has not yet been awakened. And then you have reformation or reforming institution. So the Bible is clear that you’re called to make disciples of nations nations are comprised of people and institutions. Okay? So our goal is that the people of God would be so revived, that they then are able to awaken the world, which then reforms institutions, right? So just so that way, you kind of understand what he’s talking about revival. That’s what we’re after we’re after really reviving the body of Christ, then to do the other things.
And maybe you’re in a valley of dead mountains, and you say, how can these bones live? Well, thankfully, we have the example in the ZICO. Yes, the same question. And the Lord raised up and he saw the dead bones live and flesh was put upon them. So the glory of God is able to do this. There’s nothing that we can do with our programs. It’s nothing we can do with all the mechanics of religion, and all this kind of stuff. But the glory of God in itself has the power to resurrect anything. And even for us being in Oklahoma, there has been such amazing things done here. movements of the past, that God really wants to restore, and bring back the annoying things that used to be here. And such a strong and powerful way movements have been birthed here in Oklahoma. So we’re excited about that. And so we believe that the glory of God is going to come in such a way. And it reminds me of a dream that I had years ago where I was in a vehicle. And all of a sudden, the golden glory of God just came into the vehicle. I said, my goodness, this is amazing. It was so thick. I mean, it was the atmosphere was literally golden glory. And it was like water. And I looked at the person who’s in the driver’s seat, so you must have gone through hell to get this. And he affirmed that he did have to go through hell to get it. But the golden glory of God has a price, you know, so we have to be willing to pay that price and build what God wants to build. And so that brings us kind of to the next. So again, Nehemiah and Ezra were originally one book in the Bible, but so when you get over to Nehemiah really rebuilding the walls, there is an element where they’re constantly in fear, or, if you will, of being attacked, there’s this constant battle going on around them. And so you get to a point where actually Nehemiah has it so that in one hand you have a cloud to work and in the other hand, you have a weapon to fight Yeah. And just going back to what John was saying. It’s so important that we realize the devil is not going to just roll over and say Congratulations, you made it through the Coronavirus everything that you ever wanted and dreamed of in the promise of God here you go. I mean, you’re gonna have to fight you’re gonna have to battle there is a spiritual warfare now spiritual warfare is not scary. Spiritual Warfare does not mean the you know, the demons are after you and you need to hide under the blankets or anything. It simply means that you realize your war is not with flesh and blood your war is in the spirit, the same story Are there ways Jesus Christ from the dead is in you. And in that place and out of that place, really, you then fight a spiritual battle.
We have to have hunger and pursue, you know, keeping our eyes on Jesus, keeping our eyes on the Lord and focus on what he’s calling us to focus on, that Jesus said, Seek first, the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you. Everything he’s called us to do. Everything he has planned for us is fulfilled. As we keep our focus upon him. It’s not focusing on the darkness. Now, when it comes, you just whack it and move on to the next place. Well, we don’t focus on that we focus on the Lord in His presence in his glory, spend time, in His glory, get saturated in the presence of God be filled to the overflow with his presence, spending time with him, there’s nothing more powerful than God himself dwelling inside of you. And that’s why it’s Christ in us, which is the hope of glory. Jesus said, If you abide to Me, and My words abide in you, then you shall ask him anything in my name is shall be done for you said, where two or more agree of asking anything in my name that shall be done for you by My Father in heaven. So there’s that power and agreement. And the Lord has been speaking to me about that in the last week, is how important it is for us to come together. And really be specific, really be focused and agree on certain things that we know that God wants, and everything that pertains to the plans that He has for us. And we come to agreement and we say, Lord, we agree, we touch and agree and believe for this right now. In the name of Jesus. And even last night, our kid, you know, he stumbled, and he fell, and he hurt his ankle. And we immediately came together, and we agreed that his foot and his ankle, everything is okay. And he was fine. And so there’s power in agreement, you know, so when we come together in unity, that’s where the most power is, is when we’re unified. The Bible said even concerning the evil that was happening with the Tower of Babel, and these peoples that were coming together, because they were so unified, nothing be impossible for them. So how much more in the Holy Spirit? When we’re unified in the presence of God? How much more is anything possible for us, right?
And so it Scripture is clear that one can put 1000 to flight and two can put 10,000 to flight. But so with that, going back to what we mentioned earlier, when they’re building the temple, and you’ve got the surrounding people coming, saying, you know, let us build with you. And the motivation behind that is not right, and the motivation is wrong. Really quick shout out to Sherry, hello, welcome. And hello, everybody, watch you guys. We’re doing our best to be to be able to watch the screen and everything. At the same time, people are getting dreams, Revelation, all that which is great. But, you know, it’s again, just to hit back on that point, I believe that so many of us are in a place of transition right now, again, it’s important that you are connecting and relating to the people God has for you. You know, even in my own scenario, I recently was talking to a friend and a mentor and, and she mentioned a comment. And she said, you know, there were seasons that certain people helped you get to where you are, and there are different people that will help you in the next season. And it’s not that those people in the past are bad people. It’s not that they didn’t love me, it’s not that I don’t love them. It’s just for for that time. That’s the purpose. And there’s different people in this time. And so again, it’s just so important that we realize, hey, who am I with? Who am I really walking with whom I really building with it this time?
That’s right, and understand that the time that you have is valuable, the time that God has given you as a valuable, so you need to invest it well. Don’t waste it on people who will just leech it right out of you, and waste your time. Because time is a gift from God. And you need to steward that time. Very well, you know, and so choose people who will encourage, choose people who have like vision like heart like mine, and want to go for the glory of God, those who will encourage you and lift you up to another place. Those are the people you want to surround yourself with, that you can still love others. Absolutely. But as far as your fellowship, as far as your communion, as far as your community, you want to surround yourself with people who will encourage you to pursue the heart of God.
Definitely. And so I’m not going to get into the remainder of of Nehemiah and Ezra, but so the gist is they rebuild the temple, they rebuild the ark, they rebuild the city, they rebuild the walls, and they’re desperately trying to in for all private purposes in the natural, get God to come. And you quickly find out that it’s not until 400 years later when a little baby is born, that God reappears on the scene. And that’s the coming of Jesus right? And so, you know, it’s so important that even if We’re following God, even if we’re being obedient to do those things he’s called us to do you know, for some of us, it might seem like what God’s calling us to do is a huge task and undertaking. And for some of us, it might seem easy, but it doesn’t matter kind of how you feel about it, it’s matter that it matters, that you’re faithful with it and obedient to it. But as you do those things, don’t lose hope of what is coming of the promises being fulfilled. Because, you know, even though Ezra and Nehemiah didn’t see the glory refilled the temple in their day, it still came. And I’m believing that we’re living in such a time and season of acceleration, that you are going to see with your own eyes, those promises God has for you. Don’t grow weary in well doing, don’t lose hope and lose heart for what God has. But don’t also just give up if it’s not immediate.
That’s right. And you need to fight the apathy in this season, because there’s so many things, trying to shut things down and keep you isolated, and all this kind of stuff. But you can become apathetic and say, well, what’s the point? Now you want to continue to pursue the Lord, if it’s only to be filled with His glory, hey, there are people in the miracles out there. Lots of people in the mirror, we should have the authority to rebuke COVID-19. Definitely, you should carry an atmosphere of glory around you, that when it comes in the year is destroyed. When it gets in your sphere, and we want to walk in that anointing. You know, Jesus walked in that anointing. He walked in that power, that he had authority over all these things, he had authority over all these things. And so it’s important for us that we take the authority that Jesus has given to us and not be apathetic, right? And not be apathetic, realize the authority and the power is in the name of Jesus, my son just this morning, he asked me so why is it in the name of Jesus and eight year old? Why is it in the name of Jesus? Why is it not just in the name of God, and I said to him, is because God gave him the name that is above every name, that the name of Jesus every knee must bow, every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God, the Father, every name that is named under heaven has the bow to the name of Jesus, the the name of COVID-19 bows to the name of Jesus, you have to realize your authority that you have in Him. And don’t be passive, but be active, and execute with the name of Jesus, because that name is above every night. Every has all the power and the authority and you can do it with joy, the disciples, they came back with joy with the authority that Jesus had given them over all the demons, it came back rejoicing, why? Because the power of God is so much greater than anything that’s out there. So you got to realize the authority you have in Jesus name.
Definitely. And not only that, but just to realize that you are the catalyst for someone else’s breakthrough. You know, you are the touch point of heaven on earth. For the people around you that don’t know the Lord, it’s you know, John mentioned the glory of the Lord covers the earth, like the worst I’ve ever seen. I’ve occasionally heard people say, what does it mean? Like mist comes out of the ground? I’m like, no, no. It’s the body of Christ is so full of the glory of God, that they’re everywhere and everything that they do everything that they touch, experiences that glory. That’s right, we got to realize that the glory of the Earth, the Lord is going to cover the earth, the knowledge of the glory, it’s going to be through us. Yeah, the carriers of His glory. So it’s not just going to fall out of heaven, someday, now it’s going to come through you. Because you’re a carrier, you’re the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is the spirit of glory and of God. And it’s gonna manifest through you the glory of God, and bring miracles, signs, wonders, healing, you name it, you can bring it all in the name of Jesus, because He has given you that authority.
Okay, so really quick, we just want to do a quick recap here, if we will. And if you need a prayer request, if you will, try to put it here in the next minute or two, I’m going to do my best to try to check in on those before we finish. But so make sure you’ve got the right foundation you’re building on make sure that Jesus is your foundation that you don’t lose sight of that. That’s number one. Number two, make sure that you’re building with the right people in the season that you’re connecting and relating to the people that God has for you. And the people that are passionately pursuing him, right? Then make sure that you’re not growing apathetic and bound by entertainment, that you are really spending time seeking the Lord pursuing him, getting his heartbeat and his blueprint for the next season. And then that you are being faithful and obedient to step out and do those things he’s hoping to do and then agree for revival wherever you are. whatever city you’re in, whatever nation you’re in. God wants to revive the body of Christ around the world, not only in our city, not only in our nation, but everywhere and so be really pressing it and praying into it.
Yes, and his spirit wants to revive you. Yes, spirit wants to come into you and revive you. So just just say Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit I received your don’t be afraid of the Holy Spirit you need the Holy Spirit of Jesus says, You need to receive of the spirit. Wait until you receive the Holy Spirit. So welcome the Holy Spirit a fresh way. be refreshed, be renewed, be filled with this power, say Holy Spirit. Come and fill me now. Fill me more. Jesus, send your spirit, fill my heart, overflow my heart in such a way that it floods out and touches other people. That His anointing is upon your life. We just thank You, Father, for a fresh anointing of your Holy Spirit. We thank you for the golden glory of God manifested in our lives in our hearts. And when we just thank you for more, we can always have more. I can remember back during the Toronto revival, what was that call it is the Toronto Blessing. Yeah, as a blessing. And so the spirit came in such a way that one of the cries that was common during that time was more Lord, give me more. And there’s always more on his presence. There’s always more of the spirit. Don’t ever think that you’ve just experienced all you can experience that’s No, it’s not even true. You need to receive more and more and more encounters more of his presence more of His glory. And he has more for us. It’s heaven on earth. And so he wants to feel you sir. Say Come Holy Spirit, man. Amen.