Strengthening Our Hands

Nehemiah 2:18 “Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.”

Before the people could accomplish the work that God had for them to do, they had to prepare themselves first. They strengthened their hands BEFORE the work began.

1. Our Hands Must Be Available.

God cannot use someone who does not want to be used. Many say they want to be used of God, but they have done nothing to prepare themselves to be used.

2. We Must Strengthen Our Hands.

Strength comes from resistance. A body-builder lifts weights in order to strengthen his muscles. The more we use our hands for God’s glory, the greater weight we can handle and carry for Him later.

3. No One Can Strengthen Our Hands For Us.

What I mean by this is no one else can strengthen your hands but you. Your pastor cannot strengthen your hands. Your parents cannot strengthen your hands. Your spouse cannot strengthen your hands. If you are going be strong in the LORD, it is a decision that you must make for yourself.

4. Lay the Bricks You’ve Been Given.

Nehemiah put different people working on different places of the wall. Not everyone did the same thing, but they were working toward the same goal.

• Some were brick MAKERS – somebody had to make the bricks before they could be put on the wall.
• Some were brick TAKERS – somebody was assigned the task of carrying the bricks from the makers, to the masons up on the wall.
• Some were brick LAYERS – somebody had to be in charge of laying the bricks that had been brought to them.
• None were brick THROWERS!

The point is…everyone had a job to do and each job was important to the overall plan. God has a place for you; it might be making, taking, or laying the bricks. He might have you up on the wall, or down near the oven. Your place might be on the front of the wall, or in the back where nobody sees you.

It really doesn’t matter what you have been given to do or where you have been assigned to do it. The main thing is that you faithfully lay the brick you’ve been given because your brick is just as important to the wall and every other brick!

“But I haven’t been given a job to do, yet. I don’t have a brick to lay,” you say? That’s ok. Do what the people in Nehemiah’s day did. They strengthened their hands so they would be ready when they got their brick.