In 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.”
I love this verse. I want God’s hand to be good upon me. Don’t you want His hand to be good upon you? “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.”
What had the king spoken unto him? Remember? First of all, he had the king’s permission. Secondly, he had the king’s protection. Third, he had the king’s provision. From the King of kings, we have His permission, His protection and His provision. Nehemiah just simply rehearsed what the king had said unto him and how the hand of God was good upon him!
Now, what was he doing? He knew that they needed to be fortified in their faith. He knew human nature fears the new. And, whenever anybody says, “Let us rise and do anything great and noble,” there’s always a sick feeling in the pit of our stomach that maybe it cannot be done.
If God is leading, if God’s good hand is upon us, then it can be done. Nehemiah turned around for a little bit and reviewed the past, so that he could face the future. He is saying, the God of yesterday is the God of tomorrow.
You know, God has done some great things for us. Has he not?
The Scripture says, “The LORD has done great things for us; whereof we are glad” (Psalm 126:3). God has done great things! He’s the God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He’s the same great God. Nehemiah just reviewed the hand of God that had been upon them. I think of the hand of God upon us together around the world.
Why is God blessing? Does God just bless arbitrarily? Does God just bless sometimes because it’s a whim or a fancy?” No. The God who formed this universe works according to principles, and, if you want to know why the hand of God was upon Nehemiah, or why the hand of God is upon any church or ministry, you can find it from the Bible.
In Revelation 3: 7-8, there is a story of the church at Philadelphia. And, I just wonder, sometimes, why some churches do grow and why they’re blessed, and, why God sets before them an open door and others seem to have a closed door. Is it because God has favorites? I think not. I do believe He has intimates.
We read, “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things says he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens”(Revelation 3:7). Our God is the keeper of the keys. And, friend, when He opens a door, there are not enough demons in Hell to shut it. And, when He shuts the door, there are not enough angels in Heaven to kick it open.
Our Lord is the One who opens doors and He’s the One who closes doors in your personal life, in your business, in your family, in the church. He’s the One that opens, and no one can shut. He’s the One that shuts, and no one can open.
Does God do this by whim? No. Here’s why God set before that church an open door: Number one: He says, “I know your works” (Revelation 3:7). Here was a church that was activated by the Spirit of God. “I know your works.” It was a working church. You see, God is not going to bless our indolence. God is not going to bless our laziness. God only opens doors for people who want to go through them. And so, here was a church that was activated by the Spirit of God.
In Revelation 3: 8, we read, “Thou hast kept my word.” Not only were they activated by the Spirit of God; they were saturated with the Word of God. It was a church that loved the Bible. It was a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching church.
Yet, there is one more thing: “and hast not denied my name” (Revelation 3:8). They were dedicated to the Son of God.
You take a church that is activated by the Spirit of God, saturated by the Word of God, and dedicated to the Son of God, He says, “I will give to that church, that person, that family, that business-whatever it is-God says, “I will give to them an open door! And, when I open that door, no one can shut it. And, when I shut it, no one can open it.”
And, I believe that that’s the reason that Nehemiah, even in the Old Testament, had the good hand of God upon him. God doesn’t just act capriciously. God acts according to certain principles. Don’t you want God to open a door for your personal life, in your business, in your home, in your soul winning? God works and God acts according to powerful, proven principles.
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