Working “IN” and “THROUGH” Us
March 1, 2026 – Pastor Ben Johnson
Series Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to see what You are doing. Break through every distraction, comfort, and complacency that keeps me from stepping forward in obedience. Stir my faith to move beyond good intentions into bold action. Give me clear vision and a deep burden for spiritual growth, renewal, and revival. Fill me with boldness as I step into everything You are calling me to - in my church, my community, and beyond. I surrender completely to Your will, Your way, for Your glory. Amen.
Isaiah 43:19 (NLT) – For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
As God builds something THROUGH us, He’s RENEWING something IN us.
DIGGING DEEPER:
1. GUARD the mission.
Nehemiah 6:1-3 (NLT) – Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies found out that I had finished rebuilding the wall and that no gaps remained—though we had not yet set up the doors in the gates. So Sanballat and Geshem sent a message asking me to meet them at one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But I realized they were plotting to harm me, so I replied by sending this message to them: “I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?”
Distractions are DESTRUCTIVE.
2. Finish WELL.
Nehemiah 6:15-16 (NLT) – So on October 2 the wall was finished, just fifty-two days after we had begun. When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God.
FAVOR follows FAITHFULNESS.
3. Rember, the REAL work wasn’t the WALL.
Nehemiah 8:10a (NLT) – And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
God cares more about WHO we become than WHAT we BUILD.
4. Success is SUSTAINED when it’s God-glorifying and puts WE over ME.
Nehemiah 12:43 (NLT) – Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given the people cause for great joy. The women and children also participated in the celebration, and the joy of the people of Jerusalem could be heard far away.
Worship REALIGNS our FOCUS.
God STIRS. We STEP. Opposition RISES. Faithfulness WINS.
Life Group Discussion & Questions
BREAKING THE ICE: If you’re honest, what distraction most often steals your attention or drains your spiritual focus? Go around the group and let everyone share one.
DIGGING IN: God is working in us, through us, and for us. Don’t rush past what He’s stirring. Lean into these questions and allow them to deepen your walk with Him and your connection with each other.
1. How is God trying to shape who you are right now, not just what He can accomplish through you? Where is He working on your heart?
2. What would finishing well look like for you? Are you needing renewed faithfulness to finish? What helps you stay steady when opposition and fatigue rise?
3. What would it look like for your success to be more God-glorifying and “we over me”?
4. How can worship realign your focus this week?
BRINGING IT HOME: This week, refuse to be distracted from what matters most. Let Him shape your character more than your accomplishments. And when success comes, turn it into worship. God is working, stay faithful and let him a accomplish what time can’t destroy.