So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor. (Nehemiah 4:16)
Nehemiah had a monumental task before him—uniting the discouraged Jews and rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem. They were in constant danger of attack from enemies within and without. They had the dangerous responsibility of simultaneously building and battling together. The story of their rebuilding effort is found in the book of Nehemiah. Through prayer, planning, and great leadership by Nehemiah, they completed the entire wall around Jerusalem in just fifty days.
Taking our focus from Nehemiah, all of the pastors at The Road Church felt this was an apt theme for our church in the new year: Build & Battle Together.
This past year has been the most difficult in my life and in the eleven-year history of our church. As we move into 2026, the Kingdom of God Revolution we are believing God for, will take a building and battling mentality. It was Theodore Roosevelt who understood the battle when he said, “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood.” I think many of us feel like this is an apt description of this past year.
But we also believe God is rebuilding our spiritual walls. We trust God is going to do a new thing in our midst. Isaiah wrote,
“Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
(Isaiah 43:18-19)
Maybe this has been a tough year for you too. But let us join together in faith and believe God for His mighty outpouring upon our lives. Let’s build and battle together. Join us as step out by faith into the adventure God has for us in 2026.
- I will begin a new sermon series “The Power & Gifts of the Holy Spirit” this Sunday, January 4.
- Join us for Mark Dos Santos from Brazil in our first ever Healing and Impartation Seminar, January 9-10.
- Join us for ten days of prayer at 7am in the Chapel January, 12-21.
Building & Battling with you,
Pastor Steve
