Watching & Working
By Senior Pastor Dr. Bill Rains | February 8, 2026
Father, thank You for this host in winter, for visitors, baptisms, and blessings. Heal the sick, fix broken pipes, provide vehicles. Help the unsaved come to Christ today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
On February 8, 2026, Pastor Bill Rains continues the 2026 theme “The Need For Nehemiahs” with a powerful message titled “Watching & Working” from Nehemiah 4:7–23. The wall is rising—breaches closing—but enemies escalate from grief to wrath, conspiring to attack. Workers are exhausted, rubbish overwhelming. Warnings come from ten directions. Nehemiah responds: prayer, watchmen day and night, half the people armed, half working—one hand on tools, one on weapons. “Our God shall fight for us.” They labor from dawn to stars, never removing clothes except to wash. We too must watch, work, and trust God to fight—rebuilding lives ruined by sin.
1. Continuing Opposition to the Work
Sanballat, Tobiah, Arabians, Ammonites, Ashdodites heard the wall was rising and breaches closing—they were “wroth” and conspired to fight and hinder. Pastor Rains: “When the sun rises on God’s work, the devil’s cloud of darkness rises too.” Opposition escalates—grief turns to wrath. They mock, plan surprise attacks, exploit exhaustion. The devil attacks mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically—through the world, flesh, and himself (James 3:15). “Satan doesn’t let up—he steps up.” When work advances, enemies rage harder. “You’ll feel him coming up.”
2. Overcomers in the Work
They prayed: “Hear, O God, for we are despised… turn their reproach upon their own head.” Then they acted—set watchmen day and night, armed half the people (swords, spears, bows, shields), positioned families, kept a trumpeter ready. “In what place ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us—our God shall fight for us.” They stayed together, worked from morning till stars appeared, never removed clothes except to wash. Pastor Rains: “Do more than pray—put legs on your prayers.” Watch, listen to warnings, arm for battle (Ephesians 6:10–18). “Greater is He that is in you…” They overcame by prayer, vigilance, unity, and action.
3. Omnipotence at Work with the People of God
Enemies heard the plan was known—God brought their counsel to nothing. They returned to work. Pastor Rains: “Our God shall fight for us.” When we stand together, God fights. “I’ve seen God fight for me so many times when the devil thought he had me beat.” God never leaves or forsakes. “If you stand up for God, He’ll stand up for you.” The wall rises because God fights for willing workers. “You’re never alone—God is with you.”
Watch & work.
Enemies rage—but God fights.
Stay together, arm yourselves, labor on.
Our God shall fight for us.
Will you watch & work?
Pastor Rains closes: “God’s looking for men, women, teens, boys and girls who’ll stand up for God.” In a world of broken walls, God needs watchers and workers. Do you have a mind to work?
