In this message from Nehemiah 6, Pastor Ortiz draws a powerful lesson about finishing the spiritual work that God begins in our lives. Using Nehemiah’s perseverance in rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls despite opposition, he challenges believers to stay faithful, overcome distractions, and finish strong rather than quitting halfway.

1. From Change to Faithfulness to Finishing

The sermon begins with a reflection on the Christian life as a journey of growth. Pastor Ortiz notes that many believers understand what changes they need to make but fail to apply them consistently. Spiritual growth, he says, requires not just knowing but doing—and remaining faithful until the end.

Faithfulness is a rare virtue today: “If we had Christians who were just faithful,” he says, “it would change everything.” Like fluctuating church attendance, many believers start with zeal but fade with time. The goal is not simply to start well but to finish what God has begun.

2. The Example of Nehemiah

Nehemiah’s story models perseverance.

In Nehemiah 1, he hears of Jerusalem’s ruin and feels deep sorrow and burden. He weeps, fasts, and prays for God’s guidance instead of ignoring what God placed on his heart. Pastor Ortiz highlights that many believers feel conviction or calling but never act on it—they feel burdened, then do nothing.

Nehemiah, though a captive serving as the king’s cupbearer, didn’t let his position or circumstances sour his attitude. His consistent spirit made him trustworthy before both God and man. Pastor Ortiz illustrates this with his own life experiences—times when his attitude determined his opportunities. “Your attitude determines your altitude,” he reminds the congregation.

When God burdened Nehemiah to rebuild the wall, the king miraculously supported him with resources and authority. Nehemiah then organized families to build different sections of the wall, each taking responsibility. Progress followed—until opposition arose.

3. The Reality of Opposition

As the wall grew higher, enemies like Sanballat and Tobiah mocked, threatened, and conspired to halt the work. Pastor Ortiz compares this to life: whenever believers begin to make spiritual progress, resistance always comes—whether through people, discouragement, or distraction.

But instead of quitting, Nehemiah’s response was simple: “So we built the wall.” He prayed, armed his workers, and pressed on.

4. Why Many Christians Never Finish

From Nehemiah 6, Pastor Ortiz identifies three reasons believers fail to finish the work God calls them to:

a. Distraction (vv. 1–4)

Nehemiah’s enemies tried to lure him into leaving the work: “Come, let us meet together.” But he refused, declaring,

“I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.”

Distraction often comes disguised as something “good” — an opportunity, entertainment, comfort, or busyness. Whether it’s oversleeping, endless shows, or misplaced priorities, distractions steal focus from God’s work. “You don’t stop the work to get people involved,” he says, “you keep working and let them catch up.”

b. Discouragement (v. 9)

Opposition wears us down over time. What once excited us—marriage, ministry, or spiritual service—can lose its spark when difficulties persist. But hardship doesn’t mean failure; it’s part of the journey.

Discouragement, he explains, is not a reason to quit but an opportunity to deepen dependence on God. He cites Galatians 6:9:

“Be not weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Believers must recall why they began—to meet with God, to serve Him, to be faithful, not merely to attend.

c. Deception (vv. 10–13)

Nehemiah’s enemies even hired a false prophet to trick him into disobeying God by entering the temple unlawfully. It sounded like good advice—self-preservation—but it violated God’s command. Nehemiah discerned the deception and refused:

“Should such a man as I flee?… I will not go in.”

Pastor Ortiz warns that Christians today are deceived when they justify compromise—excusing sin, blending worldly habits with faith, or tailoring God’s Word to their convenience. “Your situation doesn’t change what’s right or wrong,” he emphasizes. Satan’s greatest tool is deception, convincing believers that partial obedience is acceptable.

5. Four Declarations of a Finisher

To overcome distraction, discouragement, and deception, Pastor Ortiz offers four declarations drawn from Nehemiah’s example:

1. “I am doing a great work.”
   • Recognize that serving God—whether as a parent, worker, or church member—is a high calling. Keep your focus on eternal things (Matthew 6:33, Colossians 3:2).
   • “What you love, you follow,” he says. A believer’s greatest affection must be the Lord.
2. “O God, strengthen my hands.” (v. 9)
   • A finisher depends on God’s strength, not self-sufficiency.
   • Even when weakened or slowed by obstacles, God’s grace remains sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).
   • “We need a healthy dependence on God,” he insists—acknowledging weakness and asking for divine help.
3. “I will not go in.” (v. 11)
   • Develop conviction. Set your standards before temptation comes.
   • Conviction protects from compromise. “Everyone’s stubborn about something,” Pastor Ortiz says, “so be stubborn about truth.”
   • Believe in the Bible, prayer, and the church—and refuse to forsake them no matter the pressure.
4. “To God be the glory.” (v. 16)
   • When the wall was finished, Nehemiah’s enemies recognized it was God’s work.
   • The end goal of finishing well is not personal success but God’s glory.
   • Many believers forget to thank God for sustaining them through “fiery furnaces” or “Red Sea” moments. Praise completes the work.

6. The Call to Finish

Just as Jesus declared in John 17:4, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do,” Christians are called to complete their God-given assignments.

Pastor Ortiz closes by urging self-examination:

• Have you stopped short in your faith?
• Are you distracted, discouraged, or deceived?
• Will you let God strengthen your hands to finish what He started in you?
  

The message ends with an invitation: to recommit, to return, and to resolve—“Let’s finish what God has started in our hearts.”