|
Nehemiah
4
One of the most effective weapons Satan
uses to halt our progress and to hinder the
work of the Lord is discouragement.
Discouragement leads to apathy,
“what’s-the-use” attitudes. It doesn’t
matter what we are pursuing, we are subject
to be discouraged if we take our eyes off
our goal and purpose.
Nehemiah was heading up the rebuilding
of Jerusalem after its destruction during
Israel’s 70 years of exile. The walls had
been destroyed, the gates burned and the
city lay in ruins. When King Artexerxes
gave the Jews permission to return and
repair the temple of their God and secure
the city, their spirits must have soared
with thanksgiving. They were even given
letters to the local governors to supply
whatever was needed to complete the job.
This elation was a backdrop for an
attempt by Satan to spread discouragement
and attempt to stop the work. As the work
progressed, he found willing subjects to do
his dirty work. Threats, mockery and
negative comments were shouted daily at the
workers as they repaired the wall around the
city. Like the proverbial water drip that
eventually created a hole in a rock, they
hoped to spread discouragement so the work
would completely cease.
When things are going well, we might
have a tendency to become complacent and
think, “This is the way it will always be.”
That illusion is a dream-killer and can be
fatal! If we begin to think we are
invincible, beware! Satan may wage an attack
that can
undermine our confidence. You see, our
strength never lies within our ability
alone, never! We are vulnerable when we
feel we are sufficient unto ourselves.
Quoting scripture such as “I can do all
things…” will be our downfall, unless we
complete the verse with “…through Christ
which strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
Long before Paul wrote to the Ephesians
to “Put on the whole armor of God....Above
all, taking the shield of faith…to quench
all the fiery darts,” Nehemiah knew that
principal worked. He literally armed the
workers, and they worked with one hand while
wielding their weapons with the other.
Faith in God’s strength was their shield as
they held their weapons while they worked.
Their weapons alone would still have left
them defenseless without God’s intervention
in answer to their “watchful” prayers and
faith.
“Nevertheless we made our prayer
unto our God, and set a watch against them
day and night, because of them” (Nehemiah
4:9)
His formula worked: Pray and watch.
Remember, this is what Jesus told His
disciples when He left them waiting as He
went further in the Garden of Gethsemane to
pray before His crucifixion. The workers on
the wall didn’t even come down to change
their clothes except to launder them. They
were constantly on guard and watched for
each other—and prayed.
When we “work with God,” He supplies
the tools and the means to do the job. The
workers on the wall were told: “…Our God
will fight for us” (Nehemiah 4:20). If we
really want success, it is found in that
mindset.
|
“…And
they said, Let us rise up and
build. So they strengthened
their hands for this good work”
(Nehemiah 2:18).
“So built
we the wall; and all the wall
was joined together unto the
half thereof: for the people
had a mind to work”
(Nehemiah
4:6). |
|
Having “a mind to work” comes with
submission to the work God has called us
to. It doesn’t matter what the job is, if
God called us to it, we can do it—through
Christ who gives us strength and ability.
The moment we begin to feel like “we” did
it, we are in serious danger of failing.
Alone we are no match for the devil and his
tactics, but with God’s strength and
backing: We can build the wall,
anywhere, anytime, anyhow!
“…Not by might, nor by power, but by my
spirit, saith the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah
4:6).
~~Delores~~ |
