Last time, we went through three chapters worth of attacks on Nehemiah and his efforts to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. This week, I want to take a deeper dive into the responses Nehemiah modeled for us in these situations.
The first few attacks, as you recall, were of an insulting, verbal nature. Guess what? We'll never shut our detractors up. They fall into the range of things we can't control. They are building their own judgment against themselves, as Pro 19:29 Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and beating for the backs of fools. Nehemiah's one response to them was prayer. It was a prayer that God would hear what they are saying, that they would receive the judgment they are building. What we have to remember, though, is that Jesus taught us to pray a different way-
Mat 5:43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
Mat 5:44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Mat 5:45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
The next attack made was the threat of violence, coupled with the difficulty of the work. Again, Nehemiah prayed (4:9), but added to it actions:
-He gathered them into families (clans), and armed them (4:13).
-He encouraged the leaders in the Lord and the Necessity of the work (4:14)
-He developed a plan for sharing the work (vv15-18).
So let's look at these in application to our battles. Do you have a group of prayer warriors to help you? Family who will be there? Don't allow yourself to be overwhelmed alone. As a Martin and a man, this is the area I struggle the most in here.
Remind yourself of when God has been there for you. I have a verse I always go to...
1Sa 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, "Till now the LORD has helped us."
And I imagine the row of stone markers behind me, for every time He has been there for me, and I think about putting the next stone up every time He helps again. Then, you think about WHY God gave you faith and WHO you are responsible for passing it on to. Remember that the battle is high stakes, heaven and hell, and a loss is for eternity.
Finally, a plan. If you know a temptation is coming, what do you do? Wait for it to swamp you? God has promised...
1Co 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
But, you need a plan to avoid those temptations, a plan to seize upon those escape hatches. As the next verse says...
1Co 10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
If you are in a place where a tsunami threatens, you don't wait till the water is chest high to run; you need to go when the alarm sounds. Again, this is my struggle. Not that I don't have a plan, but I have trained myself to ignore it. This where I need to loop back- get some help, get some Scripture, and remember the stakes. Now, THAT sounds like a plan!
One more thing during this attack- there's no room for letting down...
Neh 4:21 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.
Neh 4:22 I also said to the people at that time, "Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day."
Neh 4:23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.
24/7/365 is a grind and God knows it. He also has a plan for it...
Isa 40:28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
Isa 40:29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Isa 40:30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;
Isa 40:31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
This is not a passive phrase- the root is 'to bind together'. You have to entwine yourself with God on an intimate basis. Moving on...
The next problem Nehemiah had to face was internal- the usurers- in our look last week, those who wanted to do things as 'the rest of the world does'. Does our weakness merge into 'what the rest of the world does'? It's not an excuse that will fly with God:
Neh 5:7 I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, "You are exacting interest, each from his brother." And I held a great assembly against them
Neh 5:8 and said to them, "We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!" They were silent and could not find a word to say.
Again, Nehemiah gave them a plan here.
- He set them a positive example (5:10)
-He demanded breaking the ties (5:11-12)
-He gave it to God to judge (5:13)
Seek out people who DON'T do things the way of the world. ISOLATE what is evil and cut the ties. GO to God and have Him examine you. I don't know about you, but I am learning even as I type, Praise God! I wish I could duct-tape a copy of this to my face right now.
At this point, Nehemiah had the wall built, but the story wasn't over. But I feel this post is; and we will pick up the rest of Nehemiah's response next time, God willing.
