Don't Quit in Opposition

When things are going well, get ready for opposition. The enemy is ok if no progress is made. The second you start to make progress in the Lord and it starts to bring the Lord glory then get ready! The enemy does not like progress. He does not desire that your life bring Glory to God and cause others to want to follow Jesus.

As long as the people of Jerusalem were content with their sad state, the enemy left them alone; but, when the Jews began to serve the Lord and bring him glory, the enemy became active.

Opposition is evidence that the Lord is working and it is also an opportunity for us to grow.

Nehemiah 4:1 HCSB

1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious. He mocked the Jews

He became furious

Sanballet’s anger showed that he was more disturbed than he would admit.

When the enemy comes at with you with anger, we recognize it for what is. In most cases, this anger is sin and not from the Lord.

The person who is coming at you is struggling and you may not be the problem. The enemy has chosen you as the target and its really not about you.

He mocked the Jews

Nehemiah 4:2–3 HCSB

2 before his colleagues and the powerful men of Samaria, and said, “What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?” 3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “Indeed, even if a fox climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!”

Pathetic Jews

Feeble Jews or Weak Jews

This word here means withered and miserable

Some of these Jews are perfumers and some of them in their 70 and 80s. The enemy calls them out and says you feeble Jews.

The enemy laughs, jeers and mocks

Can they restore it themselves?

They have no clue what the task is they have taken on. The Samaritan army is laughing at them thinking they could build a wall that would protect them

Will they offer Sacrifices?

This question is a mocking and really is do they think they can pray the wall up. It is a mocking of their worship to God and that it will take more than prayer and worship to rebuild the city.

Will they ever finish it?

This suggest the Jews didn’t know how difficult the task was and would soon call it quits.

They are mocking the Jews in what God has called them to do.

It would be interesting to know how many in this room has had a parent, a friend, realtor or a coworker tell you at some point that you should not buy a house or move or work in Rockaway Beach.

Can they bring these burnt stones back to life?

Sanballet ridiculed the materials they were using

This is a common tactic of the enemy. The enemy constantly calls for question what God chooses to use to bring him Glory.

The enemy throws out doubt. You are not good enough, you don’t have the right abilities, you don’t have the right stuff, you don’t wear the right clothes, you were not made for this and you name it.

Tobiah joins in on the fun

When the enemy begins to attack, he does not have a problem of finding others who will join in.

When others post about the church in a negative way, it is easy to find others who will join in.

Tobiah says even if a fox climbed up what they are building he would break down their stone wall.

Haha They are laughing.

Nehemiah’s response

Nehemiah 4:4–5 HCSB

4 Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from Your sight, because they have provoked the builders.

Many wish that it would say in Nehemiah 4:4 that Nehemiah then mocked them back and for every line that Sanballet and Tobiah had Nehemiah had a better one.

Oh yeah, “Your parents named you Sanballet”

Nehemiah doesn’t do that

He prays

Notice who Nehemiah prays to. He Prays to our God. It is important when we face opposition that we stay focused on the Lord. Nehemiah is working on behalf of God’s people. He is doing what God called him to do. When he prays, he does not turn to the enemy and start calling out the enemy or praying to the enemy. Nehemiah cries out to the Lord.

1 Peter 2 says of Jesus

1 Peter 2:23 HCSB

23 when He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He was suffering, He did not threaten but entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly.

Don’t return mockery with mockery. (parenting, be the parent)

Nehemiah 4:6 HCSB

6 So we rebuilt the wall until the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had the will to keep working.

SO WE BUILT THE WALL

Sometimes attacks from the outside energize the inside to stay focus on the task at hand. The Lord will use opposition to refocus us on what he has called to do.

In my experience, attacks from the outside drew those on the inside together to keep pressing forward.

“The things people say may hurt us, but they can never harm us, unless we let them get into our system and poison us. If we spend time pondering the enemy’s words, we will give Satan a foothold from which he can launch another attack closer to home. The best thing to do is to pray and commit the whole thing to the Lord; and then get back to your work! Anything that keeps you from doing what God has called you to do will only help the enemy”

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Determined (p. 53). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

The enemy comes against them and threatens physical attacks

Nehemiah 4:7–8 HCSB

7 When Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they became furious. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion.

Be Determined Chapter Four: Workers and Warriors (Nehemiah 4)

To the north were Sanballat and the Samaritans; to the east, Tobiah and the Ammonites; to the south, Geshem and the Arabs; and to the west, the Ashdodites. Ashdod was perhaps the most important city in Philistia at that time, and the Philistines did not want to see a strong community in Jerusalem.

Their enemies are surrounding then on all sides.

These enemies might not have normally got along but they have no problem uniting for the sake of coming against the people of God. They will unite against the work of the Lord.

(We experienced this is Rockaway, People who impeached each other in government because they did not like each other were always united against the work of the Lord)

Nehemiah 4:9 HCSB

9 So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night.

We prayed and stationed a guard

Pray but also station a guard.

If an app keeps attacking you, then delete the app

If a thought keeps attacking you, battle the thought and put a guard against it.

If a friend keeps attacking, then put a guard against that friend

Tim Edwards says that teens who have 5 hours of social media and screen time are more likely to have suicidal thoughts then teens who spend 1 hours on it. The enemy may be using that to take you out. Pray and limit the time you are on there.

Doubts sets in

Nehemiah 4:10–11 HCSB

10 In Judah, it was said: The strength of the laborer fails, since there is so much rubble. We will never be able to rebuild the wall. 11 And our enemies said, “They won’t know or see anything until we’re among them and can kill them and stop the work.”

Here is where some of the doubt comes from

Nehemiah 4:12 HCSB

12 When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again, “Everywhere you turn, they attack us.”

Jews who did not want to participate in what the Lord was doing started to attack. Other versions say 10 times.

Many don’t want to engage in what the Lord is doing or taking light to darkness have lots of opinions about what we should or should not be doing.

Parents not wanting to raise their children here.

(Coming against entertainment)

Nehemiah 4:13–14 HCSB

13 So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows. 14 After I made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes.”

Fight for future generations

Nehemiah 4:15–17 HCSB

15 When our enemies heard that we knew their scheme and that God had frustrated it, every one of us returned to his own work on the wall. 16 From that day on, half of my men did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers supported all the people of Judah, 17 who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.

Building and defending the entire time

Nehemiah 4:18–20 HCSB

18 Each of the builders had his sword strapped around his waist while he was building, and the trumpeter was beside me. 19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “The work is enormous and spread out, and we are separated far from one another along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the trumpet sound, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”

Matthew 10:16–22 HCSB

16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves. 17 Because people will hand you over to sanhedrins and flog you in their synagogues, beware of them. 18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of Me, to bear witness to them and to the nations. 19 But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you should speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour, 20 because you are not speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you. 21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will even rise up against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name. But the one who endures to the end will be delivered.

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Don't Quit in Opposition

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