IN-FIGHTING

Day: Day 11
Date: January 18, 2024

In Nehemiah chapter 5, the people listened to Nehemiah and protected themselves by being alert to their surroundings. Each person always had a weapon close at hand.

That is what is necessary in our lives as well. We should ask God to guide us and keep us alert to our surroundings—to the good we can accomplish and to the schemes of the enemy.

Being vigilant will help us live confidently.

Whenever God has a plan, satan has another plan that could cause confusion and destruction of the final product for what God is dreaming.

So what does the enemy do when the people of God rise and start to build?

If he can’t take the leader out of standing firm, he goes after the people on board.

And then, the IN-FIGHTING begins.

When unity is lost, the blessing is affected.

Nehemiah 5:1-2 NKJV

1 And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren.
2 For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”

What was the accuser saying to get them on board with him? He whispered that there was not enough provision for the vision.

How many times have you agreed to do something that God wanted you to do and then it LOOKED like He was not taking well enough care of you through the process?

This is exactly how the enemy comes with circumstances that scream that you made the wrong decision and that it is adversely affecting your family.

That is one of his favorite lies. Sadly, it often works. When you open your mouth in agreement with the enemy, you are empowering him and the situation to grow in your mind. Your mind is where battle continues.

If you don’t stop agreeing with the enemy, you will end up being angry at everyone, including God.

I know we think we won’t get mad at God. However, with all the counseling I have done, I find so often that the people of God get angry at Him.

Until someone who loves you and loves God speaks into the situation, you can go around that mountain of anger for a long time.

The good news is there is a remedy!

Just like the children of Israel had to put guards around the walls, we need to put guards around our minds and our mouths!

When the enemy comes, you need to be ready to discern that it is the ENEMY lying again. Then, you need to speak to the situation.

The children of Israel knew that El Shaddai (one of the names of God that means “More Than Enough”) was on their side, and we also know it. No matter what we face, we know our God is more than able and that He is our Provider (Jehovah-Jireh, another name of our God), because He loves us. Oh how He loves to give us more than we ask for.

So we arise and stop the enemy in his tracks! We proclaim out of our mouths that God has already made a covenant provision for us, and that we are partnering with Him no matter what it looks or feels like. We know that if He has to send manna down from Heaven like He previously did for the children of Israel, He will provide. So, I take down the lies of the enemy and re-enforce my trust in God.

The sooner you act, the sooner you will be relieved of the accusations against your God.

Satan doesn’t stop there though. The Bible is written so we can understand the devil’s tactics and overcome them, so as we read on, just know that God has a remedy.

Nehemiah 5:3 NKJV

There were also some who said, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine.”

Now, this group’s response was worse. They were saying they had given to the point where it COST them and they could never turn it around again.

This is another favorite of the enemy. He wants to convince the people of God that God is a withholder, and that what we do to build the Kingdom of God is going to cost us and our family. He wants to convince us that we are going to DIE because we follow God.

I hope you see how much the enemy got them to buy into his lies. It is easy to see that people are lacking faith when we read it in the Word, but it is not as easy to see when we are lacking faith in our own lives.

Nehemiah 5:4-5 NKJV

4 There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards.
5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children, and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards.”

The rich and powerful were oppressing the poor by making them mortgage their property. Because of high taxation many had to give over their land to the wealthy and then borrow money at high-interest rates.

What was satan doing? He was causing greed to rise so that he could use it to take the people back into slavery.

God had already moved for the children of Israel to release the captives. But now, their brethren were trying to make them give their children as slaves. Satan was resurrecting captivity amongst the people.

Satan will come up with ways to put us back into captivity even after we have been made free.

I want you to notice who was causing the trouble. It was those who were made wealthy in exile.

Then, satan brought lies to make them think they were better off in captivity.

We must know that God has given wisdom to the sold-out ones who refuse to move off RE-ESTABLISHING what God wants to do.

Just remember that God is moving amongst us and it is a season where we need to allow Him to give us the answers for how we are going to RE-ESTABLISH His Church. HE is counting on HIS people.

We MUST be aware of satan’s tactics and overcome the temptation to complain, quit, and agree with the enemy.

The people needed wisdom from Nehemiah, the cupbearer. Nehemiah was God’s choice because of his deep intercession and desire to right the wrongs done to God’s people and His habitation.

We will look at this tomorrow.

Today I want you to go before God and see if any of these lies are hidden in your heart.

1.There is not enough provision for the vision.

God has a way of remedying lack, but we must look back to His promises, stand firm upon His Word, and speak the truth to eradicate the lie.

2.It costs us and we can never turn it around again.

Serving God is a privilege. I am not saying there is no cost to following Him. What I will say is that whatever you give to God, He will give you
more than you can imagine by the covenant promises we have with Him.

He has already made a way to rescue our children. And we can stand upon the word and proclaim “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”

He will provide for our needs according to HIS riches in glory.

He has already provided for us! We just have to kick out doubt and enter into the truth of this in our lives.

He is our Provider.

Have you allowed greed to rise up in your heart? Have you allowed the enemy to use you to take advantage of situations to help yourself more than
those who are in need?

This is where we need to handle things God’s way, repentance. When we are quick to repent, his love has full access to flow again through our lives.

PRAYER

Dear God,

Wow, I am so sorry if I have allowed any of these things to overcome my mind or my heart.

I know that You are for me and not against me. I am sorry for hurting Your heart and falling for satan’s lies.

I will not take advantage of others for my own gain.

Please forgive me, Lord, and strengthen my faith. Heal my heart and set me back in right standing with You.

You said that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me of my sins and cleanse me of unrighteousness, and that is what I am asking for now.

I thank You, Jesus, for hearing and answering my prayers.

Make me a vessel of honor for Your name, today and for the rest of my life.

Amen.

WORSHIP/VIDEOS

For Me and My House – Here Be Lions

You Are For Me – Kari Jobe