LET US ANSWER THE OPPOSITION

Day: Day 9
Date: January 16, 2024

What comes after arising and building? The enemy gets mad and he brings opposition!

Nehemiah 4:1 NKJV

But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.

He was jealous, angry and provoked and he began to speak against the work.

Nehemiah 4:2-3 NKJV

2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish — stones that are burned?"
3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Whatever they build if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall."

What are the enemy’s accusations?

He called the people of God feeble. It means they are weak!
He asked, “Will they fortify themselves?” It means they won’t commit!
He mocked, “Will they offer sacrifices and complete it in a day?” He is cursing them with failure to complete the work!
He disparaged, “Will they revive the stone from the heaps of rubbish?” He is saying they cannot bring things back into order, it’s too far gone!
He discouraged, “Will they revive the stones that are burned?” He is saying fire has destroyed them!

But Sanballat didn’t understand what the Jewish race knew. They had their God to call upon!

Nehemiah answered the opposition—not to Sanballat and company, but to God!

Nehemiah 4:4 NKJV

Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity.

We need to understand a few things right here.

When we begin to RE-ESTABLISH what God desires, satan will come to tell us we are weak and unable to be committed to the task. He’ll tell us that we
will fail because it has already been completely destroyed!

When satan comes, we need to fight vertically not horizontally.
That means talking to God, not to your neighbor.

When you are doing what God has assigned you to do, of course, the enemy will try to stop you.

When you go to God, He will hear you and He will encourage you in the work, because you stay in alignment with the way He does things.

Of course, our God will enable us to continue!

When Nehemiah talked to God a miracle occurred!

Nehemiah 4:6 NKJV

So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

The people built the wall up because God had been called upon and He had reinforced them with a mind to work!

So, let’s get real here. Let’s do a real-case scenario.

How often in your life have you tried to press forward in something that you know God wanted you to do?

Maybe you have taken the time to pray for it.

Maybe you have envisioned it being done because you are seeing through spiritual eyes.

Maybe you have seen what needed to change in your own life, and you believe you have made much progress.

And yet, about the time you get halfway, the enemy comes with his accusations to discourage you.

We have to recognize that the enemy will always come.

We also have to recognize that when we go to God for help, He is always near to answer our cries and reassure our hearts.

Or is He?

Sometimes it does not feel as though He is. Sometimes you feel alone. Sometimes you WANT to give up.

We are all HUMAN and God knows that too!

We all have those days! What we can’t do is let it become weeks, months, and even years of distancing ourselves from what God has called us to accomplish with His help!

He who has called you is faithful.

We must stay aware of the enemy’s tactics, and we must determine that no matter how we feel, our feelings don’t get to cast a vote for us to stop or to quit.

Now, more than ever, I hear the cries of the lost and the confused. These are the cries of the ones who not only feel forgotten but are actually forgotten—except by God, their Father who sees their walls broken down.

He has the remedy: Us, His people, walking in His love and releasing it.

We must be looking for those who are waiting for someone who knows God to help them find what they have been looking for all their lives.

Jesus is their answer. He is our answer also.

Where would we be without intervention from people who have told us the truth?

These are the people who have led us past our pain and brought us to the One who could heal every hurt.

Where would we be if there was no Church body praying, caring, and loving us into a better relationship with the God of the universe? The One who loves us when we are doing well, and when we are discouraged.

We are fortunate to be around others who know and love Him.

Now we have to be the ones who others can count on.

When the enemy comes, you must combat his lies with the truth.

The truth will rescue you and you will become the answer for many others.

Despite the opposition, we must continue for our God is a great and mighty God!

PRAYER

God,

When the enemy comes, let me recognize it is him right away. I am asking for discernment. I desire to respond rightly. I thank You for Your Word and that You are faithful to it. I thank You that truth will always win against the lies of the enemy. I thank You that You have called me worthy to be a part of Your family when I feel weak and undone.

I want to see the bigger picture—the picture You have painted for my life to be productive and to help impact other people with Your love.

I want to help RE-STRUCTURE the walls of Your people, ALL of Your people. Give me the mind to work. I want to accomplish Your will right here and right now!

Help me, Lord. I declare You are my Lord, my Savior, my defense, and my reason for pushing forward. All I do, I want to do it wholeheartedly unto You.

Thank You for bringing partners for Your work to be completed.

In Jesus’ name, I pray,

AMEN.

WORSHIP/VIDEO

Shout Unto God – John Wilds, Hannah McClure