NEHEMIAH 3:15-5:13
1 CORINTHIANS 7:25-40
PSALM 32:1-11
PROVERBS 21:5-7
Nehemiah 4:1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”
Just as there was opposition to the walls of Jerusalem being rebuilt so too, we should expect opposition to the walls of the church being rebuilt. From opposition to individual congregations who are actively working to build the church by fulfilling the great commission to opposition of individual believers who are working to build the church by building their relationship with Jesus and Christ. We should be ready for it.
Nehemiah 4:14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
But we don't have anything to fear because there is no opposition that can stand against a body of Christ working together. But the attack is not always as obvious as we might expect. The attack can be external from worldly sources, but it can be internal from spiritual forces as well. Think about the times that you are focusing on your relationship with Christ. How often do you think I have too much to do to spend time reading my bible right now I will do it later, only to never do it at all. Or maybe you are struggling with something and you know that you need to be in church but the fear of what someone might think or say convinces you not to go. That is what the enemy will use to attack you. We cannot let fear keep us from building out temple out of gold, silver and precious stones so that we can properly build the walls of the church.
“Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
Do not let the fear of worldly forces keep you and your family from growing in Christ.
My friend who has been struggling because of a sin in her life that she has repented from is hesitant to go to Sunday school. Thank the Lord she comes to church but she had not been going to Sunday school so the rest of her family was not going either. She is repentant and seeking Christ but in allowing the fear of facing others in a more intimate setting her children and husband also are missing out on that area of personal growth. We all experience these kinds of attacks. You may also be going through something that is keeping you from your own personal spiritual growth. When we are faced with this kind of attack. The spiritual attack of lies from the enemy we need to arm ourselves with truth. The lie of "people know what you did, you can't show your face to them". Or "You might have repented but because of what you did you aren't someone that God will work through." Whatever the sin is and the lie you are believing it is still a lie. God's word is full of truths that you can arm yourself with.
King David walked faithfully with God for many years but when he became comfortable and complacent he not only gave into one temptation with Bathsheba but continued to sin more and more with lies and ultimately murdering her husband. When confronted with his sin he repented. There were consequences for that sin and he accepted them but he did not live in the shadow of that sin. He did not allow the lies of the enemy to affect his ability to grow with and serve God. He knew God so well that he could trust that once he is forgiven then there is no need to look back at that sin. Instead he sang the praises. May these truths make you strong and courageous as you work on building up you part of the wall.
Psalm 32
Of David. A maskil.
1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord.
”And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the Lord’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
11 Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
No matter what your sin if you have turned from that sin and toward Christ then you too can "Rejoice in the Lord and glad!
After writting all this listening to The Living Water Podcast and it's about Nehemiah and references David sin. Link below if you want to listen.
Thanks for the link…
I liked this summary…so much application, especially for me at the moment.
Nehemiah's story offers timeless lessons on repentance,
prayer, perseverance, and trust in God's sovereignty. His example challenges believers to respond with godly sorrow to the brokenness of the world around them, to pray fervently for the advancement of God's kingdom, and to persevere in faith and action despite opposition.