Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews,
2
saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, "What
does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they are doing? Do they
think they can build the wall in a day if they offer enough sacrifices?
Look at those charred stones they are pulling out of the rubbish and
using again!"
3
Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, "That
stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!"
4
Then I prayed, "Hear us, O our God, for we are being mocked. May
their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves
become captives in a foreign land!
5
Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in the presence of the builders."
6
At last the wall was completed to half its original height around the entire city, for the people had worked very hard.
7
But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and
Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the
wall were being repaired, they became furious.
8
They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and to bring about confusion there.
9
But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves.
10
Then the people of Judah began to complain that the workers were
becoming tired. There was so much rubble to be moved that we could never
get it done by ourselves.
11
Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, "Before they know what's
happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work."
12
The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, "They will come from all directions and attack us!" - Nehemiah 4:1-12
As people of God, whenever we seek to do anything for the kingdom of God, we can expect opposition. This is because we have a very real enemy. He uses the people in our lives to intimidate and oppose us. The enemy does not want us to rebuild the places that he has destroyed in our lives. Satan wants us to live defeated lives, because God cannot be glorified when we live lives of defeat and devastation.
Nehemiah was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. The enemy, working through Sanballat and Tobiah, initally attempted to mock their efforts. Have you ever heard the taunts of the enemy when you have attempted to rebuild the broken areas of your life? For example, he'll tell you that your spouse does not want you and that you'll never be reconciled to each other. Or, He may tell you that your efforts at restoring a wayward child will be useless because the child is too far away from God.
Our best recourse against his lies is to pray to the Father and ask Him for His intervention, grace and strength, to endure the enemy's taunts. Never allow the enemy's lies to keep you from doing the Lord's will. If God be for you, nothing on earth can stop you!
When we face a great deal of opposition in our attempts to rebuild our lives, we can become frustrated or tired; we may even complain because of the trials the enemy sends our way. But, remember that he is a defeated foe. Build yourself up in your most holy faith and continue to "fight the good fight of faith" until you have the victory over your enemy!
To read today's Bible study, go to the Bible Study for Busy People blog.
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