Build with a Sword by Your Side

We have been adventuring through the book of Nehemiah discovering some powerful truths tucked away in this obscure book. 

In case you missed any of the previous posts on Nehemiah, here are the links:

Grab a Brick and a Bible

You Have No Right

One Man

Identifying the Lie

In "Identifying the Lie", we discussed the importance of recognizing when your enemy is trying to discourage you and beat you down.  Satan would like nothing better than for you to give up and stop rebuilding.  His whole agenda is to steal, kill, and destroy. 

When we are going through a battle, we need reinforcements.  We need others to stand up behind us and beside us and lift us up in prayer. When the enemy of the Israelites came and threatened to kill the Israelites to cause their work to cease, Nehemiah sent in reinforcements.

"And our adversaries said, 'They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause their work to cease.'" Nehemiah 4:11

"Therefore, I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings, and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows."  Nehemiah 4:13

Our reinforcements are the people who stand with us in prayer, who help us and are strong for us when we are weak.

When you are doing the Lord's work or making spiritual gains in overcoming past bondages, the enemy will come to discourage your efforts and will attack at times to shaken your resolve.  Not everything is a spiritual attack, but it is good to keep your armor on and be ready.

In Ephesians 6:11-13, God has instructed us to...

"Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle with flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, and against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." 

In the next verses, 14-17 of Ephesians, the Lord explains the armor of God in detail.  I encourage you to go to the passage and read it all.   For lengths sake, I will mention only one- "the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God."  We must have our swords to fight our enemy.  The power of God's Word will defeat the enemy. 

Now, back to Nehemiah...when we left the Israelites.in verse 13, the enemies were coming and the Israelites were prepared for battle with reinforcements and their swords by their sides. 

Let's see what happened...

"And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work."  Nehemiah 4:15

Again the enemies left!  Sandballet and Tobiah left in Chapter 2 when Nehemiah spoke truth and again the enemies left here when they saw they were prepared to fight!  The enemy prefers an easy target.  When he sees you are armed with the armor of God and the Sword of the Spirit, he may just leave.  If not, swing the Sword by speaking the Word of God and then he will!

"So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah.  Those who build on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction and with the other held a weapon."  Nehemiah 4:16-17

Everyday we MUST have on the whole armor of God.  Everyday.  Aren't we always in the process of building?  Everyday that we are building and becoming all that God intended for us to be, we need to carry our Sword.  We need to have our weapons of our warfare ready for battle so when it comes, we will not falter. 

Work with the Lord to rebuild and restore the brokenness in your life.  But, build with a sword by your side. 


Suggested reading:  Nehemiah Chapter 4 and Ephesians 6: 11-17