Identifying the Lie

Nehemiah is a book full of wisdom and practical Biblical truths!  It is a hidden gem in that I just discovered it!  It was always there, but I never saw it before a couple weeks ago!  Discovering new truths in God's Word is living pouring pure water onto dry soil...so refreshing and invigorating!

So far we have looked at Chapters 1 - 3 in the previous posts...

Grab and Brick and a Bible

You Have No Right

One Man

So, now we are on Chapter 4.

In Chapter 4, Sanballat and Tobiah return.

"But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews."  Nehemiah 4:1

Whenever we are doing the Lord's work, there will be demonic forces that strive to dishearten the laborers and belittle the work being done.  Sanballat and Tobiah represent those demonic forces.

Tobiah joined in the mockery saying, "'Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.'"  Nehemiah 4:3

In whatever kind of ministry you are doing, whether it is at home with your children, at church, in the community or mission field, forces will be at work to discourage your resolve.  These forces whisper doubts of your effectiveness.  We must identify these whispers as lies.

Also, as we rebuild what the enemy has broken in our lives, he will lie to us in an attempt to make us think that it is no use.  The enemy (Satan) will try to coerce us into believing we will always be broken or so weak that if something little (like a fox) comes along, it will tear us down.

This lie is not the truth! 

"Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world."  "Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith." (1 John 4:4, 5:4) This is the truth--we are overcomers and victorious in Him. 

"Now it happened, when Sanballat and Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion." Nehemiah 4:7

When the gaps in our walls are being restored and closing in towards wholeness, we need to be alert and on guard for spiritual attack.

"Nevertheless we made our prayer to God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night." Nehemiah 4:9

Pray and watch for spiritual attack. 

While the Israelites were rebuilding, they also kept watch for attack.

"Then Judah said, 'The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.'  And our adversaries said, 'They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease.'' Nehemiah 4: 10  

The enemy will wait until you are exhausted and beaten down to attack.  He knows it is easier to defeat you at those times.  There have been times in my life when the "rubbish" seemed overwhelming.  I needed so much work to rebuild that it was discouraging.  I grew tired of rebuilding. The enemy would lie to me and tell me I would never be whole.  I could have given up, except one promise kept me building.

"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."  Philippians 1:6

The Lord will complete what He started.  He will rebuild the broken areas of your life.  You have to work with Him, but He has promised it will be rebuilt!  Don't listen to the lies of the enemy.  Satan would like nothing better than for you to remain broken and defeated.  God wants to rebuild you so you are healthy, whole and strong.

Chapter 4 of Nehemiah is filled with riches.  We will continue with the rest of Chapter 4 next time.