OVERCOMING OPPOSITION Nehemiah 6

OVERCOMING OPPOSITION Nehemiah 6

Nehemiah 6:1-2 1 Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates), 2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me harm.

METHOD 1. DISTRACTION Ask for a meeting; distract him from His work/what he should be doing/focusing. Ono, Northwest of Jerusalem, one day s journey. So at least 2 days work would be wasted. Meeting appears harmless but no reason or purpose was given. Maybe Sanbalat had noble intentions.

NEHEMIAH DISCOVERS DEVIL S PURPOSE But Nehemiah labelled them as enemies. Neh6:1Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies. How did Nehemiah know / perceive they were up to no good?

NEHEMIAH DISCOVERS DEVIL S PURPOSE Nehemiah 4:7 7Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored.. 8 all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. Very obvious they had evil intentions

NEHEMIAH DISCOVERS DEVIL S PURPOSE Nehemiah knew Sanballat and his cronies were trying to distract him/ take him away from his rebuilding work and perhaps kill him at the plain of Ono (lame duck). Meeting is harmless but location of the meeting was too far from Jerusalem,in enemy s territory without any army to protect him. DISTRACT AND KILL.

NEHEMIAH S RESPONSE As soon as Nehemiah realized what their real intentions he sent a message back to them. Nehemiah s reply: Heb 6:3 3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you? No good reason to leave and stop the great work he was doing. Nehemiah, just cupbearer but entrusted to do a great job. You + Jesus = Majority

The Devil s Persistent Heb 6:4 But they sent me this message four times, and I answered them in the same manner. But the devil is very persistent. No shame to use the same tactic - will try and try until you give in but Nehemiah stood firm. The Devil fails again.

OUR RESPONSE Never give up & negotiate with the devil despite his persistence. Stay focused/steadfast and not be distracted. Devil s one purpose - to cause harm John 10: 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. Neh 6:2 But they thought to do me harm. No point meeting. They were against God and the Jews whereas Nehemiah was for God and THE Jews. Conflicting purposes. Purpose of the devil is to do you HARM.

Neh 6:5-7 5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as before, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written: It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says, that you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to these rumors, you are rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king. 7 And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah! Now these matters will be reported to the king. So come, therefore, and let us consult together.

METHOD 2 - Defame Sanballat tries another method to defame/slander and :- put FEAR into Nehemiah; Sanballat sent an open letter with a reason, claimed it was rumoured Neh building wall for his own agendato be crowned king of Judah & to rebel against the Persian King. He also threatened to tell the Persian King about it and purpose another meeting with Nehemiah.

NEHEMIAH DISCOVERS DEVIL S PURPOSE 1. Spread lies to put FEAR into Neh (fear for his life) and the workers & threatened to report it to the king. Wanted Neh to come and negotiate with Sanballat perhaps to compromise on the building of the walls. 2. The Persian King would find out and sentenced Neh to death for treason. Open letter evil motive in sending the letter - threatened to report it to the king.

NEHEMIAH S RESPONSE Neh 6:8-10 Nehemiah Reply:- 8 Then I sent to him, saying, No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart. 9 For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

NEHEMIAH S RESPONSE 1. Able to discern/perceive the real motive for sending the letter. Put fear into Neh, to weaken his strength and to stop the rebuilding or kill him if they meet up. 2. Denied the lies 3. Prayed effectively to counter the intentions of the enemy. Prayed for strength.

NEHEMIAH S RESPONSE Sanballat put fear to weaken their hands so as to stop the rebuilding work Nehemiah PRAYED to counter those threats: Ask God to strengthen his hands = NO FEAR = BOLDNESS & STRENGTH to finish the work. Neh knew /had confidence in his God could help him overcome his FEAR = FAITH

OUR RESPONSE Likewise Jesus also wrongly accused many times by the religious leaders for blasphemy and treason against Caesar. Jesus always confident that God would vindicate Him John 11:40-42. 41... And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, In the end Pontius Pilate declared Jesus as innocent of those charges Are we as confident as Jesus and Nehemiah?

Neh 6:10 10 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you.

METHOD 3. DECEIVE FROM INSIDE DEVIL S SUGGESTION NOW Sanballat used Shemaiah supposedly a prophet to deceive Neh, he is about to be assassinated and he needs to go into hiding. Suggest the temple for him to hide. SEEMS LIKE GOOD IDEA ESPECIALLY COMING FROM A PROPHET OF GOD

NEHEMIAH S RESPONSE Heb 6:11-14 11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in! 12 Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 1. He PERCEIVED his real motive not a real Prophet - DECEIVE HIM into FEAR to BREAK THE LAW

NEHEMIAH S RESPONSE 13 For this reason he was hired, that I should BE AFRAID and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me. Put FEAR + React in FEAR = Wrong Decision FEAR FAITH

Status of the Devil Devil wants to kill, steal and destroy but his actions are limited. 1. Good news Jesus has defeated the devil on our behalf at the cross. We are victorious over devil because of Jesus. Colossians 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Devil Toothless Lion your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Pet 5:8. As a toothless lion cannot destroy/kill an animal so the devil likewise cannot harm us to take away our salvation/forgiveness or separate us from love of God. Neither..angels nor principalities nor powers,. can separate us from love of God. Rom 8:38-39.

What can the devil do? Devil, a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour cannot devour as he likes. Devour meaning overwhelm, overcome, destroy. 1. He can only devour us if allow him. He may not devour if we say NO to him. 2. How does he devour? His main weapon is FEAR ; use fear and call a bluff (deceive you).

FEAR - The Devil s No.1 weapon against us. Sanballat and his gang constantly use it against Nehemiah. We know fear can torment and paralyzed us. It is like a snare that entraps us. Proverbs 29:25 Types of Fear: death, sickness, lack, man, height, durian, wife etc No weapon formed against us shall prosper Isaiah 54:17.

WHEN WE ARE FEARFUL Consequences The devil will try to scare us (roaring lion) to put the fear of man, lack, death, sickness etc. If we succumb to fear we will lose God s rest and the blessings that comes with it. Instead stress, worry, anger, disease, lack CAN enter, cannot enjoy life, our children, our job etc God not relevant

WHEN WE ARE FEARFUL 1. We forget who God is- His love, our Provider, not looking to punish us But PERFECT LOVE cast out ALL fear. 1 John 4;18. Once we know and believe that God loves us fear will have to go. 2. We forget whose we are; His son forever; saved forever

WHEN WE ARE FEARFUL 3. We forget what he has done for us; Look back to see how good God has been to YOU We overcome fear when we remember: who God is, whose we are and what he has done for us

NEHEMIAH S RESPONSE Neh 6:14 My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid. 2. Neh prayed: Prayed for God to handle his enemies. He knew It was the Lord s battle. He did not take revenge for the betrayal.

WALL COMPLETED 15 So the wall was finished on the twentyfifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.

WALL COMPLETED 3 things 1. Neh finishing the wall actually a picture of Jesus finished work on cross. He came to save us from our sins. He is only gate /way to be saved. To the world, grace too good to be true and not possible. Cannot see grace /forgiveness but when they see the miracles and blessings in your life, they will know that our God is great and alive and grace really exist.

WALL COMPLETED 2. Enemy could not stop Neh. What was Nehemiah s secret of success? He was able to discern correctly on each 3 occasions and responded correctly in prayer. 1. Neh 6:2 But they thought to do me harm. 2. Neh 6:9 For they all were trying to make us afraid, 3. Neh 6:11 Then I perceived that God had not sent him he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

Discern correctly = Right Believing 1. DISTRACT; majoring on minors, even Peter tried to distract Jesus 2. DEFAME; condemnation and fear; 3. DECEIVE; fear and make wrong decisions We too can also discern correctly as we continually listen to the finished work of Christ -able to divide rightly the Word of God.

3.It took Nehemiah and the workers 52 days (less than 2 months) to complete the work when the walls had laid in ruins for about 100 years. Impossible feat considering the surrounding circumstances. All will go through difficult situations but He is in us to give us strength to overcome ALL THINGS. Our breakthrough is sure and imminent.