SURVIVING THE PRESSURE OF OPPOSITION Nehemiah 4:1-23
Nehemiah 4:1-3 Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that? Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and
Nehemiah 4:3-6 he said, Yes, what they are building if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall! Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. So we built the wall. And all the wall was
Nehemiah 4:6 joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. (ESV)
UNDERSTAND THE REALITY OF OPPOSITION Nehemiah 4:1-3
Nehemiah 4:2-3 And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that? (ESV)
Sanballat s Attacks He attacks their PAST HISTORY What are those feeble Jews doing? Feeble literally, from the root of the word, left handed. Ready to fail, ineffective, easily broken, frail.
Sanballat s Attacks He attacks their Past History He attacks their ABILITY Will they restore it (the wall)?
Sanballat s Attacks He attacks their past history He attacks their ability He attacks their SPIRITUALITY Will they sacrifice?
Sanballat s Attacks He attacks their past history He attacks their ability He attacks their spirituality He attacks their ENDURANCE Will they finish up in a day?
Sanballat s Attacks He attacks their past history He attacks their ability He attacks their spirituality He attacks their endurance He attacks their COMMON SENSE Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?
A New Perspective The critics look at things from a human perspective, How can this possibly work? Nehemiah was looking at God and saying, With God s help, how could this possibly fail?
God s Perspective God has a problem with people and projects that require no faith. God wants to stretch us beyond our own capabilities.
A Personal Question Are you allowing God to stretch your faith? or, Are you seeking to maintain the status quo?
UNDERSTAND THE ANSWER TO OPPOSITION Nehemiah 4:4-6
Nehemiah s Response HE PRAYED He talked to God about the criticism Hear, O our God, for we are despised... (4:4, ESV)
Nehemiah s Response HE PRAYED He talked to God about the criticism He complained to God and asked God to turn their insults back on them Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. (4:4-5, ESV)
1 Samuel 17:47 For the battle is the LORD s and he will give you into our hand. (ESV)
Daniel 3:17 Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. (ESV)
Prayer We are never more successful than when we are on our knees in prayer. The saint who advances on his knees need never retreat.
Nehemiah s Response HE PRAYED HE PERSISTED He showed stubborn determination to do the right thing no matter what
Nehemiah 4:6 So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. (ESV) NIV reads, For the people worked with all their heart.
Critics Nothing excites Satan or the critic more than for his negativism to result in a slowdown, or better yet, a cessation of progress.
Resolve Intensified opposition against the will of God calls for an intensified response!
The Proper Response to Opposition Prayer and Action God doesn t have trouble hitting a moving target. It is easier to steer a moving vehicle than one that is standing still.
Practical Truths It is impossible to lead anyone without facing opposition.
Practical Truths It is impossible to lead anyone without facing opposition. It is essential to face opposition in prayer.
Practical Truths It is impossible to lead anyone without facing opposition. It is essential to face opposition in prayer. Prayer is not all that is necessary. We must combine prayer and action.
Theodore Roosevelt It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who does actually try to do the deed;
Theodore Roosevelt who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly. Far better it is to dare mighty things, to sing glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.
SURVIVING THE PRESSURE OF OPPOSITION Nehemiah 4:1-23