REBUILDING THE HOUSE OF THE LORD
Nehemiah 4:1-9
The nation
of Israel had been in captivity in Babylon for 70 years.
God allowed
Israel to be taken captive because of their disobedience
And the
worship of idol gods. The city of Jerusalem and the temple
Had been
burned to the ground by King Nebuchadnezzar.
After the 70
year punishment, King Cyrus of Persia was commissioned by
God to
release the captives.
Ezra 1:1-4
V:1 In the
first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by
Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a
proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing:
2 "This
is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
"'The
Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has
appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 Anyone of his
people among you — may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in
Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in
Jerusalem. 4 And the people of any place where survivors may now be living are
to provide him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with
freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.'"
It was the
influence of Satan in the hearts of the Israelites to anger God
To allow the
Temple and Jerusalem to be destroyed.
It was the
influence of God on the heart of King Cyrus to release the
Israelites
to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.
Satan,
considering that he had won the battle in destroying God’s
City was not
about to give up his influence without a battle.
The enemy
will use a variety of tactics to keep you from following God’s
Plan for
your life.
Nehemiah 4:1-9
RIDICULE IS
A COMMON TACTIC OF SATAN
V:1 When
Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was
greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his
associates and the army of Samaria, he said, "What are those feeble Jews
doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they
finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of
rubble — burned as they are?"
A. There are people in your life who are
comfortable when you are in a
Broken state.
1. They may pat you on the back, but
offer no help.
2. They seem to be empowered when you
are helpless and hopeless.
3. Israel had been in captivity for 70
years so they were not a threat
To the enemy.
B. Now that Israelites had returned from
captivity with a renewed
Interest to rebuild the city, the enemy was alarmed.
1. You never know why people don’t want
you to succeed,
2. Perhaps if you succeed it is a reflection
on their authority.
3. It is possible that Sanballat knew how
powerful Israel had been
Before the Babylonian
captivity.
4. It is possible that Sanballat knew
about the God of Israel.
C. The mark of a coward is his ridicule
tactics.
1. A bully needs company to validate his
worth.
2. Sanballat ridiculed Israel in the presence
of his
Road dogs.
3. Sanballat attempted to devalue the worth
of Israel.
4. Sanballat attempted to devalue any
effort to rebuild the city.
D. We cannot allow ourselves to be worried
by the ridicule
of the enemy because God is on our side.
BULLIES
INSITE OTHERS TO JOIN THEM
V:3 Tobiah
the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, "What they are building — if even
a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!"
A. One bully motivates another to bully.
B. Many times bullies are all talk and
no action
1. The best thing you can do for a bully
is to ignore him.
2. Most criminals react first, then talk
about what harm they
Did.
WHEN
FACING THE ENEMY, PRAY FIRST
V:4 Hear us,
O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads.
Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover up their guilt
or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the
face of the builders.
A. Before you react to threats from
bullies, go to God in prayer.
1. It is alright to ask God to do
something specific to punish your
Bullies for the sake of
those who serve.
2. What goes around, comes around.
3. You can ask God to do to the enemy
what they did to you.
B. God does not need your suggestion on
how to handle the enemy.
1. You don’t know what God has planned
for your enemy
That will have a greater impact on them.
2. Your suggestion may limit God’s
punishment for them.
PUT YOUR
HEART IN GOD’S WORK
V:6. So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached
half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
A. Regardless of the obstacles you face
serving God, continue with
Dedication.
1. God does not intend for you to fail at
any job He assigns to you.
2. He will not allow anyone to block His
plan.
3. God knew when He assigned the task to
you that there would
Be problems.
4. See all problems as an opportunity
for God to get the glory.
B. The men were of one mindset.
1. They all had a heart to complete the
work.
2. When we are of the same mind, there
is nothing we cannot accomplish.
Job 23:13-15
13 But he is in one mind,
and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
14 For he performeth the
thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.
THE BEST
DEFENSE AGAINST THE ENEMY IS THE LORD
V:7 But when
Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the men of Ashdod heard that
the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being
closed, they were very angry. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight
against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 9 But we prayed to our God
and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
A. Satan is always busy.
1. He arouses men to anger when they
can’t get their way with you.
2. Notice five armies were plotting
against Israel.
3. Israel had just come out of captivity
were probably poorly
Armed.
4. Their faith in the Lord was the
strength of their works.
5. Their faith in the Lord was the
reason for their work.
B. We can expect that Satan will stir up
trouble when you are on
A mission for the Lord.
1. Our first defense against the enemy
is prayer.
2. We must learn to put on the full
armor of God.
3. When we face danger, our job is to
watch and pray.
Ephesians 6:10-14
10 Finally, be strong in
the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you
can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil
in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when
the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have
done everything, to stand.
4.
The
only defense against Satan is the Lord.
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