Nehemiah 6:1-7:4
The opposition grows even stronger as we come to Nehemiah 6:1-7:4. Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem are determined to stop Nehemiah. But Nehemiah isn't taken in by any of their scheming. He is discerning and recognizes that these men are trying to instill fear in the workers (vs. 9) and him (vs.13-14; 19) to derail the rebuilding efforts and Nehemiah personally. But Nehemiah gives us a wonderful example of leading through all the difficult circumstances. He seeks the Lord, asks for strength and holds his ground.
Fear can be a powerful disruptor. So what can we do to guard against letting our fears interrupt or even stop our efforts and work for the Lord? Tami W.
Tami, I notice that Nehemiah doesn't stop his work or let them distract them with anything else. the obvious is true here, keep you nose to the grindstone, don't get distract by the things of the world or the feelings in which we live... I feel a sermon coming on.
The story of Nehemiah will now become a second memory to me when I fear. The prayer of Nehemiah will now be added to my list of prayers when I fear, "Lord strengthen my hand". The first thing that I always remember however is 2 Timothy 1:7, For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
These together will bolster my resistance to give in to fear.
Thank you Lord
Nehemiah did not allow fear for his personal being to stand in the way of God's big picture for the task at hand. He placed the assignemnt from God and the guardianship of the people above his own welfare. Going into the temple could have been an easy way out, a so-called safe place; but the safest place in the whole wide world is in the will of God.
I think we need to memorize Scripture so that when we are tempted to turn away in fear, God can all to mind verses that encourage us to resist the devil, trust God...
When God gives us an assignment no matter what obstacles come in front of us we must look past them. Lift them up to God as Nehemiah did; because when God is for us who can be against us?
We just have to keep having faith and trust Him. Amen.
Your right Janice. I know scrpitures have helped me in so many way. It is nice to be able to be in God's word and learn so we can defeat the enemy. Nehemiah did just that. He was on guard at all times. As we all need to be. To secure our gates and keep our armour on. I think being washed in His blood and His word keeps us that way as well. Good study in Nehemiah!
Its hard but because I am a chronic worry wart, I have looked back though and realized how I have fretted bad over things and they turned out o.k without my doing. I mean more and more Im being forced to wait upon the LORD which is helping me to overcome my fears of different things.
This circumstance has occurred in the bible as well as in our lives several times and the only answer has been - when we allow fear to grip our lives and forget that we have God to focus on then we give fear a terrain to work/walk on. When we focus on God and fix our eyes, concentrate on the Author and Finisher of our faith, then fear or anything whatsoever has no hold on us. It was only when Peter took his eyes away from Jesus that he began to sink.