How To Face Opposition (Outline)

Nehemiah 4:7-23

I. The Attack.

A. Through Conspiracy (vv. 7-8).

B. Through Rumor (vv. 10-12).

Proverbs 18:8; Proverbs 26:22.

II. The Answer.

A. Prayer (vs. 9).

B. Precautions.

1. 24 hour guard (vs. 9).

Matthew 26:41.

2. Men to guard the exposed places (vs. 13).

3. People stationed in families (vs. 13).

4. Nehemiah armed the people with swords, spears, bows, shields and breastplates (vv. 13, 16).

(a) …The half that acted as protectors were armed with:

(1) Swords.

(2) Spears.

(3) Shields.

(4) Bows.

(5) Breastplates.

(b) Half worked while half stood guard.

(c) Captains were behind the whole house of Judah?

5. One group of workers worked with one hand and held on to their weapon with the other hand (vs. 17).

6. The actual builders wore their sword girded at their sides (v 18).

7. The trumpeters for sounding an alarm.

C. The Poise (vv. 14-15).

1. Attitude.

(a) A lack of fear (vs. 14).

(b) Devotion (vs. 21).

1 Corinthians 15:58.

2. Activity (vv. 15, 21-23).

(a) They worked.

(b) They spent the night in Jerusalem in order to guard one another by night and work by day.

(c) They did not remove their clothes or their weapons.