Growth under Attack
Notes
Transcript
Growth under Attack
Growth under Attack
Bible Passage: Nehemiah 4:1-23
Bible Passage: Nehemiah 4:1-23
1. Introduction:
1. Introduction:
Some of the greatest lessons I learned about perseverance came from getting my tail whooped by video games.
I grew up loving games. I remember beating Sonic the Hedgehog and finally taking down my uncles in Madden. But Mario, Sonic, and later Metal Gear Solid kicked my butt beyond measure! When I finally beat them, my brother and I were so pumped. You couldn’t tell us we weren’t unstoppable.
In video games, the final level throws everything it’s got at you. I probably played some of those levels 100 times before winning. One of Oliver’s and my favorite content creators, engineer Mark Rober, calls this the “Mario Effect.” Failing over and over teaches our brains to adjust our strategy and persevere rather than fear failure.
That’s a life lesson: It’s not the presence of opposition that determines our success, but how we respond to it.
Today, we continue in Nehemiah. As the Israelites rebuilt the wall, they faced opposition from outside and within. Let’s dive in.
So, if you need a recap, go ask for the link to last week’s message. J/K! Here’s the TL;DR:
Israel became a nation, then divided into northern and southern kingdoms
Assyria conquered the north; Babylon later conquered Assyria.
Babylon conquered the south and destroyed the temple.
Then Persia conquered Babylon.
In Ezra, God moves through kings, Zerubbabel, and Ezra to rebuild the temple. They finish it, but it’s nowhere near its former glory.
Nehemiah picks up where that generation left off. God stirs Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls for protection and preservation.
Last week, in Nehemiah 3, the king had given Nehemiah permission to rebuild, and the Israelites got to work..
We see leaders leading by example.
Their work set apart for God.
The people unite for the work
it’s all apart of God’s sovereign plan
Remember that those walls are a real-world picture of repentance, God’s faithfulness, and his restoration of worship among his people. Chapter 3 give an overview of the work and now Chapter 4 takes us back to the opposition during that construction.
2. Passage
2. Passage
1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he mocked the Jews. 2 He said in the presence of his associates and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore things? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish it in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish—and burned ones at that?” 3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “That stone wall they are building—any fox going up on it would break it down!” 4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their taunt back on their own heads, and give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and do not let their sin be blotted out from your sight; for they have hurled insults in the face of the builders.
6 So we rebuilt the wall, and all the wall was joined together to half its height; for the people had a mind to work. 7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and the gaps were beginning to be closed, they were very angry, 8 and all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. 9 So we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.
a. Exposition
i. So, chapter 4 breaks into three primary movements: external attacks from outside Israel, internal opposition from among the Israelites, and preparation for future attacks.
ii. Back in chapter 2, we met Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite. I said if you up look up “hater” in the Dictionary, Sanballat’s picture would be right there!chapter 2, Neh 2:10
10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased.
Tobiah is basically his sidekick of hate. Remember Yeah-Yeah from The Sandlot? Or the little kangaroo in Horton Hears a Who always saying, “Me too”? That's Tobiah, just cosigning the hate.
Historically, we don’t know why Sanballat hated Israel. Maybe, as a regional governor, he had plans for that land, or possibly it went back to Israel driving his nation out of Canaan. Regardless, he opposed God's people rebuilding worship
iii. The first attack
He hurls insults
In verse 2:
he calls them weak Jews (sort of true)
He questions whether it would get done (this is not unfounded remember they had preachers, perfumers, and children working on this construction site.)
He questioned whether they’d sacrifice(Not true, Abraham made his first sacrifice on make shift alter with one man)
Questioned whether they’d finish in a day (a deadline nobody set!)
Lastly whether ruined stones could be good again: Missing the point: they were not replacing but restoring, taking what was broken and making it useful.
iv. The second attack
The insults fail, so they get angrier, then plot physical violence, and threaten to disrupt the work. Building was hard enough; now they're working under threat! More stress
From Sanballat’s attack we get our first nugget of truth.
- When the people of God are working on their worship of God the enemy will attack with lies, half truths and even physical danger.
b. Illustration
I remember discipling a young lady who decided to finally dedicate her gifts and life to Jesus. Suddenly, an abusive, manipulative ex returned, and family drama erupted. Her Muslim family insulted Jesus and pressured her to get into physical fight for her. Just as she grew in sanctification, the enemy attacked with lies, insults, temptation, and threats.
c. Application
When we grow, Satan attacks through people and supernatural forces: lies, half-truths, physical danger, that builds discouragement.
8 Control yourselves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat. 9 Refuse to give in to him, by standing strong in your faith. You know that your Christian family all over the world is having the same kinds of suffering.
When You make Kingdom decisions, He’s coming for your marriage and children. Same weapons and tactics.
44 You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
When lies fail, The Devil comes swinging! And man, even apart from Satan schemes the flesh opposes God in general.
James 4:4 says,
4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
The world is coming swinging. James says those not aligned with Jesus oppose God’s Kingdom, that includes his family, the church. That’s why their advice from the unbelievers can be dangerous—it might lead you away from God. Unredeemed people can be tempted to attack our worship, verbally and even physically. We see this in persecuted Christians worldwide.
In Job 1, Satan gets permission to harm Job. Robbers attack his household, acting freely yet tempted by Satan. Later, Satan afflicts Job with sores and boils. And in Luke 13:16, In refererence to crippled woman, Jesus says Satan bound a woman for eighteen years.
16 -Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?”
Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy, bringing affliction. But his most trusted weapon? Deception—twisting truth. In Genesis 3 (the serpent), Job 1, and Matthew 4 (temptation of Jesus), he uses half-truths. Israel was weak and unskilled, sure, but concluding they couldn’t rebuild and worship God? That’s the lie! A half-truth is a whole lie.
The truth: some of us are uneducated, But we can hide God word in our hearts and keep from sin.
The truth: some of struggling making friends John 15:15
15 I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God,
So better than friends-family in Christ.
The truth: You made a lot of mistakes and have a lot to make up. But 2 Timothy 2:20–21
20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver bowls, but also those of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
The enemy says your story’s over. That’s the lie! His mercies renew every morning.
The next nugget
When we are attacked how we respond matters
Notice how the people of God responded.
4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their taunt back on their own heads, and give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and do not let their sin be blotted out from your sight; for they have hurled insults in the face of the builders.
9 So we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.
Exposition:
Israel doesn’t even respond to Sanballat or Tobiah. They begin speaking to God!
Illustration:
Recently, I’ve been going through spiritual attacks from people. Lies, slander, betrayal from people I’ve deeply loved and cared about. My flesh said, “You know what? I have receipts! I need to expose this nonsense and vindicate myself and the church.” But the Lord reminded me, this is not how we fight our battles. Focus on me and pray for them.
Application:
3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh— my adversaries and foes— they shall stumble and fall. 3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.
OUR FOCUS MUST STAY LOCKED ON JESUS DURING OPPOSITION!
Now, Nehemiah’s prayer is different from ours. Under the first covenant, he prays for justice, even vengeance against his enemies on earth.
One of my favorite devotionals, My Utmost for His Highest (November 23), quotes Augustine praying, “O Lord, deliver me from this lust of always vindicating myself.” That's that prideful desire to be seen as right by men.
As New Covenant believers, we can pray for justice, but not people’s downfall. Jesus who establishes the New Covenant teaches us: Matthew 5:43-44
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Praying for justice means asking the God of heaven and earth for sinners to repent, surrender, and bow to the Most High, King Messiah Jesus.
Next, we look at...
3. Internal Opposition
3. Internal Opposition
10 But Judah said, “The strength of the burden bearers is failing, and there is too much rubbish so that we are unable to work on the wall.” 11 And our enemies said, “They will not know or see anything before we come upon them and kill them and stop the work.” 12 When the Jews who lived near them came, they said to us ten times, “From all the places where they live they will come up against us.” 13 So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 After I looked these things over, I stood up and said to the nobles and the officials and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your kin, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” 15 When our enemies heard that their plot was known to us, and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his work.
Exposition:
Though some Israelites prayed when attacks ramped up, others responded with three negative reactions.
Verse 10 written in poetic form, reads like a sad song. You ever seen slaves singing on a ship? It’s not inspirational. Probably why they don’t make slave musicals! Their morale was so low they put a soundtrack to their weariness!
In verse 11, they started repeating the enemy’s plot to destroy them. Sanballat’s plan was working! As the American Commentary puts it, he wanted external stress to amplify internal weakness.
By verse 12, Jews living nearby were saying, “Ten times over, from all the places where you turn; against us;” Meaning the rumors reached even those Jews nearby not building.
Illustration:
This brings us to our third nugget: When repairing our worship, our biggest hurdle isn’t outside voices but internal ones.
I noticed something about my son, when something goes wrong, he imagines everything failing. He goes into these, It just won’t work spirals. I wondered where he got that, then looked in the mirror—me! I often getn Imposter syndrome, insecurities, trust issues. Like father, like son, we get in our own head and talk ourselves out of good things. But what’s Nehemiah’s instruction?
Verse 14, he said “Remember the LORD, who great and awesome , and fight for you kin, your song, you daughter, your wives, and your homes.”
Application: Internal opposition comes from people in our circle or our own minds. And man, I tend to run from Negative Nancies! Remember Snuffleupagus? “Hi, Bird!” “Good morning!” “It’s not a good morning for me, Bird.” I struggle with that!
However in God’s word highlights, Nehemiah’s strategy?
Confront fear head-on,
make a plan to relieve stress, and
counter lies with God’s Word.
- He’s like Your Scared? Okay, so what? God fights for us! In verse 15, It was God who revealed and frustrated Sanballat’s plan. He’s the reason they win. He’s the reason we win.
At our old church plant, an HOA head turned on us because we didn’t agree with her agenda. She involved the fire department and city council to stop our Sunday-Wednesday gatherings! We panicked. Some wanted court; others feared meeting. But, We continued sharing testimonies, trusting God, and praying fervently. He gave us more favor with the community and He fought for us and provided another place.
3 Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards; 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments 5 and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.
8 We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.
When we feel the weight of internal pressure, we must stand on the truth and remember God’s track record of faithfulness to save!
This last part connects to their response, so it’s really 2.5 movements. Nehemiah and the Israelites took action and made a plan.
4. Future Opposition
4. Future Opposition
15 When our enemies heard that their plot was known to us, and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and body-armor; and the leaders posted themselves behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building the wall. The burden bearers carried their loads in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and with the other held a weapon. 18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. 20 Rally to us wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet. Our God will fight for us.”
21 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from break of dawn until the stars came out. 22 I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night inside Jerusalem, so that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” 23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me ever took off our clothes; each kept his weapon in his right hand.
Exposition: I hate working on tasks by myself, especially when I can’t see! I’ve held a flashlight in my mouth just to keep working. Eventually, I got a headlamp!
Nehemiah prayed, but he also made a plan to protect workers whose hands were full of hammers and bricks.
He split workers between construction and guards (v. 16)
unified them under leaders (v. 16)
armed burden bearers carrying materials (v. 17)
established rotating guards (vv. 21–23).
created a trumpet warning system (vv. 19–20).
Our last nugget:
When opposition comes, we must continue working and strategically plan our prayers!
God’s been convicting Amanda and me regarding pray. So we’ve been mapping out our prayers, addressing struggles, and covering the church. Amanda’s starting a prayer ministry to intentionally cover Sunday gatherings, outreaches, and spiritual needs.
Application:
12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.
Nehemiah fought a physical enemy, but our war isn’t physical; it’s spiritual! We need weapons appropriate for the battle. If you’re not praying, I can diagnose your spiritual health as poor, and you’re walking into war defenseless! So when we are pursuing repairing our worship and we’re experiencing attack, what do we do?
Keep one hand to the work! What’s the work? Romans 12:9–21. I’ll read the first eight verses and save the rest for Life on Life.
9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.
2. Keep your other hand on your defense! Some say the sword represents the Word, but I think it represents every weapon against anything hindering our worship: God’s Word, prayer, the Gospel of Peace, truth, and righteous living. Keep these in your hands as you continue the work!
Remember
When the people of God are working on their worship of God the enemy will attack with lies, half truths and even physical danger.
When we are attacked how we respond matters
When we are trying to repair our worship our biggest hurdle is not outside voice but internal ones.
When oppostion comes we are required to take action by continuing the work and strategically planning our pray.
Life on Life
Continue reading through Romans 12:9–21 and answer these questions:
From this list, what do you feel God calling you to focus on? What can you do this week to make that happen?
Share with the group and pray for each other to have success through the Lord.
If you don’t feel any connection to these verses, why do you think that is?
Share with the group and have someone pray for you concerning your lack of desire.
