SF878 - Pressing on to Victory - 9 OVERCOMING OBSTACLES TO VICTORY (Nehemiah 6 1- 15)
Nehemiah 6:1-15; key 15
Introduction
Today we are looking at what we must do in order to press on to victory. I want to start by first looking at verse 15 which is kind of the punch line. What is the secret of this? How was he able to build the wall in 52 days? Do not quit! He kept at it until he finished.
There had been major opposition to the rebuilding of the wall. Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshum had tried various methods, division, discouragement, discord, derision, and dread. Now they are becoming desperate. The wall is almost finished. The only thing that was left to be done was to hang the doors.
In this passage, the devil’s crowd tries three more tricks to stop the wall from being built. If you want to press on to victory, you have to do three things:
1A. Keep Working in Spite of Distractions.
1B. Satan is a deceiver. (6:1-4)
At first, they tried to sidetrack Nehemiah. They said, Nehemiah, let us have a peace conference. Let us get together and discuss our similarities. They mentioned the plain of Ono, twenty miles north of Jerusalem. What could be wrong with that? Nehemiah said, I am carrying on a great project and I cannot go down. Why should I stop the work on the wall and go down to you? He is saying, I am not coming down. He would not be distracted until the wall was finished.
The time for discussion is past. It is time for work. Have you known people that want to talk more than they want to work? That is what is happening here. Many churches never accomplish anything because everything they do, they assign to a committee, and then they table it.
2B. Seek God for discernment.
Seek God for discernment to understand what is really going on.
More than this, they were endangering his life. Notice he says, "They were scheming to harm me." He was discerning. They could assassinate him. They could kidnap him. He saw the harmful intent behind their request.
More than that, it would delay the project. "Why should I stop and come down to you when the work has not been finished?" You do not want to discuss, or debate. You have a hidden agenda and want to delay the thing. You want to keep it from being built."
Seek God for discernment to keep the main thing the main thing.
Biblical principle: The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. The reason why Nehemiah finished it he would not let anything distract him. He kept his eyes on his goal. They came to him four times. He said no each time.
2A. Keep Working in Spite of Defamation. (6:5-9)
1B. Satan is a slanderer.
Satan will question your motives. (6:5-6)
They accused Nehemiah of treason. They what you are really doing is rebelling against the king. They tried to slander Nehemiah. You are just trying to build an empire. We know what you are doing.
They said, you are going to try to rebel against Artaxerxes. They said, You are setting yourself up as king and you are hiring prophets to promote yourself. They sent this letter unsealed. It was like a letter to the editor. They wanted everybody to read it. It was meant to stir up rumors.
Anybody that sets big goals is going to be criticized and slandered by people who set no goals. Failure hates success. Who is the most falsely accused man in history? Jesus. Jesus said,
Matthew 5:11-12 (NASB) 11“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
First they tried to sidetrack Nehemiah and then they tried to slander him. The word Satan means slanderer. When you slander somebody, you are doing the work of the devil. That is his job. The Bible says that Satan is the accuser of the brethren.
They guys said, We know what you are doing, Nehemiah. You are building your own little empire and you will set yourself up as king. We are going to tell the real king, king Artaxerxes on you. They were accusing him, trying to upset him.
Satan will question your methods. (6:7)
2B. Seek God for strength. (6:8-9)
Nehemiah discerns their motive. I know what you guys are doing, you are trying to make me upset so I will stop working and start defending myself. Have you ever had to stop work on something because somebody was criticizing you and start defending yourself? Nehemiah said I am not going to be caught in that trap. I am not going to start responding to rumors and innuendoes. I am not going to be discouraged and quit.
Seek God for strength to deny the false accusations. (6:8)
Probably the most difficult thing to do as a Christian is to handle false accusations. You want to give up! Nehemiah said I am not going to do that. He denied the accusation (6:9a). He said, I am not going to get involved in an argument. What you guys are saying is not true and I am not coming down. No matter what you say. The wall is not finished. I am not going to give in to sidetracking and get into a discussion with you. I am not going to give in to slander. I am not going to quit working because of distractions and I am not going to quit working because of defamation. I'm going to keep on going." He discerned their motivations. He denied the accusation.
Seek God for strength to continue the work. (6:9)
He prayed. "Now Lord strengthen my hands." When you are being accused you're emotionally drained.
Abraham Lincoln: "If I were to try to read, much less answer all the attacks made against me this shop would close for business. I do my best, the very best I know how, and the very best I can. I mean to keep on doing it until the end. And if the end brings me out wrong, then ten angels swearing that I was right would not make a difference."
General MacArthur and Winston Churchill both said, "We do not answer criticism. We do not respond to slander. We do not respond to accusation. If we did it would take all our time just fighting attacks."
Henry Ward Beecher said, "Life would be a virtual flea hunt if man was required to run down every innuendo and insinuation about him and the misrepresentations that are uttered against him."
If you are going to live for Christ you must know there are going to be things that distract you -- try to get you off course and there's going to be things that defame you -- people say things against you. You can spend your time fighting criticism or you can keep working on the wall. Nehemiah said, I am going to keep working on the wall. That is why, in 52 days, they built it. He would not give in to distractions. He would not give in to defamation. He knew their motive was to try to frighten. He would not give in.
3A. KEEP WORKING IN SPITE OF DANGER (6:10-14)
1B. Satan is a murderer. (6:10)
If you ever hope to press on to victory, you must keep working in spite of danger. First they tried to side track him (come have a conference), then they tried to slander him (what you are doing is just for your own benefit), then they tried to scare him.
Now they are trying to scare him by danger. Evidently this man, Shemaiah was a friend of Nehemiah's and he was a priest. However, Sanballat got to him and bought him off. "Go tell your buddy Nehemiah there's an assignation plot on his life. We have put a contract out on him. The only way he could be safe is to run and hide in the Holy of Holies, in the Temple. The bad guys won't follow in there for fear of God."
2B. Seek God for courage. (6:11-15)
Seek God for courage to keep on working in spite of danger. (6:11-12)
He would keep on working in spite of danger. Why did he not give into this?
Ø It would make him look like a coward. (6:11)
I am the leader of this thing. I am building the wall around Jerusalem. If I run and hide in the temple, what is that going to do to the morale of the people? Their morale is going to go down. I am not going to do it! Leaders don't run away. Other people are watching me.
Ø Nehemiah realized that this was not counsel from the Lord. (6:12)
Circle "realized". Nehemiah was a very perceptive person. This guy said he was from God, "I know! I have a word to you from the Lord. Run and hide in the Temple." Have you noticed that some people, who say they are speaking for God, really are not? Some people say, "I think this is God's will for your life" and they have no idea at all. They may have a hidden agenda. Here this guy was one, a priest, and two, a friend of Nehemiah's and he is giving him bad advice because he had been bought off. Nehemiah is perceptive (6:14). They are trying to tell me their advice is from God, but it is not from God. You have to be aware of people saying, "God told me to tell you...” It’s not always true. You do not always swallow it.
Seek God for courage not to compromise your integrity. (6:13-14)
The real issue here is that for Nehemiah to run and hide in the Temple would compromise his integrity. It was against the law for anybody to go into the Holy of Holies except the priest.
Numbers 18:7 (NASB) 7“… I am giving you the priesthood as a bestowed service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”
Numbers 18:7 says that nobody is to go into the Holy of Holies except the priest and if they do they are to be killed. They are guilty of the death penalty. For Nehemiah to play chicken after hearing of the assignation attempt and go hide in the Temple, he would be sinning out of fear.
Never break one of God's laws out of fear. If the opposition cannot scare you into quitting, they are going to try to get you to sin, to make you ineffective. Then the whole nation would say, "What's our leader doing sinning by running and hiding in the Temple?" These are the last desperate attempts of the opposition. They are the very things that will happen in your life if you're in any leadership position.
Seek God for courage to complete your assignment. (6:15)
They will try to get you through discord, discouragement, defeat, derision, distraction, defamation, then through danger. Because Nehemiah refused to quit, "The wall was built in 52 days." That is amazing.
Archaeologists have unearthed part of Nehemiah's wall. It is about ten feet across and twelve feet deep. The wall was built around Jerusalem. verse 16 "When all of our enemies heard about this and all the surrounding nations, they were afraid and they lost their confidence because they realized this work had been done with the help of our God." The tables have turned. For six chapters, we have been seeing the Jews be discouraged. We have watched them become depressed and afraid. But the moment the wall is built, Jerusalem is a fortified city. Now who is afraid? The enemy. They have lost their confidence.
Application
Four characteristics of a victorious Christian
1. A victorious Christian has a compelling purpose.
A cause. A vision. A dream. An objective. A goal. It is something that pulls you towards that goal. It does not drive you, it draws you. You have to have a compelling purpose.
That's why, when they came back in verse 3, and said "Nehemiah, we want you to leave the wall and come out and have a little party with us. You have been working on the wall too long. Come talk to us, Nehemiah." Nehemiah said, "I am carrying on a great project." Circle "great.” Nehemiah was very single minded, that was one of the characteristics why they were able to accomplish the impossible in 52 days. He said I am going to do this. I am going to stick with it. I am going to keep the main thing the main thing. I am carrying on a great project.
Is there any great project -- an overall compelling purpose -- in your life? What motivates you to get out of bed everyday? Besides making money. What motivates you to live the rest of your life? What motivates you to keep on going?
Until you have a compelling purpose for your life, you are just existing. Nehemiah said, I have a great project! What are you exchanging your life for? Jesus said, "What will a man give in exchange for his soul?" When you give your time for something, you are giving your life. That's what life is made up of -- your time. We tend to think that the most important thing we can give people is our money. But money can be replaced. When you give people your time that’s irreplaceable. The mark of a great leader is first, to have a compelling purpose -- an over arching goal in life that motivates me to keep going. Paul says, "Love compels me to keep going."
Biblical principle: Great lives are produced by a commitment to a great cause. Great people are just ordinary people who have made a great commitment to a great cause. That cause draws them out of themselves and makes them more than they could be on their own. You need a compelling purpose for life.
I submit to you, that the most compelling purpose in life, the greatest cause that you can give your life for is the glory of God. There is nothing greater that you can in which to invest your life. That will last for eternity. Most of what we invest our life in will not last 20 years much less for a thousand years. I challenge you to say whether you have 5 years left or 50 years left, you will invest it in the kingdom of God.
2. A victorious Christian has a clear perspective.
Nehemiah had incredible discernment, spiritual radar. Every time a trap came up, he sensed it. He could smell it every time. In verse 2 they had said come out and talk with us, he said, "They were scheming to harm me." How did he know? He was perceptive. He had discernment. In verse 9 when they came and made the accusations of him setting himself up as king and eventually rebel against Artaxerxes, Nehemiah said "They were trying to frighten us." He looked and exposed their motives. In verse 12 when the third guy said come hide in the temple, Nehemiah realized that God had not sent him. He has a very acute perception. He had the ability to anticipate a trap. If you are going to be a victorious Christian, you have to have perception, wisdom. How do you get that?
James 1:5 (NASB) 5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
That is what the Bible says. When you spend time in the Word of God you begin to take on the mind of Christ and you will be a more perceptive. You will not fall for every thing that comes.
One thing that clouds our perception is fear. Nehemiah says, "No matter what happens, I'm going to keep on going." A definition of FEAR -- False Evidence Appearing Real. You think it is going to hurt you but it is not. God is in control and God is going to help you. You need to have a compelling purpose and a clear perspective.
3. A victorious Christian is in continual prayer.
Nehemiah was a prayer-addict. His first response to everything was pray. No matter what happened, he first prayed. That is the number one thing you do when you are being slandered. Instead of taking it out on the person, you talk in out to God. Nehemiah did not get defensive and he did not retaliate when they started making all the false accusations. He just said, "It's not true" and prayed about it. That is all you need to do. If people are falsely accusing you as a leader, say, "it is not true". You do not have to go into a long defense. Say, "It's not true" and then talk to the Lord.
Luke 18:1 (NASB) 1Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,
Circle "pray" and "not lose heart". In your life, you are always doing one or the other. Either you will pray or you will give up. When the heat is on, when the pressure is on, either you will pray or you will panic. You need a continual prayer life.
4. A victorious Christian has a courageous persistence.
One of the great keys to success is the ability to hang in there! Keep on keeping on! Keep on doing what God wants us to do!
How can you be fearful and courageous at the same time? Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is moving ahead in spite of your fear. If you are not afraid you are not courageous, you may just be foolish! You may not know how serious the matter is. Courage is when you move ahead in spite of your fear. That is what makes a courageous person. Notice verse 11 "Should a man like me flee." He says, "I'm not going to run away. I am scared, I am frightened. It is getting near the finish line. All we have to do is hang the doors and I know they probably want to kill me before the thing is finished, but I am going to move ahead in spite of my fear. I am not going to run away."
How do you know when you are afraid? You have the insatiable desire to run. Out of the job, out of the marriage, out of the relationship, out of the house -- because I am afraid I cannot handle it. Run! I have learned that it is never God's will for me to run from a difficult situation. If I do, God will just bring another one up later so he can teach me a lesson. Just go ahead and face it.
Galatians 6:9 (NASB) 9Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
You need a compelling purpose that is so over arching in your life, that you are not distracted by the trivial. If you would go back and do an analysis of your life, in what area is Satan trying to sidetrack you from the best? Satan will often use good things to keep you from the best. What is it that is taking up your time in life so that you do not have time for the things that are important in life? What things are important? Loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself. Worship and ministry. If you are too busy to worship, too busy to have a quiet time -- you are too busy. If you are too busy to get involved in a ministry -- you are too busy. These other things are not going to count years from now. Satan uses a subtle trap to substitute good things. You have limited amount of time. There may be some things you need to cut back so you can make time for ministry, make time for what God wants me to do.
A clear perspective. How's your spiritual sensitivity? Do you know the Word enough to spot a trap when it comes.
How about your prayer life? Is it continual? Are you praying or are you giving up?
A courageous persistence. How persistent are you in doing God's will? Do you just do it when it is convenient? Have you ever made the decision in your life, "I'm going to follow Jesus 100% no matter what else happens, no matter what it costs, no matter what it takes, regardless of what people say about me, sidetracks, danger. I'm going to do the right thing."
Nehemiah 6:1-15; key 15
Introduction
Today we're looking at what we must do in order to press on to victory. I want to start by first looking at 6:15 which is kind of the punch line. What is the secret of this? How was he able to build the wall in 52 days? Don't quit! He kept at it until he finished.
There had been major opposition to the rebuilding of the wall. Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshum had tried all different kinds of things, division, discouragement, discord, derision, and dread. Now they are becoming desperate. The wall is almost finished. The only thing that was left to be done was to hang the doors.
In this passage, the devil’s crowd tries three more tricks to stop the wall from being built. If you want to press on to victory, you have to do three things:
1A. Keep Working in Spite of Distractions.
1B. Satan is a deceiver. (6:1-2)
They tried to sidetrack Nehemiah
2B. Seek God for discernment. (6:2b-4)
Seek God for discernment to understand what is really going on. (6:2b)
Seek God for discernment to keep the main thing the main thing. (6:3-4)
2A. Keep Working in Spite of Defamation.
1B. Satan is a slanderer.
Satan will question your motives. (6:5-6)
Ø They accused Nehemiah of treason.
Matthew 5:11-12 (NASB) 11“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Satan will question your methods. (6:7)
2B. Seek God for strength. (6:8-9)
Seek God for strength to deny the false accusations. (6:8)
Seek God for strength to continue the work. (6:9)
Ø Abraham Lincoln
Ø General MacArthur and Winston Churchill
Ø Henry Ward Beecher
3A. KEEP WORKING IN SPITE OF DANGER (6:10-15)
1B. Satan is a murderer. (6:10)
2B. Seek God for courage. (6:11-15)
Seek God for courage to keep on working in spite of danger. (6:11-12)
Ø It would make him look like a coward. (6:11)
Ø Nehemiah realized that this was not counsel from the Lord. (6:12)
Seek God for courage not to compromise your integrity. (6:13-14)
Numbers 18:7 (NASB) 7“… I am giving you the priesthood as a bestowed service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”
Seek God for courage to complete your assignment. (6:15-16)
Application
Four characteristics of a victorious Christian
1. A victorious Christian has a compelling purpose.
Ø Biblical principle: Great lives are produced by a commitment to a great cause
2. A victorious Christian has a clear perspective.
James 1:5 (NASB) 5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
3. A victorious Christian is in continual prayer.
Luke 18:1 (NASB)…at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,
4. A victorious Christian has a courageous persistence.
Galatians 6:9 (NASB) 9Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
PRESSING ON TO VICTORY
Overcoming Obstacles to Victory – Part 9
Nehemiah 6:1-15
1A. Keep Working in Spite of _________________.
1B. Satan is a _______________________. (6:1-2)
2B. _____________ God for discernment. (6:2b-4)
Seek God for ___________________ to understand what is really going on. (6:2b)
Seek God for discernment to keep the __________ thing the main thing. (6:3-4)
2A. Keep ______________ in Spite of Defamation.
1B. Satan is a _____________________________.
Satan will question your _____________. (6:5-6)
Ø They accused Nehemiah of treason.
Matthew 5:11-12
Satan will question your _______________. (6:7)
2B. Seek God for ____________________. (6:8-9)
Seek God for strength to deny the false accusations. (6:8)
Seek God for strength to ____________________ the work. (6:9)
3A. KEEP WORKING IN SPITE OF DANGER (6:10-14)
1B. Satan is a _______________________. (6:10)
2B. Seek God for __________________. (6:11-15)
Seek God for courage to _____________ _______ working in spite of danger. (6:11-12)
Seek God for courage not to compromise your __________________________. (6:13-14)
Numbers 18:7 (NASB) 7“… I am giving you the priesthood as a bestowed service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”
Seek God for courage to ____________________ your assignment. (6:15)
Application
Four characteristics of a victorious Christian
1. A victorious Christian has a compelling ______________________.
Ø Biblical principle: Great lives are produced by a commitment to a great cause
2. A victorious Christian has a clear ______________________.
James 1:5 (NASB) 5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
3. A victorious Christian is in continual _______________________.
Luke 18:1 (NASB)…at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,
4. A victorious Christian has a courageous ________________________.
Galatians 6:9 (NASB) 9Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.