Dealing with Distractions

Dealing with Distractions

Nehemiah 6:1-19

Several months ago, I found myself behind a vehicle that was driving erratically. It was morning, so I thought that the driver had been drinking all night and was driving drunk. I then noticed the man holding up his phone in the air. That is when I realized that he was trying to text while he was driving. I immediately thought of the bumper sticker that says, “If you love Jesus, honk your horn. If you want to see Jesus, then text.” The man was distracted because of texting.

In our Christian experience there are many things in life that the enemy will use to distract us from God’s purpose and plan for our lives, many things he will use to distract us from advancing the kingdom of God. Nehemiah chapter six reveals this truth.

Since chapter four of our study of Nehemiah, we have been learning lessons concerning spiritual warfare. Anytime you do God’s work, God’s way; you can expect the enemy to oppose you.

The enemy will use ridicule, threats, discouragement, and disunity to stop the work of God. Chapter six reveals yet another tactic the enemy use to stop God’s kingdom from advancing. In this study we will learn how to deal with distractions.

The attacks of chapter six are a little different from the previous chapters. In chapters four and five the attacks were against a whole group of people. In chapter six the attacks are against an individual. They are against Nehemiah personally.

As individual believers, we need to recognize the personal attacks that will come from the enemy. These attacks, which are designed to keep us out of the game, usually come in the form of distractions. The more individuals that the enemy can distract, the greater the impact the enemy can have in hindering the advancement of the kingdom of God.

The episodes that we are going to look at in chapter six will reveal to us how the enemy attacks. Nehemiah’s response will teach us how to overcome the distractions. First, to overcome distractions we have to stay focused on the mission.

1. Stay focused on the mission

Notice the progress that has been made in rebuilding the wall in verse one, “1Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates,” The wall is done. The only thing needed was to hang the doors in the gates.

This progress did not stop the enemy from attacking. The enemy is going to attack the leader, with the hopes of distracting him from the work and ultimately bringing the work to a halt.

In verse two we see the subtle attack of the enemy, “2then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together at [a]Chephirim in the plain of (B)Ono." This was on the surface a friendly suggestion from the enemy. The world “together” suggests the idea of a compatible visit. Even so, it is clear that the request wanted to take Nehemiah from the work of the kingdom.

The plain of Ono was located between Samaria and Jerusalem. This area was a hostile area. Furthermore, it would have taken Nehemiah a day to travel, another to discuss, and yet another day to travel back. This invitation would have taken him away from the work for three days.

It seems as if the enemy was conceding defeat, much like a politician who knows he can’t win a race. Nehemiah could have rationalized this request. Nehemiah could have easily fallen for their request and given in. He could have said, “I have been working hard, and I deserve a break. He could have taken time off to go and gloat to the enemy. But he didn’t. Nehemiah was a man of wisdom and discernment.

Notice what Nehemiah writes at the end of verse two, “But they were trying to harm me.” Nehemiah had learned from experience with these guys that they were not good company. His time in prayer with the Lord gave him discernment concerning matters such as this.

I believe Nehemiah’s response in verse three reveals how he was able to overcome this subtle distraction from the enemy, “3So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?" That response reveals Nehemiah’s understanding of his mission. He understood his priorities and was committed to them.

First, notice how he understood his mission in life, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.” His mission, his priority in life was God’s kingdom and he was committed to God’s kingdom.

Many people lose focus of God’s call upon their lives. God calls all of us to advance his kingdom. Many don’t keep God and his purposes a priority, and, therefore, they lack commitment and resolve to stay on mission. They are easily distracted.

Many Christians have been distracted from the mission from good things like recreation, family, sports activities and the like. For some, they have lost focused and it is revealed in their inconsistent participation in church and serving Christ. Some have been so distracted from the mission that their service to the kingdom is non-existent. They have lost their focus of the mission. The enemy will use all kinds of distractions to get God’s people from the work.

When opportunities come our way, we must run those opportunities through the kingdom filter.

Does this opportunity or activity help me advance God’s kingdom? Does it help me be the godly person that God has called me to be? Does it help or hurt my family spiritually? Does it keep me focused on God’s mission, or take me away from God’s mission?

For some, I would suggest that you look at your involvement in the life of the church to see if you are distracted. If you are going to deal with and overcome distractions, you must stay focused on the mission. Next, you must stay strengthened through prayer.

2. Stay strengthened through prayer

This next episode reveals how the enemy will use rumors, gossip, and slander to distract God’s people from doing God’s work.

In verse five Nehemiah records the tactic used, “Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner.” In verse four Sanballat kept sending the invitation to Nehemiah and Nehemiah kept responding with determination and resolve. In verse Sanballat sends the same message, but with an open letter in the servant’s hand.

Notice what it says, “Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand.” This open letter meant that all could read what was in the letter. In the letter we find rumors and slander.

Verse six says, “6In it was written, "It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, that (C)you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports.

7"You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, 'A king is in Judah!' And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together."

What this letter consisted of was slander. Sanballat knew that the king stopped the building of the temple during Ezra’s ministry, therefore, he hoped that the rumors and slander about Nehemiah would cause the king to stop the work on the wall. He was also using the slander to distract Nehemiah from the work of the wall.

Nehemiah had to discern whether this was a critical issue that needed to be addressed, or just another wasteful distraction.

One of the temptations of leadership is when you are slandered or maligned, you want to go and spend your time defending and justifying yourself. Thus, you can see why the enemy to distract from the work uses rumors, gossip, and slander.

Nehemiah did not allow this letter to distract him. He stayed focused on the mission and responded accordingly in verse eight, “8Then I sent a message to him saying, "Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are (D)inventing them in your own mind." For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, "They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.”

There is a lot of truth in what the enemy was trying to do with the slander. They wanted to discourage Nehemiah. It is amazing how untrue and unkind words can discourage and distract. It’s even more amazing, and sad, how Christians often allow Satan to uses their mouths to spread gossip, rumors, and slanders. How did Nehemiah overcome the distraction of slander?

Verse nine reveals the key to his success, “But now, O God, strengthen my hands.” What is Nehemiah doing? He is praying. He was able to overcome the distraction of slander because God strengthened him.

It takes grace to keep on keeping on. There will be all kings of hurts experienced when doing the work of God, and many of those hurts will come at the hands of brothers and sisters in Christ. Only Christ can strengthen us to persevere and endure. Only Christ can strengthen us to stay focused on the mission so that we don’t become distracted. Stay strengthened through prayer if you are going to overcome distractions. Next, we must stay faithful to the word.

3. Stay faithful to the word

The next attempt to distract Nehemiah is found in verses ten, “10When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, (F)who was confined at home, he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night."

Notice how each one of these episodes is linked together. In verse two the enemy says, “Come, let us meet together.” In verse seven, “Come now, let us take counsel together.” In verse ten, “Let us meet together.” Unholy alliances will always distract God’s people from God’s mission.

The invitation in verse ten is a very clever one. It comes to Nehemiah in the form of a prophecy. Notice what Nehemiah says about the invitation in verse twelve, “Then I perceived that God had not sent him.” Nehemiah was discerning enough to know that this was not a prophecy or a revelation from God.

The reason he was able to discern the invitation as being false is found in Nehemiah’s faithfulness to the word of God In this invitation we see two temptations presented to Nehemiah. He was able to discern and overcome the first temptation on account of his faithfulness to the promises of God.

a. Faithful to the promises of God

Shemiah was trying to scare Nehemiah with the threat of a surprise attack. The temptation that Nehemiah was presented with was to put his own safety before the work of God. Would he give into self-preservation and takes things into his own hands? Or would he have faith in the promises of God and allow God to protect him?

Nehemiah was a great leader in the work of God because he trusted God. Had Nehemiah been into self-preservation, he would have abandoned the work long before he got started, or if not before, soon after he got started.

Nehemiah understood that God gave him the vision of the work. The Lord put it into his heart. Therefore, he trusted the Lord to preserve him when he went before the king in chapter two. The Lord strengthened Nehemiah. The Lord equipped Nehemiah. The Lord protected and guided Nehemiah. Not one time up to this point ad the Lord led Nehemiah to run for his life. Nehemiah was faithful to the Lord’s promises.

Notice how Nehemiah responds to the invitation with a question in verse eleven, “But I said, should a man like me flee?” Nehemiah was able to overcome the distraction by being faithful to the promises of God. Next, we see Nehemiah being faithful to the precepts of God.

b. Faithful to the precepts of God

The second temptation that was presented to Nehemiah was the clue that the word from Shemiah was not a word from God. Shemiah tries to seduce Nehemiah to disobey the word of God.

Notice closely the invitation again in verse ten, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple.” What Shemiah is asking Nehemiah to do is contrary to the teaching of the Old Testament. He was inviting Nehemiah to enter a place in the temple where only priest are allowed. Ironically, King Uzziah, arrogantly entered into this same place in the temple, and was graciously spared by escaping only with leprosy. Had Nehemiah listened to Shemiah he could have very well lost his life.

Notice how Nehemiah responds with a second question, “And could one such as I go into the temp and save his life?” Nehemiah knew the word of God and was faithful to obey the word of God.

This particular distraction was out to destroy the character of Nehemiah. Verse thirteen says, “He was hired for this reason, that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that I might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me.” They wanted to destroy his character and ruin his ability to continue to lead God’s people.

There have been many Christians distracted by spiritual seduction, only to have their characters destroyed, and their ability to be used by God limited.

I can tell you story after story of pastors and ministers who were distracted by spiritual seduction, resulting the loss of families, ministries, and influence. I can tell countless stories of husbands and wives, fathers and mothers who were distracted by spiritual seduction. I can tell countless stories of children, youth, college and career, and young adults distracted by spiritual seduction. To overcome the distraction of spiritual seduction, you need to stay faithful to the word of God. Lastly, to overcome distraction we must stay alert in victory.

4. Stay alert in victory

Notice the victory that was accomplished in verses fifteen and sixteen, “5So (K)the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.

16(L)When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for (M)they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.” Yet, even with the great victory, the enemy continues to try to distract Nehemiah. We see this revealed in verses seventeen through nineteen. Stay alert even in victory because the enemy is always trying to distract God’s people from the work.

Let the Lord get personal with you this morning. Are you distracted from the things of the Lord? Is serving the Lord the priority of your life? Are you walking with the Lord on a daily basis? Are you being strengthened by God as you spend time with him daily in the word and in prayer? Do you trust him with all your heart? Are you living obedient to God’s word?

If the Lord is convicting you because you are distracted, why don’t you refocus right now! Renew your relationship with the Lord this morning. For some, you need to establish a relationship with the Lord this morning. The enemy is distracting some of you from being saved through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Will you let him continue to distract you, or will you trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior now?