We have already seen how Nehemiah has overcome some incredible hurdles but the storms keep coming. Read Nehemiah 6 1:1-14 to understand the challenges Nehemiah continued to face.
Have you ever felt like everything was against you? Nehemiah has faced some tough physical challenges, but the mental challenge he faces in this passage is one from which we can learn. Let’s look at the darts thrown at him.
First his opposers ask him to leave the wall and stop the work. Repeatedly. Next, they write a letter filled with lies to lure Nehemiah away. Then, they even hire someone to try and scare Nehemiah away by threatening his life.
Now we look briefly at the God-given tools Nehemiah used to overcome these very difficult situations. It’s not hard to see, throughout this passage, God-given wisdom in his responses. He acted on his trust in God’s leading and protection to accomplish this vision (vs 8). There is a clarity of call that keeps Nehemiah focused throughout these distractions (vss 3&9). He also had the boldness to confront as he gave strong and swift responses to halt these enemies (vss 3&9). Even though they seemed relentless, Nehemiah had an unwavering faith when these storms kept coming (vss 3-14).
Prayer/Challenge
Ask God for Wisdom (James 1:5)? Pray for God to open our eyes to the clarity of His call (Matthew 28:19-20). Ask Him to give you boldness to confront when ungodly opposition comes (Matthew 18:15-18). Ask God to strengthen our faith as we do the work. We pray today as Nehemiah did in vs. 9, “Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hand.”
