Prayer: Father, opposition is to be expected in Kingdom work. An enemy will always emerge, whether from without or within the ranks. Help me to always be on the alert. Amen.
Reading: Nehemiah 3-4 key: 3:36-38 “Hear, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insult back on their own head! Give them up as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover their guilt or blot out their sin from before You, for they have provoked You to anger before the builders. So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a heart to work.” TLV
Attention: It is important to know the players when you are looking at an historical account. Who is Sanballat who is mentioned in 3:33? Here is what the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (HIBD) has to say about Sanballat. His personal name means “Sin (the god) has healed.” “Although addressed by his Babylonian name (probably acquired during the exile, Sanballat was a practicing Jew. His daughter was married to the grandson of Jerusalem’s high priest (Neh. 13:28), indicating harmonious relations between Judah and Samaria at the time. Nehemiah referred to Sanballat as the ‘Horonite,’ suggesting a connection with Upper or Lower Beh-horon. (Neh. 2:10). These cities controlled the major highway between Jerusalem and the Mediterranean Sea. If Sanballat had influence with these towns, he could greatly affect Jerusalem’s economy.”
The walls signaled Jerusalem’s regaining prominence as the Holy City. Reestablishing prominence would diminish the power of the surrounding cities. Sanballat and his buddies, Tobiah and Shemaiah felt threatened by the project of Nehemiah to rebuild the walls. This appears to be more of a power struggle politically than a religious conflict. If the center of worship and instruction was once again centered in Jerusalem, people would bypass or walk right through their towns.
It has been my experience that opposition appears from the enemy of our souls when we are over the target. When things begin to happen spiritually, when a movement of God is launching and a ground swell of support emerges, opposition creeps in. Someone is used to plant a seed of doubt or spew negativity. Perhaps a half-truth is spread about the leader. Or someone in charge of the finances dips into the funds.
Egos arise and conflicts ensue when everyone is not in submission to the prompting of God. Ezra and Nehemiah were obedient to the will and desire of God (2:12b). The project was not their idea. God had placed the project on their hearts. They were acting on the prompting of God and the people agreed and put their heart and hand to the task of rebuilding (2:18).
Are you allowing the spiritual leadership among you, to communicate the will of God into your lives? Upon sensing the prompting of God through your spiritual leadership, are you responding as the Hebrew exiles did to Nehemiah?
May we see an increase of spiritual leadership in our faith communities like Nehemiah and Ezra. Men who lead us at the prompting of God to accomplish His will. May we also discern a genuine prompting of God and engage in His work for the kingdom.
Action: I choose to engage in projects or activities which are a genuine prompting of God.
Yield: I choose to yield to promptings of God in my spiritual leadership.
Engage: I choose to engage with people of faith in genuine moves of God.
Relationship: I choose to live in intimate relationship with God.
Prayer: Father, I desire to experience Your promptings and genuine movements with people of great faith. Bring us together for the benefit of Your Kingdom. Help me to be submissive to Your will. I want to be where You are, and where you are moving! Amen.
Memory Verse: 2 Corinthians 3:15-18 “But to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart. But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Ruach Adonai is, there is freedom. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory—just as from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” TLV
Music Video: Life.Church Worship—Where the Spirit of the Lord is https://youtu.be/6ZaqADo_aT4?si=3KPAH_a3MiLe9okK
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”