What to do in the face of opposition...
After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and daughters, your wives and your homes" (Neh 4:14)
Whenever we attempt to follow God, we will inevitably face opposition. It happens so often that I would almost call it a spiritual law. In today's passage, I am reminded of how the Israelites sought to rebuild the wall around their city. This incited anger and ridicule from those around them. Even to the point of threats to kill them. This is where we arrive in this verse. Nehemiah reminds them that in the face of fierce opposition we must:
1) Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome. We often get distracted and lose sight of God, when we begin to concentrate on the waves that are crashing around us - and we begin to sink. We must fix our eyes on Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith. Remember how GREAT and POWERFUL our God is. Whenever I forget, I like to look up at the skies at night to remind myself how big God is and how small I am. This is the God we follow.
2) Fight. Don't just be passive. We are asked to stay ACTIVE in our walk with God. If we just stand still, the enemy will sweep us away. Many a times, Christians say that they "trust in God" and are "waiting for God" and yet remain completely static. Don't confuse faith with inaction. We must put on the armour of God (Eph 6) and get into the fray. And remember, just as in Nehemiah, we do not fight alone. Nehemiah posted people in groups and furthermore, at the blow of the trumpet, everyone within earshot will come to the rescue. God has given us the Church to run this race together and to fight the good fight.
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