“Fight for your brothers, your sons and daughters, your wives, and your homes”, Nehemiah 4:14.
I absolutely enjoy reading the books of Nehemiah and Ezra. They are filled with wisdom and revelation for Kingdom assignments, especially building projects. Your assignment could be to construct places of worship, community centers, orphanages, faith-based foundations and organizations, homes or whatever God has instructed you to build. Your special project may very well be building people’s lives, which is so desperately needed in this hour. Actually, the leadership ministry gifts were given to prepare God's people for the work of Christian service, in order to build up the body of Christ ( Ephesians 4:11-16).
Whatever the assignment God has entrusted to you, these historical books are packed with insight to help you build and overcome the opposition you will face in the process.
In this particular post, I want to focus on the book of Nehemiah. Recently, I read chapter 4 again and came away with this insight:
There will always be opponents. Before starting the building process, know opposition is inevitable. Nehemiah teaches us how to handle it. When our enemies are in close proximity, it may be more intimidating than if they were at a distance. Sometimes we become fearful and discouraged because of their ridicule and threats.
Take note of this advice gleaned from Nehemiah:
Do not allow your opponents' threats to coward you down.
Do not be afraid of them! Instead “pray” throughout the entire process. Prayer will keep you focused on your assignment and not the threats and mocking from your opponents. In prayer and praise you will receive strategies to defeat the enemy.
Pray “bold” prayers such as Nehemiah prayed, “May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land. Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of the builders”, Nehemiah 4:5.
Remember you are praying against the diabolical assignments of the enemy, Satan not the persons being used by the enemy. We are not fighting against flesh and blood (human beings).
This is the time to fight spiritually, of course. Please understand I am not advocating physical violence, although the temptation to throw a few good punches will come to mind. That is why you must be prayerful and stay focused on what God has ordained. If He assigns the task, He is well able to work through you to complete it. Your success is contingent upon your obedience to Him. I repeat, this is the time to fight. Why? God has given the approval to complete the work…finish your assignment.
Those working with you may become weary, fearful and weak. Some of your workers may murmur and complain because of the workload, but mainly because of the opposition from the enemy. Nevertheless, as the leader assigned to oversee the project, you must do the following:
Remain in position to assess the situation
Stay focused on the assignment
Remind the workers of our all-powerful, great and glorious Lord
Strategize and organize them to fight to the finish.
Encourage and motivate them to continue working.
Notice what Nehemiah said, “Fight for your brothers, your sons and daughters, your wives, and your homes”, Nehemiah 4:14. Your assignment is not about you. It involves the plan and purposes of God, not only for your immediate family, but others as well as future generations.
Stand! Do not be afraid to fight when it’s time. How do you know when it’s time? When God sanctions the start of a project (assignment) and immediately the enemy is outraged, becomes furious and began to ridicule and intimidate you. Often the strategy is to have an audience to include others who will join in with plotting to launch an outright attack.
Have you faced opposition lately in the work God has assigned to you? If so, how are you handling it?
Now is the time to fight! Learn from Nehemiah. Verse 8, "So they all plotted together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion, BUT WE PRAYED to our God and kept men on guard against them day and night.
Now is the time to fight! Watchmen, intercessors and prayer warriors arise!
Sure, the people may become fearful and worried, but like Nehemiah did, tell them, "Don't be afraid of our enemies. Remember how great and terrifying the Lord is, and fight for your relatives, your children, your wives, and your homes." (Nehemiah 8:14)