"When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work."
This seems to be a simple thing to do. Yet, it has the seed of gallantry in it. It is often those things that are quiet and unseen that are greater than they appear. The work of building the walls around Jerusalem was a huge task even if conditions had been ideal.
However, in God's work things are rarely, if ever, ideal even when they are at their best. I want us to look at some of the conditions under which Nehemiah and his workers labored and see if there are any parallels for us. I want us to see the kind of tenacity it takes to accomplish the task. I want us to see what is involved when you as a laborer for the Lord remain at your place on the wall when problems are at their greatest pitch. Look with me when the odds are against you and when you feel like you are standing alone. In times like this it is possible to take things up again even in the midst of depressing circumstances.
I. NEHEMIAH TOOK UP THINGS AGAIN IN AN UNSETTLED HOUR.
Nehemiah 4:6
"So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half the height, for the people worked with all their heart First the task was half finished."
This is the most dangerous time in building. It is most hazardous when the work is in the middle stages. The flush and glow of the beginning the novelty is gone. How many times I have seen this. Starting a new work exciting. There is all the glow of it, and people are excited. Growth is everywhere. God is blessing. People are getting saved and even the board is happy. That is when opposition steals in. The people of God begin to complain. There is a hole in the balloon, and you can hear the hiss as the air leaks out.
Might as well face it, problems and discouragement can be expected after we've been working for a while. Especially in the Lord's work, the task always becomes harder than we thought it would be. We thought that we had covered all the bases but there will always be something. It tends to happen when things are half finished. That's what happened to Nehemiah. Read Nehemiah 4:6-11.
"So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But, we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall." Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work."
Basically there were three reasons for discouragement.
First the laborers were exhausted. (2 Corinthians 4:8,9)
Opposition not only brings discouragement to the leaders, but it can bring on discouragement on the workers. Israel's enemies right in their own back yard caused trouble. Not only that, but there was much rubbish and the people were not able to work. Can you just hear them cry out in their frustration? They were so discouraged and depressed. The workload was too heavy.
However, any good leader will not allow opposition to slow things down. Nehemiah just kept on working. I can just hear his shout of encouragement. "Well, get rid of the rubbish!" You can't build a foundation on rubbish. Some of us need to get rid of some garbage. The work is hard enough already without having to dodge and trip over garbage every time you turn around. And that is exactly what they did. They got rid of the rubbish and went to work.
The KJV says, the people had a "mind to work, a heart to pray and an eye to watch." In spite of the threats and unsettledness, the people took things up again,and the walls were built in 52 days.
II.THEY TOOK THINGS UP AGAIN IN A THREATENING HOUR
Nehemiah 4:7,8
"But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to
Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it."
The future was uncertain and unsettled. The enemy was ruthless, united, cruel and confident. They said that they would come and fight against Jerusalem and cause the work to cease. Some of the workers listened to the threats. The problem was that they were living too close to the enemy. They heard all the threats. The talk was ruthless. It was conspiracy at it's worst. There were those who were not in the middle of the work, out on the fringes, that were hearing the plans of the enemy. The were spreading fear int the minds of the people and saying that Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and all the rest were going to invade the work and start killing people. Fear from negative thinkers from within who were not at the hub of activity was bringing alarm into the camp. (Nehemiah 4:11-14) They were pessimistic, spreading their discontent with the other workers.
I believe it was Warren Wiersby who said there are three kinds of workers in the church. There are constructionists, obstructionists, and destructionists. Someone else suggested there are workers, shirkers and jerkers in the Lord's work. We should all aim to be constructionists and workers. The obstructionists, destructionists, shirkers and jerkers tend to pull down the spiritual temperature of the other workers. They make it hard to get the work done. Friends, we ought to make it easier for one another top serve the Lord. The zeal and empathy of the workers is so important for good working conditions. Let's reduce the stress of threatening circumstances by being the unified people of God.
III. THEY TOOK THINGS UP AGAIN IN A DISCOURAGING HOUR
Nehemiah 4:10
In this section there are three things that bring on discouragement. The same things bring on similar conditions today.
1. Decaying strength. (V 10-12)
"Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall."
Weariness and an impossible task is at the heart of discouragement. In speaking to the Ephesian church, The Lord said, "I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance." Their hard work was their labor to the point of exhaustion. Then the work was so crucial that some of the people were called from their jobs to serve as guards, placing more stress on the work force.
Paul spoke of his weariness in 2 Cor. 4:8,9. "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." Paul also said, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
2. An "Impossible" Task
Here is fatigue brought on my pressure. Mental fatigue is the most debilitating Today we are living in a pressure cooker much like Nehemiah did.
External pressures
(1.) Ridicule and scorn 4:1-6
(2.) Anger and conspiracy 4:7-9
Internal pressures
(1.) Discouraged brethren 4:10-23
(2.) Internal trouble, greed and oppression
Infernal pressures
(1) The Snare of the worlds Friendship 6:1-4
(2) The subtlety of the worlds Slanders 6:5-7
(3) The Scandal of the world's religion 6:10-113. Accumulated Rubbish
The foundations must be cleared. There can be no building without a solid foundation. The work must be founded on the rock. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11.)
The church has always had to contend with rubbish. Rubbish in the church and in our hearts. The rubbish weakens the work for God. It must be cleared away and the foundation bared before anything lasting can be done.
IV.HE TOOK THINGS UP AGAIN BECAUSE HE HAD HIS EYE ON THE GOAL.
Neh.6:13-20
The enemy was formidable. Nehemiah was surrounded on all sides. "Oh Lord our God will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you. (2 Chr. 20:12)
Here is the secret for overcoming discouragement
Nehemiah was always praying like this. It is DART PRAYING.
Just throw it out there. A careful study of Nehemiah will find this over and over again. Nehemiah did three things to even the battleground.
1. First, he shared with the people the means of claiming the victory. While everyone else was looking
around, Nehemiah was looking up. HE knew how to do this. He was always looking up to the Lord. He
said, "Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me."(Nehemiah 6:14) He said, "Remember the Lord who is great and awesome." (Nehemiah 4:14)
The best way to overcome depression and discouragement is to remember the greatness of our God. Recall how the Lord parted the waters of the Red sea allowing the people to cross the red sea dry shod and then allowed His people to sing about it. Relive how the Lord how he piled up the water of the Jordan River. Recall Jericho and the forces of 300 men of Gideon how The Lord defeated the Midianites. The Lord is great and awe-inspiring. The next time you get discouraged REFLECT on the issues. Remember what you are working for."Fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." (Nehemiah 4:14)
What greater issues are there? The consequences are the same today. Everything is at stake. What will happen if you leave your place on the wall? Keep on going! Don't be weary in well doing. Once Paul the Apostle said, "So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:1) The image Paul is portraying is that of a galley slave.
Warren Wiersby explains it in this manner. Paul answered the leaders of the various factions in the church when he called Peter, and Apollos, and himself "Ministers of Christ." The word-translated minister is literally "under-rowers." It described the slaves who rowed the huge Roman galleys. "We are not the captains of the ship," said Paul, "but only the galley slaves who are under orders. Now, is one slave greater than another?"
The whole idea is that no matter what is happening we have to keep on rowing. Nothing can stop the effort. Faithful under rowers keep rowing against all odds.
This illustrates Nehemiah's stance. He wanted his workers to be ready for anything. They had to be prepared for action. Some were working, others were watching and still others were praying. It takes everyone. If one slacks from the work all the laborers suffer. Everyone must be at his or her place at all costs. Only then will we building successfully. This goes for individuals and well as churches.
The people had a mind to work a heart to pray and an Eye to watch. They were vigilant.
FIGHT!
Submit yourselves then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7) Many times when we read that verse we fail to see the whole picture. That verse says submit yourself to God, then resist. Just look at how Nehemiah resisted. He took nothing for granted. The danger is always that we will have controversy at the expense of capturing souls. It is a masterstroke of Satan. There always has been, and probably always will be controversy. But don't let controversy stop us from the work that God has given us to do.
