Today I want to encourage you with a teaching from the life of an amazing vessel of God- Nehemiah.
His story is a familiar one to many. However, for the sake of those who do not know about Nehemiah, I ask your patience as I try to give a quick synopsis of the great work he did unto the Lord.
Nehemiah served as the cupbearer to King Ataxerxes I of Persia. His job as a cupbearer was seen as a high rank in the royal courts. His duty was to pour and serve the drinks at the royal table. An individual serving in this capacity would have to be trustworthy. His confidential relations with the king often gave him a position of great influence.
As a Jew, Nehemiah was disturbed to learn that although exiles had returned back to Judah for over 100 years, they had not rebuilt the city walls devastated by the Babylonians in 586 BC.
Nehemiah asks and receives the king’s permission to return to Jerusalem, where he and a team of builders would begin to reconstruct the walls.
Life Lesson 1: James 4:2 says we have not because we ask not. Sometimes we get angry and frustrated over situations that we could possibly be an instrument to the solution. Instead of quarreling, coveting, and being angry, even to the point of killing, we should make our requests known to God. Phil 4:6 says to be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. How many times do we look to everyone and everything else before we seek God? He should be the first one we consult. Nehemiah was a man of prayer and because of his great faith in God, he was able to take a great step of faith to ask for what he needed. Interestingly, when the king asked him what he needed, Nehemiah 1.) prayed to the God of heaven and he was very specific. 2.) After praying to God he asked the king for3 things: 1.) Release from the king’s service to go to Judah to build. When the king agreed to this request after Nehemiah shared how long he would be gone, he the asked for the second request: 2.) Letter to the governor to ensure safe entry into Judah and finally, 3.) Letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest that he would supply Nehemiah with timber to make beams for the gates, and for the city wall as well as the house where he would live. Nehemiah’s faith allowed him to be used to be a part of the solution to the problem that burdened him. God honored his faith with favor.
Life Lesson 2: We must understand that everyone will not be as delighted about the favor God extends to you. Such was the case with Nehemiah. As soon as it was discovered that Nehemiah was working to rebuild the wall, he met up against much adversity. The captain or ringleader in this attempt to thwart Nehemiah’s effort was a Samaritan named Sanballat. The Jews and Samaritans had a longstanding history of animosity and disrespect for each other. This made the quest to halt the rebuilding of the wall even more significant to Sanballat who also garnered support from other neighboring peoples to assist him in the effort. These naysayers used mockery, sarcasm, threats, confusion, and hurled insults in an attempt to distract Nehemiah and his team from the work.
Instead of being dismayed and abandoning the work that God gave him favor and provision to complete, Nehemiah pressed forward. Understanding that his adversaries were merely scheming to harm him, Nehemiah sent messengers with the following reply: I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you? (Nehemiah 6:3)
Life Lesson 3: Those who oppose the work(s) done for God, will try to discourage and use all divisive means at their disposal to try to deter God’s servants from the work they are called to complete. To be victorious, you must be prepared to persevere even if the battle lasts a while and stay on the wall. (whatever the work)
The good news is that Nehemiah understood that he had at his disposal weaponry that his enemies did not. He had a relationship with God and knew to go to God in prayer. In Nehemiah 4:9 it states that although Nehemiah realized that his enemies had conspired against his work, he said, “ Nevertheless, we made a prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night. Once again, God responded by giving Nehemiah wisdom and success .
Life Lesson 4: If God be for us, who can be against us?
Nehemiah had nevertheless success! Yes, what the enemy meant for bad, when the enemy tried to block Nehemiah’s plan, God gave him the victory, Nevertheless!
Today you might be facing some enemies trying to discourage you in a work God has called forth for you to do, given you the vision, provision, and favor/ His divine blessing to see it accomplished- I encourage you to apply the lesson we learn from Nehemiah. Stay on the wall, watch and pray and trust God to give you nevertheless success even in the midst of your enemies. Watch God prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. If God has called you to ministry work, don’t be discouraged by adversity or naysayers, be encouraged because God completes what he starts.
I pray you have been inspired by the life lessons and example of Nehemiah
Until next time, I pray for your nevertheless success!
Be blessed!
