Opposition of God's Work- Nehemiah 6

Scripture: Nehemiah 6

"For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, 'Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.' Now therefore, O God, strengthen our hands." -Nehemiah 6:9

Nehemiah was written at a hard time in the history of Jerusalem. During the exile, the Babylonians hadn't taken everyone, but they only took the leaders and the wealthy- anyone who could mount a serious threat to their control, essentially. The people left behind lived in constant fear, and were disheartened and defenseless against the outside marauders. Many years later, after the Babylonian Empire had fallen to the Medes and the Persians, there was a Persian king sitting in the capital. His cupbearer was the Jewish Nehemiah, who talked with some of the Jews who had been to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity was over. One such group lamented, reporting that the condition of the once glorious capital was in ruins, without so much as a wall to protect the inhabitants from invaders and brigands. The kings notices the sorrow of Nehemiah, and after learning the report, dispatches Nehemiah with an edict that makes Nehemiah the governor and the man in charge of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. This- of course- is wildly popular with the rulers of the surrounding areas. Time and again they try to thwart God's plans by disheartening the workers and the faithful Nehemiah. In just chapter 6 alone they try to lure him to meet them and compromise, they try to slander him by saying that he is doing it all to be proclaimed the new king of Judah, and then by hiring some prophets in Judah to speak ill of the work of rebuilding the wall. Through it all, God shows Nehemiah exactly what is going on, and Nehemiah keeps praying for God's help in everything, and specifically during times of opposition.

We face opposition frequently when we are being obedient to God's calling. We have people that want us to compromise our values and not be completely going for what God's called us to do. We have people that choose to malign our character and spread rumors and lies about us. We can even have people that claim to serve God that speak falsely in His name against what God is having us do. Recently, I have experienced this in a few different ways. A friend of mine is working on a project with me and several other people to bring more youth and young adults into our church. The project is creating a coffeehouse atmosphere as an outreach of just showing love and giving them something to do that isn't going to bring them down on a Friday night. Not preaching. Not Bible-thumping. Just loving on people with a cup of Joe, some music and a place to be where they don't have to be drunk or stoned or doing junk to have a good time. All three of the kinds of opposition that came against Nehemiah have come against us. There have been people trying to get us to take all the work effort off of the project and apply it to other things that are "more important". They want us to compromise and say, "well, it can wait". There have been people that have been spreading the nastiest slander and gossip about the people involved. Everything from "So-and-So doesn't want you around because they find you annoying" to "Such-and-Such is sleeping with What's-His-Face"... and most everything in between. Then there are people on the inside that are of the genuine (or seemingly genuine) opinion that this is never going to get off the ground and it won't make a cent of difference in anyone's life. It has been a struggle to fend this garbage off, but through God's grace and strength, we can listen to the truth, dispel the lies, and and bond as a group in a common purpose. As long as we are doing what God leads us to do, Satan won't like it, and he will have opposition come against us and the work we do. But through everything, we are reminded by Nehemiah's example to pray. Pray for the success of God's work and for His strength to see it through to completion. Pray God's protection and encouragement in time of opposition. Pray and seek His face above all, and He will come through for you.

Lord, be my Refuge in the time of opposition. Help me to stay strong despite the attacks of my enemies. Help me to continue pressing into You through all things, and be my Protector and Validator when others would seek to harm me. Thank You for allowing me to work alongside You. Amen.