Opposition Births and Brings Promotion

Opposition to the Rebuilding

1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews,
2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, "What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?"
3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, "What they are building—if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!"
4 Hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.
6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
7 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. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
10 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."
11 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." (Neh.4:1-11)

In this passage we see Nehemiah, man who was nationalistic, who had a burden for his homeland, in spite of the fact that he was had a good job in a foreign land.

He heard that the walls of his beloved nation had fallen down and grief overwhelmed him. The king whom he served saw his sad countenance and enquired what the matter was. He relayed the whole story and, guess what?, the king made provision for him to go back and do what he could to rebuild the wall, He not only gave him provision but also gave him a letter of recommendation on his passage and some security guard all the way.

He was exhilarated, by this favour from the King and immediately embarked for home. But his euphoria was short-lived. He immediately met with opposition at home from people who should be helping him. They mocked him for a start but when they saw that he has helpers who had a mind to work, sacrificing all, committed to the hilt, they became mad and put obstacles in their way.

This is what our adversary does even today when we rise up to fulfill the vision that God puts in our hearts. There will be opposition from the enemy of our souls. He will use people who should know better- people who should be helping us but now filled with wrath that we are rising up to do what they have ignored.

We must not play into their hands by listening to their taunts and mockery. We need to focus our attention on God, who had called us into the ministry or service. This is the time to pray lest we stray. Often the spiritual warfare would not just need prayer but we may need to increase the tempo and gear of our prayer and intercession by including fasting.

Nehemiah did praying and fasting in chapter 1. In chapter 4, we see him working. This tells us there is a time for praying and there is a time for action. However even in the time of action we must still be in touch with the Master praying as we are working because it is a spiritual warfare and we can not win by our might nor by our power but by the Spirit of the Living God.

If we continue reading the story we will realize that the enemy did not relent; they kept coming again and again. We too must not relent. We must continue in faith, believing that He who had begun a good work in us will also continue to work at it until He brings it to a glorious finale.


from Opposition to promotiom

Medication4medition

Often a man's enemies are those close to him; those around him. That is the subtlety of our adversary. It was David' brother who challenged him on the day David was believing God and speaking words of faith as to how the uncircumcised philistine was defying the army of the living God.(1 Sam17)

Joseph's brothers became jealous and sold him into slavery but God used it to promote Joseph. ( Gen 37,39)

Daniel was opposed because of his exemplary character, commitment and prayer life-style. They threw him into the lion’s den but God shut the mouths of the lions for him and rather than the ploy of the enemy destroying him, his opposition brought promotion. (Dan6J)

Peninah provoked Hannah greatly because of her barrenness, but God used it to draw Hannah to Himself and through that encounter birth a miracle – Samuel who became a great prophet. (1Sam.1-6)

The opposition of the early disciples indirectly led to the promotion of the church and spread of the Gospel (Acts 8:1-4)

Excellent Fenny, we are currently going through a study on Nehemiah at my church; you are on the mark. Blessings Irv

Fenny this is a wonderful post and it actually depicts the picture how people around us discourage us. Working as consultant, I come across many people who have the ability to perform better but are showing low performance and are on the verge of termination. When I ask them the reason of their low performance, nearly all of them have a similar reason somehow or the other.

I explain it to them, that when people out of jealousy mock at them, they need to stand firm because they want them to fail. If they bow down to them to their mockery and remarks, then in anger and frustration they do what their enemies want and that is to fail.

Bible is a Book that gives us much more than we can understand. I have based my professional life and my business on Bible. If I come across a Christian, I tell them the story of Noah and Nehemiah, how they were mocked at but they stood firm and accomplished what was asked of them.

The whole chapter of Nehemiah, I relate it with Psalm 23:5

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over

Now if we relate it with the story of Noah and Nehemiah and look around our lives, we see Psalm 23 working. I have seen it working in my life million times, and I believe it works in others lives too.

Irv

I am delight that I am on the mark. The Holy Spirit has away of reinforcing what He is saying to us at any particulr time.

God bless you richly


Fenny

You're quite right, Waqar

Often a man's enemies are those close to him; those around him. That is the subtlety of our adversary. It was David' brother who challenged him on the day David was believing God and speaking words of faith as to how the uncircumcised philistine was defying the army of the living God.(1 Sam17)


Joseph's brothers became jealous and sold him into slavery but God used it to promote Joseph. ( Gen 37,39)

Daniel was opposed because of his exemplary character, commitment and prayer life-style. They threw him into the lion’s den but God shut the mouths of the lions for him and rather than the ploy of the enemy destroying him, his opposition brought promotion. (Dan6J)

Peninah provoked Hannah greatly because of her barrenness, but God used it to draw Hannah to Himself and through that encounter birth a miracle – Samuel who became a great prophet. (1Sam.1-6)

The opposition of the early disciples indirectly led to the promotion of the church and spread of the Gospel (Acts 8:1-4)