“Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked…” (Nehemiah 4:4)
Whenever we are doing something truly powerful for the LORD, whenever we are following His prompting into action, we should expect to face opposition. When we are passionately serving God and by doing so – leading others into a closer relationship with Him – the enemy will seek to stop us or discourage us.
This pattern has been since the beginning of time. Yet we are not called to believe the words of the enemy, we are called to rely upon the words of the LORD. We are not called to passively accept the obstacles or attacks as powerless victims. Yet we are told to call upon the name of the LORD and to prepare ourselves for battle. You see, the enemy may construct huge walls, or rise up gigantic armies – either of which may appear to be indestructible or insurmountable – but the power of our God surpasses even the largest of walls. Even the greatest mountains are moved at His command! Our God is not outnumbered by gigantic armies. At His command the Armies of Heaven fight for us, and no earthly army can stand against their power.
When we are led by God to some sort of action or ministry, the enemy will make plans to “come and fight against” us in an attempt to “throw us into confusion” thus halting our good work. But just like Nehemiah who was called to lead a remnant of Israel to rebuild Jerusalem, when attacks come up against us, “…we prayed to our God, and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves.” (Nehemiah 4:8-9)
How does that relate to me? Well, I can either feel defeated, throw in the towel, and withdraw from the good work that I have been called to do, or I can take my concerns and problems before the LORD. I can seek Him and His guidance. I can ask for Him to provide help and strength. I can make my requests and my situation known to Him. Make no mistake – God already knows my struggles, but God wants me to stop trying to solve them and rely upon my own insufficient strength and rely upon His limitless power.
How do I guard the city and protect myself? Well, as Christ-followers we are not weaponless. In the book of Ephesians, chapter 6, we are given a list of items known as the Armor of God. Most of those items refer to our protection – shields, belts, shoes, a helmet, a breastplate – but one item is made for warfare. We do not enter into battle unarmed. We have the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. No weapon formed against it can stand. No weapon.
We need to remember that we are called to carry that weapon with us not as a last defense, but as an everyday part of our wardrobe. We, like Nehemiah and those with him rebuilding the wall, are called to build while at the same time having our sword belted to our side – ready for attacks.
This is why we have to know what the Word of God says. If I don’t, I am not only unaware of my ability to fight and the power God makes available to me, but I am also decreasing the size of my weapon because I am unfamiliar with the promises of God. This is not unlike being given a weapon but not realizing its use or potential.
What barrier are you butting up against? What walls need to be taken down in your life that appear to be insurmountable? What is sucking away your strength and energy and leaving you feeling defeated?
Take it to God. Pick up your weapon. Stand firm in His truth. Then our God will fight for us!
Blessings!