We can expect, we can face, God will help us with . . . opposition
By Dean Collins
There will be opposition. It might come from inside or maybe from outside your community of faith or your business. Sometimes when the opposition comes, it is easy to identify both the who and the why. But sometimes it comes more deceptively. It may come from someone who is leveraging their position or relationship with those in power. Or it might come from someone who presents themself as trying to be helpful when their agenda is very self-serving. And it might come from both.
The enemy of God is always at work deceiving and trying to interrupt the plans of God. The enemy sows seeds of division within the body of Christ and he also tries to disrupt the progress of believers as they work in business, in government, and in various kingdom-minded non-profit organizations.
In my leadership roles over decades, I have seen and experienced the work of the enemy sowing seeds of division and trying to sabotage God’s work in the lives of many kingdom-minded people and organizations. We can learn from Nehemiah how to succeed when opposition comes at us and attempts to stop or slow the mission and work of God’s kingdom family.
Opposition in many forms
With the blessing and resources of the Persian king, Nehemiah completed his survey of the city of Jerusalem and deployed the citizens to repair and rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem. When the local leadership who had previously been assigned to lead the city saw what Nehemiah was doing, they asked for an explanation. Nehemiah showed Sanballat and Tobiah the letters the king had signed and sent. The opposition quickly followed and included ridicule, lots of questions, and interruptions, including attempts to change the king’s mind by questioning and discrediting the good work Nehemiah and others were doing.
The taunts came loud and clear as humble servants worked to restore the wall and bring blessing and encouragement to the citizens:
“What are these feeble Jews doing?
Will they restore it for themselves?
Will they sacrifice?
Will they finish up in a day?
Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?”
“Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!”
Help from God
But listen to faithful Nehemiah as he gave instructions to the workers who had joined him on the mission of restoring the walls and gates of the city:
“Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”
“When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan,” Nehemiah reported, “we all returned to the wall, each to his work. From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail.”
And then he added, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
Responding to opposition
From Nehemiah, we can see three principles to remember when the opposition comes and attempts to interrupt the kingdom work we are doing.
1. Do not be afraid of them
2. Remember the Lord who is great and awesome
3. God will fight for us
The enemy wants to stir fear in us when we face difficulty and opposition. He wants us to trust in ourselves because he knows that by ourselves we will become discouraged when opposition arrives— especially if it is led by powerful and influential people. The apostle Paul reminded young Timothy that we were not given a spirit of fear but rather a Holy Spirit-filled mind to think with, a heart filled with God’s love, and Holy Spirit power to hold our ground. We don’t fight against people, but through prayer, we rest in confidence that God will deal with the enemy and provide for us the protection and strength we need to continue his work.
Our awesome God will not be bullied by anyone. He stands with us as we do his work of renewal and restoration.
Father, today we pause to remember how good, how great, and how awesome you are! As we face enemy opposition, we choose not to cower in fear. We trust in you and in your promises to fight for us. We surrender every battle to you today. Fill us with your Holy Spirit so that we might respond to others and to our various situations with a spirit of courage, love, and a sound mind. In Jesus name, amen.
Your time with God’s Word
Nehemiah 2:9-10; 12-20; 4:1-23 ESV
Photo by Joshua Brown at pexels.com
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