SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/11/2011 7:54:29 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Intimidating plots
Bible Reading
& Meditation Reference: Nehemiah 4:7-9
Message of the verses: “7 Now
when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that
the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be
closed, they were very angry. 8 All of them conspired together to come and
fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it. 9 But we prayed to our God,
and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.”
In
today’s SD we will look at a second device that Satan will use to oppose the
work of the Lord.
Before
I comment on these three verses I want to look at a passage from Daniel chapter
nine. The reason for this is because it
was Daniel who had gotten a message from the Lord in answer to his prayer that
is recorded in the ninth chapter. He saw
after reading Jeremiah 25:11 that the captivity of the Jews would be seventh
years long and he wanted to know what would happen after the captivity was
over. The things that were going on in
Nehemiah’s day at this time of his writing were told to Daniel would
happen. There are different parts to
Daniel’s prophecy and after the prophecy is started the first part has to do
with restoring and rebuilding the city of Jerusalem. Daniel prophecies that it will be in a
difficult time that this will occur: “"So you are to know and discern that
from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the
Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again,
with plaza and moat, even
in times of distress.”
This
section from the book of Nehemiah shows that the Jews had four different
enemies who were working together to stop the work of rebuilding the
walls. To the North came Sanballat and
the Samaritans; to East Tobiah and the Ammonites; to the South, Geshem and the
Arabs; and to the west came the Philistines headed by the Ashdodites which was
the largest city of the Philistines and was an old enemy of the Jews.
Nehemiah
knew what it meant to “watch and pray,”
for we will see later on in 4:17 that the workers had tools in one hand to work
on the wall and weapons in the other hand to protect themselves from their
enemies that they were surrounded by.
From
a Christian perspective on this Dr. Wiersbe writes the following: “The Christian battle is not against flesh
and blood, but against Satan and his demonic forces that use flesh and blood to
oppose the Lord’s work. If we hope to
win the war and finish the work, we must use the spiritual equipment God has
provided (Eph. 6:10-18; 2 Cor. 10:1-6).
If we focus on the visible
enemy alone and forget the invisible
enemy, we are sure to start trusting our own resources; and this will lead to
defeat.”
“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in
the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be
able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against
the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of
wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor
of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done
everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS
WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having
shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to
all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take THE HELMET OF
SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all
prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be
on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints” (Eph.
6:10-18).
Spiritual meaning for my life today: “1 Now
I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ-I who am meek
when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! 2 I ask that when I am present I need not be
bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some,
who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we
do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are
not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We
are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the
knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of
Christ, 6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience
is complete” (2 Cor. 10:1-6)
The
highlighted section of the above passage is something I wish to focus in
on. This seems to me that it goes along
with the statement the Dr. Wiersbe made that believers are to watch and pray
and not trust in opposing the enemy just in the flesh, but by praying too and
depending upon the Lord to defeat the enemies that we face.
My Steps of Fait
for Today:
1.
Romans 12:1-2
2.
Proverbs 3:5-6
3.
Ephesians 6:10-18
4.
Philippians 4:10-13
5.
Philippians 4:13
8/11/2011 8:36:03 AM
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