SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/13/2011 7:45:36 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
We
have nothing to fear but fear Itself
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Neh. 4:11-23
Message
of the verses: “11 Our enemies said, "They will not know or see until we come
among them, kill them and put a stop to the work." 12 When the Jews who
lived near them came and told us ten times, "They will come up against us
from every place where you may turn," 13 then I stationed men in the
lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed
the people in families with their swords, spears and bows. 14 When I saw their fear, I rose
and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: "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 houses." 15 When our enemies heard that it
was known to us, and that
God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each
one to his work. “16 From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work
while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates;
and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah. 17 Those who were
rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand
doing the work and the other holding a weapon. 18 As for the builders, each
wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me. 19 I said to
the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work is great
and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another. 20 “At whatever place you hear the
sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us." 21 So we carried
on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars
appeared. 22 At that time I also said to the people, "Let each man with
his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us
by night and a laborer by day." 23 So neither I, my brothers, my servants,
nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each
took his weapon even to the water.”
Fear is the fourth devise that Satan used against the
people who were working to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and fear is surely
something that Satan uses in the lives of believers today.
How was it that Nehemiah and the
people continued to work in spite of the opposition that was against them
during this time of rebuilding the walls?
The late Dr. Alan Redpath explains how the Jews kept the enemy at
bay: “The people had a mind to work
(v-6), a heart to pray (v-9), an eye to watch (v-9), and an ear to hear (v-20);
and this gave them the victory.” Dr.
Wiersbe adds “They also had a godly leader with the faith to stand.” “Therefore…be
steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1Cor.15:58).
It is not known if the Jews who
lived in the outlying villages were conspired with the enemy when they
continued to report that the enemy was going to attack them or if this was
really true. Regardless this report
brought fear to the hearts of the people who were working on the wall, and fear and faith cannot live
together in the heart of those who belong to the Lord. Nehemiah now shows more of his consummate
leadership skills in what he will do in order for the work to continue. He set up guards at the most conspicuous and
vulnerable places on the wall. By doing
this the enemy could see them and think twice about attacking. Next he armed entire families and put them
together because families would fight better if they were together. These families were repairing their house
along with the walls. “When our enemies heard that it was known
to us, and that God had frustrated
their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work”
Nehemiah, who was a great leader,
was encouraging the people who were working on the wall by all of these things
that he was doing. One can be assured
that Nehemiah was also praying for wisdom and strength for these people who
were under his care and leadership.
Nehemiah also kept a man who had the
trumpet close to him so that if the situation arose that man would blow the
trumpet to alert the people.
Dr. Wiersbe writes: “When we face a situation that creates fear
in our hearts, we must remind ourselves of the greatness of God. If we walk by sight and view God through the
problems, we will fail, as did the Jews at Kadesh-Barnea (Numbers
13:26-33). But if we look at the problem
through the greatness of God, we will have confidence and succeed. That was the approach David took when he
faced Goliath (1Sam. 17:45-47). It is good to remind ourselves
that the will of God comes from the heart of God and that we need not be
afraid.”
The defensive plan that Nehemiah put
in place would take care of the problem of any new rumors that may come
about. In this way the work could
continue to the glory of God which is one of the ways that Nehemiah would
encourage the people to continue to work.
Here is a spiritual lesson that all
believers can learn from this section:
“No matter what the workers were doing, or where they labored on the
wall, they all kept an ear open for the sound of the trumpet. What an example for us to follow as we await
the return of the Lord! ‘For the Lord Himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of
God’ (1Thes. 4:16).”
There is a great prophecy in the 9th
chapter of Daniel, a prophecy that many think is the greatest prophecy found in
all of Scripture. The prophecy begins
when Nehemiah is given permission to leave Babylon and begin to rebuild the
city of Jerusalem which is what he is doing in this section of Nehemiah chapter
four. The prophecy is divided into weeks
of years and as we look at verse 25 we can see that it will take a total of 49
years to finish all the work to be done to Jerusalem. At the end of verse 25 we read that there
will be troubles in rebuilding the city which is what is going on at this
time. “25 "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.”
Spiritual
meaning for my life today: This
little story about Nehemiah and those who worked on the wall is a picture of
the walk of a believer today. As I go
about my life and walk with the Lord on a daily basis there will be occasions
when I will be tempted by fear just as these workers on the wall faced. I must remember that I have a Great Leader in
Jesus Christ. I must remember that fear
and faith cannot coexist in my heart. I
must remember the truth of 2 Timothy 1:7 “For
God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a
sound mind.” I must remember the
truth of 1John 4:18 “There is no fear in
love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and
the one who fears is not perfected in love.” I must also remember to put on the Spiritual
Armor just as the people who were building the wall had on their armor. (Ephesians 6:10-18)
When Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11
that he had learned to be content, I believe that he had learned to live
without fear of circumstances, but only feared the Lord, and this verse has
become my life verse and God has been working in my heart to bring about
contentment, and with learning contentment I too will not fear circumstances,
but trust totally in the Lord without fear.
My Steps of Faith for Today:
1. Philippians
4:10-13 “10 But I rejoiced in the Lord
greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you
were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak from
want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I
know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in
prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being
filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can
do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
2. Philippians
3:13-14 “13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having
laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and
reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in
Christ Jesus.”
8/13/2011
8:36:53 AM
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