To Your Wealth

DO LIKE NEHEMIAH DID

PART THREE

Hello readers! The final chapter about Nehemiah is here. By the way, if you are new to these blogs catch the previous ones first. We will discuss the 6th final aspect that Nehemiah did when chaos occurred all around him. Seeing his courage, we can implement what he did when confusion, distractions, and fear strikes as we climb to succeed in our goals. 

6.) Focus on adversity. The adversaries cunningly devised a lethal plan against Nehemiah to get him off the Wall. They felt if they could get the leader and kill him everything will fall apart for they believed that the Jews would never be able to finish rebuilding the Wall without him. They tried three different plans each thwarted for Nehemiah remained focus on adversity.

• Sanballat and Geshem sent letters to Nehemiah to meet in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. Nehemiah refuses to meet them for Nehemiah perceived they wanted to do some mischief. Nehemiah 6:3: "And I sent messengers unto them, saying, 'I am engaged in a great work so I can't come. Why should I stop working and come and meet with you?'"

• After the fourth time in the same above manner with Nehemiah's same response, Sanballat's servant came to Nehemiah with an open letter. In this letter, it stated that a rumor is going on that Nehemiah is a rebel who wants to be king. This news has already spread among the heathen, and it will be reported to the king of Persia. The disclosure will look very bad for Nehemiah. With tactics of persuasion in the face of fear for Nehemiah, it would be best to take counsel with Tobiah, Sanballat, and Geshem who would help him. Nehemiah said it is a lie, and it comes forth out of his own heart. He will not stop this great work and come down from the Wall.

• Shemaiah a Jewish priest tried to coax Nehemiah to come off the Wall prognosticating that the adversaries will slay him in the night so come and stay with him in the Temple. Nehemiah replied in Nehemiah 6:11-13, "'Should someone in my position run from danger? Should someone in my position enter the Temple to save his life? No, I won't do it!' I realized that God had not spoken to him, but that he uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. They were hoping to intimidate me and make me sin. Then they would be able to accuse and discredit me."'

All three trickery represents one central point - to get Nehemiah out of position to get him in a new place to destroy him. Are you out of position from your task? The enemy loves to see you in a new place so you can be DESTROYED. Maybe not you with physical death but death to your purpose, visions, and goals. Instead, stay focus on your task. Don't ever let the opposition have the final word. When problems occur, don't become negative and sour bogged down with distractions, doubt or fear. EMBRACE your problems by running toward them with faith, belief, and optimism. Your cheerful reactions to your hindrances will propel you further toward your destiny.

After 52 days the ruined Wall stood whole, massively tall, and completed. The Moabites, Ammonites, Ashdodites, Arabians, and the Samaritans who mockingly, cruelly did not think the Jews lead by the man called Nehemiah would succeed, yet now saw with their own eyes the completed Wall of Jerusalem. They knew the work was wrought by God. The Jews did not capitulate because of their enemies threats. Instead, 1. They stop listening to accusing voices; 2. they prayed; 3. they did not take criticism personally, 4. they went from believing to expecting, 5. they protected what was theirs, and 6. they focus on adversity. Keep these points in your forefront, and you too will triumph just like Nehemiah and the Jews did!

 To your wealth!