PERSIST

Doing God's Work brings out detractors and opposition.

Nehemiah 4:1-3, 6-9, 14-18

Stories of perseverance often inspire us. Nehemiah embarked on a mission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, and God had done amazing things on Nehemiah's behalf.  Soon enough, however, the Jews encountered opposition that threatened to derail their efforts.  Opposition can hurt, but even more so if the attack is against an effort we believe is God's work.  Opposition arises when we take a stand.  It can especially arise when we take a stand for God and do His work.


Nehemiah 4:1-3 points to a typical pattern when humans raise opposition for any reason:

1.  They get emotional. Something makes them angry, upset, jealous, or some other negative emotion.


2.  They mock.  Scorn and contempt are the desire to de-struct something that is con-structive.  Stated another way because of the negative emotions that have arisen in them (for whatever cause) they desire to stop the external cause that brings about their negative feeling rather than seek to work to determine why they feel negative in the first place.

3.  They ridicule.  First comes the verbal assaults.  Like a rattlesnake warning of impending danger, or a skunk's tail lifted high in the air ready to attack the first attack of opposition is frequently verbal.

4.  They call to doubt.  Just as in the Garden of Eden, doubt can be the means to continue to ridicule, or as a call to action.

Notice this pattern is quite familiar to God's opposition from the beginning:

• EMOTION: The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom.

• MOCK:  The fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden-God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’”...“No! You will not die,” 

• RIDICULE: God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God.

• DOUBT:  “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

In Nehemiah 4:6-9 the Jews discovered about the opposition's plans to go to Jerusalem and fight to "throw it into confusion".  They linked prayer with action and focused on what they could control and stationed guards.  In verses 14-18 they steeled and prepared themselves for either working or fighting as the need arose and proceeded to continue with their work in the face of opposition.

Just as the stones that the people of Nehemiah's day were of various sizes and shapes, so the church, or any organization, is made up of a variety of people with different backgrounds and levels of spiritual maturity.  Through our vigilance, the living stones of the church form a strong wall!

Only God can grant our success in ministry.  While hostility can be difficult to handle, it will not stop God's work if you persist in His will. 

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Consider the "opposition assessment" below to determine to what degree of opposition to your faith you experience (0 is none, 10 is the maximum you can endure):

In a typical month, how often are you ridiculed or mocked because of your faith?
0__________________________________|________________________________10


How many of your family members are hostile to your faith?
0__________________________________|________________________________10

Does your faith in God make it easier or harder to be a member of your community?

0__________________________________|________________________________10

What impact has your faith had on your work or career?

0__________________________________|________________________________10