| Overcoming Spiritual Opposition Part 3 |
Pastor Steve Holt
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Mountain Springs Church
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| 05/27/2007 |
Overcoming Spiritual Opposition III
Nehemiah 6
Introduction:
- Sometimes when you have a smooth opening to something new, and things are going well, be careful.
- Nehemiah has a vision from God to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem, and he finds the city in chaos.
- Like everything in our lives, we have a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other.
- Last week Nehemiah realized that there was turmoil from within the Jews and they were ripping each other off financially.
- Nehemiah learns that the Jewish people need new walls rebuilt.
- They have left Babylon but Babylon hasn’t left them.
- Ex. Do you remember the first time you got ripped off by a believer? This is not an elective, but a required course, “Getting Ripped Off by a Fellow Believer 101.”
- And God allows this because He is teaching you not to look at the people of the King, but the King of the people.
- This life is really about an “image,” growing into the image of Christ in our lives. Part of this is the “fellowship of His suffering,” which is painful and difficult.
- Nehemiah is realizing that he is rebuilding more than physical walls but there is a need for revival in the people.
- Have you realized that there are no breaks in the kingdom of God? It is constant and unending.
- We have to make a commitment: “I will commit myself to the cause of Christ in my family, in my city, in this world.”
6:1-2
- You don’t want to meet in the plain of “Oh no!’ If the enemy asks you to meet in the plain of Ono, you need to say “O NO!”
- They want Nehemiah to get off focus! Take your eyes off the work and let’s talk about some issues.
- Bait is for catching fish right? All bait has a hook inside! The enemy wants to tempt you with some bait and he knows what you want.
- Ex. I took my boys fishing last summer in South Carolina, and I wanted little Joshi to love fishing, so I put my best little bass bug on the end of the line and left him to just throw it in the water; well lo and behold, a bass hit it!
- As unbelievers, we were deceived, but when a believer turns from the Lord and goes back to drugs and sex, the remarkable thing is that we KNOW that we are harming our lives! And some do it anyway!
- Nehemiah knows not to go to the plain of “OH NO”…it’s not that hard to figure out.
Vs. 3
- Nehemiah: I’m not going to stop a great work to talk to you! It all seems so friendly and judicious.
- But Nehemiah knows what he is called to do and he is not going to compromise his time and energy.
- Nehemiah knows that his focus is God’s purpose for his life.
- Ex. I think of our Moms and the endless pile of wash and the kids…it never ceases! And the fruit of that won’t be realized until kids are in their 20’s or 30’s…when they say “He is now my God.”
- Satan’s Appeal: Does it really matter that you put a standard on the movies and TV, and you set a standard to the music and friends kids have?
- Does it really matter that you have a devotional time with them?
- Does it really matter that you spend time with your kids?
- Does it really matter where they go and who they spend time with?
- Does it really matter? Does it really matter?
- Gigi Graham has a plaque over her sink in the kitchen: “Divine Services Performed Here Daily”
- But you are building a great wall…the enemy says “come down” Don’t come down; don’t lower the standards!
Vs. 4
- Temptations will come back!
James 4:7
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
- God allows temptation in our lives to build fortitude in our lives! To teach us how to fight!
- You must learn how to resist the devil…meaning you must understand his way and his motives for your life.
- Do you know how to put on the armor of God?
- Do you know how to lean on others during tough times?
- Do you know how to use scripture to fight?
- But temptations and accusations from the enemy will return and reattack us…learn to fight, learn to resist the enemy.
Vs. 5-7
- Nehemiah won’t even come to the border to talk, so the strategy has now changed…too many believers want to go just to the borders of sin.
- This is an “open letter,” an email, a website has been set up…gossip and slander! So many are slandered through these open emails.
- We don’t broadcast people’s sin…we go to them privately.
- God’s heart is not to embarrass and humiliate, but to restore and revive.
- “You’re not doing this for the Lord…you really want to be a king!”
- Such situations lead us to introspection… “yea, they’re right, I’m trying to get honor for myself…” The flesh loves attention.
- They question Nehemiah’s motives…it’s all about you.
- Even Jesus was accused of being a “glutton and drunkard.”
- If you’re perfect, they’ll crucify you!!
Vs. 8
- It takes one to know one! He doesn’t get the ring with them…this is just gossip.
Vs. 9
- Nehemiah totally recognizes the enemies devices and plans.
2 Corinthians 2:11
lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Vs. 10
- Who are “they”? That’s the way it always comes - Who are “they”? I have never met “they”, but “they” are always talking.
Vs. 11
- Satan wants to isolate us! We all get “peopled out.”
- We just get tired of all the adversaries and all of the battle and we just want to isolate ourselves.
- The enemy tempts us with isolation and fear.
- “Look what they’re doing: writing letters about me, gossiping about me, now they’re trying to kill me.”
- We realize that God has to be our fortress. Ex. Luther realized after months in the Wortberg Castle that he had to get back to the battle, to his people…soon after he wrote the great hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is our God”:
1. A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our Helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
2. Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabbaoth, His name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
3. And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo, his doom is sure;
One little word shall fell him.
4. That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours,
Thru Him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still;
His kingdom is forever.
- Only a priest could go into the Temple. Remember Uzziah went into the Temple and was smitten with leprosy.
- Satan is tempting Nehemiah to go into the Temple, to step out of God’s will and His written Word.
Vs. 12
- He perceives it because it transgresses the written Word of God, to not enter the Temple.
- God will never transgress His Word…if you are thinking of doing something that transgresses God’s Word, you know what to do! You always follow God’s Word.
- Be careful of “prophecies” that are not from God…they sound so spiritual but it is not from God…watch the motives of these guys.
1 Corinthians 14:3
But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
- If the prophecy doesn’t edify, encourage, and bring comfort, don’t listen to it.
Vs. 13-14
- Fear can cause us to sin!
- Ex. “I’ve been dating this guy, and he is getting a bit more friendly than I’m comfortable with, but I’m afraid of losing him.”
- Ex. “We’re doing our taxes, and if we pay all of our taxes, we won’t have enough…God can’t provide!”
- They are trying to interrupt what You are doing here! Think about them Lord! You deal with them!
Vs. 15-16
- I call this the “Nehemiah Effect,” and great fear came through the enemy because of the Lord’s work.
- The Lord’s great work pulls the heart out of the enemy!
- Nehemiah is finishing well! He has kept his promise to God.
- I want to finish well…marriage is hard.
- I want to finish with my wife: “We did it together.”
- I want to finish with my kids: “We did it the right way.”
- Finish the course!! Finish what God has called you to do.
Vs. 17-19
- Tobiah is married into the family in Jerusalem, and now we’re getting into the inlaws and outlaws.
- There is regular correspondence among the people because of the inlaws.
- So they report his good deeds…”Nehemiah, why are you being so mean to Tobiah?”
- You can’t say that he’s a rat; you have to just let God take care of it.
- The important thing: We finish the course and God is glorified; “God, You did it and I got to be a part of Your plan…Thank You, Lord.”
This sermon was produced at Mountain Springs Church in Colorado Springs, with Senior Pastor Steve Holt. www.mountainsprings.org
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