At church a few months ago, Pastor John Gregory preached a sermon in his series about the Speed Bumps of Life.
That day's Speed Bump was Discouragement. The passage he focused on was Nehemiah 4:6-18.
Verses 12b and 13 say (in the New Living Translation) "'They will come from all directions and attack us.' So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows."
The builders of the wall were discouraged: they had gotten halfway finished with their project
The night before I heard that sermon, I had been talking to a new friend and something she said made me realize something I should have realized a long time ago. She mentioned a verse about someone's enemies attacking, and how God delivered. She applied it to life today.
It changed my world. I had always read the historical books as history, not thinking about the way it could relate to my life.
The enemy is, of course, the Devil. He is constantly scheming, attacking, tempting us. He is trying to turn our focus away from God.
So, when I read those verses, I thought about Ephesians 6. "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes...Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (6:11,13)
Now, Nehemiah's struggle was against flesh and blood (verse 12). He was being attacked by tangible, visible, violent enemies. We are attacked quietly. Satan knows the human nature; he knows when we are vulnerable. And that is often when he makes his move.
We must be ready. Paul gives us a clear list of ways to prepare ourselves.
Be the New Testament Nehemiah.
That day's Speed Bump was Discouragement. The passage he focused on was Nehemiah 4:6-18.
Verses 12b and 13 say (in the New Living Translation) "'They will come from all directions and attack us.' So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows."
The builders of the wall were discouraged: they had gotten halfway finished with their project
The night before I heard that sermon, I had been talking to a new friend and something she said made me realize something I should have realized a long time ago. She mentioned a verse about someone's enemies attacking, and how God delivered. She applied it to life today.
It changed my world. I had always read the historical books as history, not thinking about the way it could relate to my life.
The enemy is, of course, the Devil. He is constantly scheming, attacking, tempting us. He is trying to turn our focus away from God.
So, when I read those verses, I thought about Ephesians 6. "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes...Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (6:11,13)
Now, Nehemiah's struggle was against flesh and blood (verse 12). He was being attacked by tangible, visible, violent enemies. We are attacked quietly. Satan knows the human nature; he knows when we are vulnerable. And that is often when he makes his move.
We must be ready. Paul gives us a clear list of ways to prepare ourselves.
Be the New Testament Nehemiah.
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