I’m going to state the obvious. It’s more fun to win than it is to lose. Winning puts a smile on our faces. But what does it take to win?
Quitters never win and winners never quit.
Whiners never win and winners never whine.
Turning whiners into winners
Series: Here’s hope: Rebuilding a broken world
Text: Nehemiah 4, p. 354
We’ll look at Nehemiah 3 on Wednesday. Don’t forget to take advantage of the resources at our devotional table. Hand me another brick and Nehemiah: Experiencing the good hand of God.
The walls around Nehemiah’s ancestral home, Jerusalem, were broken down, leaving the city defenseless. God called Nehemiah to leave a comfortable job, travel 1,000 miles, and rebuild the city. When he arrived, he found the people defeated, depressed, and discouraged. But last week, we learned how he built a dream team.
What’s broken around you? In recent weeks, I’ve been asking you to think about what God is calling you to rebuild. Some of us have found something – some wall that is broken. But truth be told, the wall we are seeking to rebuild is really self-serving. It’s OK to want to rebuild a broken marriage or a broken relationship. But I believe that God wants us to go beyond rebuilding something when something’s in it for me. What part of the kingdom of God are you seeking to build up?
There is joy in finding that kingdom place. This week, visit with Rachel Sanson. She’s found here wall – ministering to orphans in El Salvador. Her focus is contagious. I’m hoping to go down there this winter! Her joy is overflowing.
What’s the broken wall God is calling you to rebuild?
When you have built a dream team and joined God in rebuilding something that’s broken, you’ll run into harassment and be tempted to be discouraged. That’s what happened here. Nehemiah is full of instruction for people who have started well, but are confused and fearful and worried and discouraged.
I see three problems the people faced. We’ll look at each problem and then offer two solutions for each one.
1. When we are facing ridicule… vv.1-3
1 Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews.
Sanballat was an official from Samaria, an area just north of Jerusalem. He knew that if Jerusalem became a well-protected city, then its location would attract trade. That would mean that Samaria’s economic supremacy would disappear. So, he is angry about the walls being rebuilt. A strong Jerusalem would endanger the balance of power in the region, and it would also rob Sanballat and his friends of influence and wealth.
You want to be a rebuilder? You better develop some thick skin. God usually won’t allow you to rebuild a wall without opposition.
Let’s see what Sanballat did to oppose the project. Sanballat was thorough in his criticism.
He attacked their ability.
2 He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said,
"What are these feeble Jews doing?
He questioned their character.
Are they going to restore it for themselves?
He ridiculed their religion.
Can they offer sacrifices?
He challenged their commitment to finish what they started.
Can they finish in a day?
He questioned the feasibility of the project.
Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?"
He slammed their competence.
3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said,
"Even what they are building-- if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!"
Just a note: “Tobiah the Ammonite was near him.” Critics run with critics.
Some of Sanballat’s observations were valid. It was true that the workers were not skilled builders. They were not the most committed, either. They actually walked off the job at one point. Sanballat was not completely wrong.
But critics don’t stop to think that they may be criticizing God’s project.
We waste energy and thought trying to answer questions for people who are often not really interested in answers. Without realizing it, our focus begins to shift. Instead of being vision centered, we slowly become critic centered.
Criticism strikes an emotional chord in us. That emotion must go somewhere. To reflect it back on our critics is to play their game. To bottle it up inside can result in depression or ulcers.
Know this: People without vision have problems with projects that require faith. There will always, always be opposition from those who are negative and critical.
… we will pray… vv. 4-5
Nehemiah didn’t take time to collect his thoughts. He immediately passed along everything he was thinking and feeling directly to the only One who could do anything about it. He didn’t sugarcoat it. He didn’t spiritualize it. He just unloaded.
4 Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders.
Some people struggle with these kinds of prayers. It’s a “Get’em, God” prayer. It’s asking God to display His justice in the lives of Sanballat and his buddies. Wait a minute. Aren’t we supposed to love our enemies and prayer for those who persecute us? Didn’t Jesus pray, “Father, forgive them… for His enemies?”
I think some people try to “water down” these kinds of prayers in the Bible. Some say they are prophecies rather than prayers. Some say that God allowed these prayers but does not really approve of them. Others say that these prayers were OK in the OT but not in the NT. Still others say that these prayers flow out of the temperament of Middle East men.
This prayer (and others like it) are the prayers of honest people pouring out their feelings to God.
Psalm 109 is one of these imprecatory Psalms. David, the author of most of the imprecatory psalms, refused to hurt King Saul, one of his worst enemies, when he had the opportunity. They aren’t taking things into their own hands. They are telling God the way they feel and leaving the results to God.
Be honest with God about how you feel. He knows anyway. Don’t dress it up. Just be yourself in your relationship with God. Are you trying to rebuild something for God’s glory and have you run into ridicule. Let God know how you feel about it. It’s healthy and profitable for us to pour out our hearts to our heavenly Father. He’s been around. He can handle a little venting. He is honored when we take our deepest frustrations and hurts to him. When we do, it’s an expression of trust. That kind of honest communication is necessary if you are going to develop intimacy with the Father.
But don’t miss the big idea. Nehemiah prayed! Prayer was the instinctive reaction of Nehemiah when confronted with a crisis. Too often, we only pray in desperation when everything else has failed.
The follower of Christ who advances on his knees need never retreat.
… and persist. v. 6
Whenever you, or your vision, is mocked, the tendency is to begin second-guessing yourself.
§ Maybe they’re right.
§ Maybe it is impossible.
§ Maybe we don’t have what it takes.
§ Maybe we are just wasting our time.
The temptation is to quit. But not Nehemiah.
6 So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
Notice the prayer and notice the perspiration! Nehemiah prayed and took decisive, practical action. Prayer without work is presumption, and work without prayer is self-confidence.
Out of a job? Pray! But hit the road too. Fill out the resume. Make contacts. Get in touch with as many opportunities as possible. The Lord doesn’t have any trouble hitting a moving target. In fact, it’s easier to steer a moving vehicle than one that is immobile.
Things people say can often hurt us, but they can never harm us, unless we let them get into our system and poison us. The best thing to do is to pray and commit the whole thing to the Lord; and then get back to your work!
When we are facing ridicule, we will pray and persist.
2. When we are facing threats… vv. 7-8
No matter how hard he tried, Nehemiah was unable to fix everything. The problems got worse; they multiplied and magnified as time went on. That may happen to you, too. While trying to solve a problem, it gets worse right before your eyes.
7 Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry. 8 All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it.
Sanballat and Tobiah were joined by the Ammonites and the Ashodites. They intensified the opposition. For at least a month, the Jewish people had been exerting all the energy they could. In spite of their success, Sanballat doesn’t give up. He’s tried psychological warfare. Now, he turns to conspiracy. God’s people are facing the threat of a military attack.
… we will pray… v. 9a
There are times when opposition doesn’t die down—it intensifies. What will Nehemiah do now?
9a But we prayed to our God,
When opposition intensified, Nehemiah intensified his prayer. It’s not just Nehemiah praying. Did you see the word “we?” They met this “corporate threat” with “corporate prayer”!
His own personal prayer model was paying off.
… and protect. v. 9b
9b and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.
If you start building, you will soon be battling; so, be prepared!
What he was, the people who followed him were becoming! They prayed like him and they worked like him.
3. When we are facing despair … vv. 10-12
It’s probably past time to deal with despair when…
… stamina is failing. v. 10a
10a Thus in Judah it was said, "The strength of the burden bearers is failing…
See the word failing? The original text says “stumbling, tottering, staggering.”…How long had they been building this wall? Verse 6 tells us they were halfway through: “The whole wall was joined together to half its height.” The newness had worn off. Halfway is discouraging!
… vision is blurring. v. 10b
10b … yet there is much rubbish…
There was more rubbish than they had anticipated having to deal with. They were tired. The thrill of a new project had worn off. Like children on a long road trip, they were starting to complain, “Are we there yet?”
The Hebrew word for rubbish means “dry earth, debris.” They were looking at the rubbish. They needed to be looking to the Lord.
The builders had lost the vision of the completed wall. The young mother who has changed what seems to be fifty or sixty diapers in one day. She looks at the situation and say, “There’s too much rubbish, too much mess, too many diapers, too much work.” What has she lost? She has lost the vision of that growing child and the delight of introducing her son or daughter to society.
Some of you are involved in jobs right now that are very demanding—even threatening—and there are difficult people to work with. Or maybe the tasks seem endless. You can easily begin to lose the whole vision of your work because of the “rubbish” surrounding you.
… hope is dwindling. v. 10c
10c … and we ourselves are unable to rebuild the wall."
When you lose strength and you lose vision, then you lose hope and confidence.
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,"
Notice that the Jewish people repeated their “ten times.” Sometimes our “friends” are our worst enemies!
Have you ever wanted to run away? What a desire we have to escape, to get away from life’s demands. But after enduring the discouragement we could be led to an opportunity offering unbelievable fulfillment.
You can’t ignore discouragement. It’s like ignoring a flat tire. Pray all you want to; drive all you want to; you never will get air back into it. You’ve got to fix it. That’s the way it is with discouragement. It’s often more difficult to complete the second half of a task than the first half.
… we will remind… vv. 13-14a
When we face a situation that creates fear in our hearts, we must remind ourselves of the greatness of God.
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. 14a 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…
This looks impossible. Most divinely originated visions are impossible. Nehemiah’s critics had some great points. But the critics didn’t factor in God.
The fear of the Lord is the cure for the fear of man.
I was reading a book on Nehemiah by Andy Stanley. On his desk at work is a card that read, “Lord, You got me into this; I’m trusting you to see me through it.” I like that. I’m wanting to put something like that on my desk. Every time we hit a snag in ministry, I hope a little phrase like that can run through our minds. “Lord, this ministry was Your idea, not mine. So I’m looking for You to do what only You can do.”
When criticism is held up against the backdrop of the Father’s infinite resources and omniscience, it loses its power. Anxiety decreases. Passion is rekindled. And you will find the strength to once again put your hands to the good work.
Remember… Nehemiah intentionally thought back over the events leading up to that present moment. He reflected on God’s faithfulness. He rehearsed in his mind the pivotal points at which God had intervened on his behalf and on behalf of the nation. By looking back, he found the energy to move forward.
Calling to mind the things the Lord has said. You actually put in your mind some of the statements God has made. Call to mind right now five or six good, solid promises that you could claim.
You can remember the Lord by calling to mind who He is.
The despondency of verse 10 was replaced with renew passion to rebuild the walls. What had brought about this change? It was fresh insight into the presence of their mighty defender. In verse 20 we read “Our God will fight for us!”
There are times we need to pause and remember the past—even in the heat of the battle. We need to look back and view what God has done for us on previous occasions when we have faced what appeared to be impossible situations.
The wall was already half built! Nehemiah knew that God would not forsake them now!
… and revise. vv. 14b-23
Apparently the workers had walked off the job by this time. After all, the plan wasn’t working. They were about to be overrun. Nehemiah knew he had to get their eyes off the immediate plan and back on to why they had decided to rebuild the wall in the first place.
Once he did that, he revised the plan, and the people went back to work.
Notice what happened in the process revising the plan. Nehemiah stopped the work…”You will break the bow if you keep it always bent.” How tight is your bow? When is the last time you loosened the bow and got away from a couple of days?
They set up guards. v. 16, 21
They not only had to work all day, but some of them had to stand guard all night.
Nehemiah not only faced the problems of discouragement and fatigue among the people,
but he had to add to their burdens. He needed some of them to do double duty.
They wore their weapons. vv. 17-18, 23b
They had a rallying point. vv. 19-20
They became more focused. vv. 22-23a
In the pressured days that followed, according to verse 23, they didn’t even have time to change clothes! When they went down to the water to bathe, they stayed at the task. They ministered to one another in service and involvement.
14b 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.
Nehemiah 4
I have never met anyone or heard of anyone who accomplished anything significant for the kingdom who didn’t have to revise plans multiple times before the vision became a reality.
Be stubborn about the vision. Be flexible with your plan. Strategies and timelines are always up for grabs.
There are times when every visionary must swallow his pride and revise his plan. Nehemiah was forced to play Sanballat’s game to some extent. Arming the workers and posting guards delayed the completion of the wall. But in the end, it worked to Nehemiah’s advantage.
Apparently, Sanballat and company were counting heavily on the advantage of a surprise attack. When they lost the element of surprise they backed off. They weren’t really up for battle, either. It was mostly saber rattling. An attempt to frighten and demoralize the workers.
By switching to plan B, Nehemiah called their bluff. More importantly, his revised plan gave the people in Jerusalem the incentive they needed to go back to work on the wall.
A few weeks ago, I shared part of a quote from Teddy Roosevelt. It’s a quote that inspired Todd Beamer, one of the heroes on United Flight 93. It continues to inspire me.
“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena… who strives valiantly… who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.” Teddy Roosevelt
