There is a saying that “when the going gets tough the tough get going”, meaning that when our situation becomes difficult, people who are strong or enduring become fully engaged and don’t give up.
To accomplish anything significant in our life and especially if what we are doing is part of God’s plan for our life we will undoubtedly face strong opposition. The devil never bothers with half-hearted people who are content on merely existing for themselves. However if you are on fire for Jesus, want to do something meaningful with your life, and realise that you can make a difference by being the person God created you to be, then you need to be aware of something or should I say someone. The name “Satan” means “adversary”, and he is fully committed to opposing God and His people, especially when we are wholeheartedly focused on being the person God made us to be. We will experience spiritual opposition, which can appear in every aspect of our lives.
However many times we don’t expect such opposition, nor fully understand how committed the devil is in his efforts to steal, kill and destroy from us. As a result we can take “a hit” if we are not ready to respond or on the offensive against his schemes.
Nehemiah in the bible is a great example of how to successfully stand against such opposition from the enemy, and one of the things he did was to make sure he and the people he led were ready to respond to their enemy’s.
Nehemiah chapter 4 teaches us that, “when the enemy opposes us we should respond with prayer, work, vigilance, and a determined focus on God. We are reminded to recount all that God has done for us, and remember the promises in His Word.
Nehemiah’s leadership and the rallying of the people to arise and rebuild did not go uncontested, or without problems; there was advancement and setbacks as the people sought to find a successful way of rebuilding, while under attack. But they chose not to give up, and they did succeed! (Nehemiah ch 3-4)
We too will have conflict and opposition; and the greater the things we seek to be and do for God the more opposition we will face. Yet if we respond correctly any opposition will cause us to rest more and more in whom we are in God, and the stronger our faith will become.
Don’t be oblivious to our adversary the devil, who prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) Instead let’s be aware of his schemes and then choose to put our confidence not in our own capacity to succeed, but in God’s capacity to sustain us. “For greater is He that is within you than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
Nehemiah and his people responded to the enemy’s opposition by lifting their voices in prayer, putting their hearts into the work, and vigilantly standing against their enemy’s. Let’s respond likewise and rebuild the broken down walls and gates of our lives and cities, as we live in a place of prayer, praise, trust and vigilance to keep running our race.
Prayer: Lord please help me to be aware of and use the wisdom in your word to be able to respond appropriately to any opposition I may face. Thank you that you are far greater and more powerful than anything that can come against me, and that “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength, and that no weapon formed against me will prosper today.” In Jesus name Amen. (Isaiah 54:17; Philippians 4:13)
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