Determined to Stand Firm (Nehemiah 6.1-19)

Introduction

The great 19th Century missionary to Africa, David Livingstone, once had an encounter with a lion that cost him the use of his left arm.

There’s a statue of the incident in Edinburgh. 

It’s quite a piece of work isn’t it?

Do you think Livingstone was in God’s will when that incident happened? He was called by God to leave this country and take the Gospel to where it had never been heard before in sub-Saharan Africa. Well, did he get it wrong?

Anyway, you can imagine how Livingstone felt some years later when he was chased up a tree and besieged by several lions. The story goes that the tree was not all that high and he was barely able to climb out of reach of these beasts who were snapping their fangs at him. They stood on their back feet and roared and shook the little tree. It’s said he could even feel their warm breath as they tried to reach him and devour him.

But amazingly he lived to tell the tale and said this; “I had a good night and felt happier and safer in that little tree besieged by lions, in the savannah of Africa, in the will of God, than I would have been out of the will of God in England.”

Livingstone never once felt that he was out of God’s will just because he met with adversity and affliction. He understood that Jesus never said “Take up your cushion and follow me”!

As we’ve been going through the book of Nehemiah together, we’ve noticed how hard it was even though they he was moving in perfect obedience to God’s call. It’s hard enough rebuilding an extensive city wall in hot weather with untrained amateurs like Nehemiah had to do.

But on top of the task itself, so far in Nehemiah we’ve come across ridicule, insults, intimidation, contempt and bullying. He and his people have had to rise to each challenge one by one as they got on with rebuilding the city walls in Jerusalem.

The Situation in Chapter 6

But now, by chapter 6, you really feel they’re getting there. All the breaches in the wall itself have been repaired. The gates are not yet in place but we’re talking about the finishing touches now. They’re almost there. 

And that’s when all hell breaks loose.

So let’s read the chapter now…

The final attempts by Nehemiah’s enemies to sabotage the project just as it is approaching completion are exactly the same tactics the devil uses against believers today.

And he picks his moment.

You remember when Jesus had fasted 40 days in the desert? He was ravenous. So the devil came up to him and what did he choose to talk about? With Jesus’ stomach rumbling like a minor earthquake, he decides to bring up the subject of bread. Freshly baked, nice and crusty on the outside, all soft, nutty and sweet on the inside, still warm from the stone oven… Hungry? The devil maximises his chances of discouraging you and diverting you by striking at the worst possible moment.

So far then, ridicule, insults, intimidation, contempt and bullying haven’t worked. The work continues unabated. The last thing Nehemiah’s enemies try in chapter 6 is distraction. They try and divert Nehemiah from his focus. And they do it in three different ways.

Don’t Settle for Compromise

First of all, in v2-4 they try and get him to compromise. The devil wants you to compromise your faith. He wants it to be as diluted and half-hearted and weak as possible.

The work was progressing really well, they were in touching distance of getting it finished. So Nehemiah’s enemies say “let’s have a round table conference and talk about it. We need to discuss all this together. It would be good to meet up and explore a few options….” They were not only persuasive, they were persistent. “Four times” it says, they sent the same message.”

I remember when I was a young Christian, maybe I was about 18. One of my friends come up to me and said “Don’t you think this is all a bit over the top? Aren’t you taking this religion thing a bit too seriously? You’re not focused on your A levels like you should be.” That’s the first and last time any fellow student of mine was concerned that I might not be revising enough!

I was getting really involved with a great group of young Christians. About the same time, my dad came to me and said “Oh, I had a religious experience about your age. Lots of people do. I expect you’ll grow out of it.”

And then someone else said this: “You’re not getting involved in all that speaking in tongues stuff are you? Don’t you think it’s just emotionalism? And they’re always going on about the Bible. Why not go to a nice, traditional church instead?”

People often face those kinds of comments especially when they’re new believers or when they take a big step in faith like baptism or when they sense a call to full-time Christian service. People try and steer you towards compromise.

It can get under your skin. You start thinking “Am I being fanatical? Maybe I am. Perhaps I’m just getting caught up in the emotion, letting myself get carried away? I should be careful. I suppose it’s alright having a private faith but maybe it’s getting out of hand when I actually start going to church as well.”

Are you being pressurised to compromise your faith?

Listen, there’s no round table negotiation with the devil. Nehemiah gives his opponents the same answer one, two three, four, five times. “I am carrying on a great project and I cannot come down.”

They tried to get Jesus to come down from the cross didn’t they? Aren’t you glad that Jesus said, in effect, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down”? No compromise.

Don’t Listen to Lies

The next thing they try is lies (v5-8). The devil wants you to listen to his lies. Let’s read what it says…

“It is reported among the nations -and Geshem says it is true- that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king…’”

In other words, “Nehemiah, people are saying that you are only in this for yourself. This is not about God’s honour. This is all about your ego Nehemiah. You’re just setting up your own empire. So and so says it’s true. Everybody’s talking about it.”

Everything they said was completely false.

Remember this: Jesus said, “Blessed are you when [not if] people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…”

I remember listening to Radio 4 one morning, years ago, and my ears pricked up because there was an interview with Sandy Millar who was vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton at that time. And someone else was also on the show talking about the Alpha Course.

The journalist presented some facts about Alpha; it is a 12 week course on basic Christianity, with a meal and discussion groups. Some facts and figures were quoted to illustrate the course’s success. And Sandy was sharing some wonderful testimonies of dramatically changed lives. So far, so good.

But then the other man interviewed began to say some weird things. He claimed that Alpha used subliminal brainwashing methods and subtle manipulation techniques and that, on the Holy Spirit weekend, occult forces like witchcraft were used.

It wasn’t just a scurrilous exaggeration of Alpha’s biggest weak points. No! It was a total misrepresentation. A complete lie! But some people listening to that interview might have wondered to themselves “Well, you know what they say, no smoke without fire…”

From time to time, I have complete lies told about me as a church leader. I’m not going to repeat them here but it’s always anonymous and, in each case, pure fabrication.

We have had several false and defamatory remarks posted on the reviews section of Google maps for this church. (Actually, I checked them out this week and I’m glad to see that, after some years, they’ve been taken down).

But bare faced untruths are a well-used weapon in the devil’s arsenal and we shouldn’t be surprised as the Bible calls him “a liar from the beginning and the father of lies.”

He’ll tell you

• God doesn’t really love you, you’re not good enough
• The Bible is all made up, you can’t believe what’s in there
• Don’t live generously – you need all your money for you
• You’ve gone too far – God will never forgive you
• How does Nehemiah deal with all these lies about him?

In v8 he says “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.” That’s the truth.

The best way to deal with lies is with the sword of truth.

Speak out truth every day. Declare it.

• There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ
• God has blessed me in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ
• Jesus Christ us the same yesterday, today and forever
• I can do all things through him who gives me strength
• Are you speaking out truth when you hear the devil’s lies?

Don’t Let Fear Unsettle You

The last thing here is fear. The devil is a scaremonger. He wants your fears to unsettle you.

Verse 9 says “They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.’”

Then there’s this in v10: “One day I went to the house of Shemaiah… who was shut in at his home. He said, ‘Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you – by night they are coming to kill you.’”

What’s going on here?

They were trying to get Nehemiah to withdraw from the action, to retreat from what God had called him to do. “It’s dangerous” they were saying. “People are out to get you.”

Satan likes to play on our fears too. Whenever you take a step of faith what does he say? “People get into trouble when they take foolhardy risks like sharing their faith with their colleagues at work! Just think, you might lose your job, your home - everything!”

I remember when I gave up a good career in retailing to follow the Lord’s call to serve him in France. I didn’t speak the language, I didn’t like the people, and I didn’t know the culture. And Satan reminded me of it loudly and often. “Think of the danger you’re putting your family through. You won’t last a year!”

Actually, by the grace of God, within a year of arriving in France I was fluent in the language, loving the people and immersed in the culture. There was nothing to fear at all. When God calls, he equips.

How did Nehemiah deal with scaremongering? Verse 11; “Should someone like me run away? … I will not go.”

Ending

This man of God was determined to stand firm. The Bible says “Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he’ll draw near to you.”

When Satan wants you to compromise your faith are you determined to stand firm and settle for nothing less than the whole Gospel?

When Satan whispers lie after lie about you and about God are you determined to stand firm and speak out truth?

And when Satan unsettles you by playing on your fears are you determined to stand firm and say “Should someone like me, a child of God, run away?”

Sermon preached at All Saints' Preston on Tees, 21st July 2013