Overcoming Opposition (Nehemiah 6)

1.      ICEBREAKER

• Set a challenge that the youths have to complete, but include various “attacks” to distract and make their task more difficult.
  E.g. Try to hit down some targets (such as chewing gum boxes) with coins, with some obstacles in the way.

2.      LESSON: Overcoming Opposition (Nehemiah 6)

• READ: Nehemiah 6
• Who remembers the trouble-makers that we talked about last meeting (Ch 4)?
  • Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites
  • Nehemiah rallied the people by telling them, “Do not be afraid. Remember the Lord!”

•  Well, they failed to stop Nehemiah then. But they had not given up their plans to disrupt the building of the wall. What did they try to do?

i.  Distract and trick Nehemiah by asking him to meet them at the villages of Ono — far away from Jerusalem in enemy territory

• But Nehemiah recognised that he was doing “a great work” (vs 3) and refused to be side-tracked, even though the trouble-makers persisted. How many times did they send the message to Nehemiah? 4 times. Each time Nehemiah stood his ground.

ii. Defamation/slander/lies/personal attacks — open letter accusing Nehemiah of personal agenda, wanting to be crowned king of Judah and rebel against the King of Persia

iii. Instilling fear — “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.” (vs 9)

• What was Nehemiah’s response?
  Prayed — “Now strengthen my hands.” (vs 9)
• Have you ever been wrongly accused? Do you have faith/confidence that God will protect and defend you from those lies?

iv. Deception from within  — hired priest, Shemaiah, to try to deceive Nehemiah and lure him into the temple (vs 10)

• Nehemiah refused to be cowed by fear. Instead, he perceived the real motives of Shemaiah and trusted God to handle his enemies.
• Betrayal from friends is often the worst because you trusted them. Remember: Jesus was betrayed by His own disciple too, but He asked God to forgive him too.

• Devil’s main weapon: Fear Factor
  • Sanballat and gang used it constantly against Nehemiah
  • Fear can torment and paralyse us
  • Fear says: We are not confident God will protect, provide or heal us
  • Antidote to fear: Love — Perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18)
    When we know and believe God loves us, fear will have to go.
  • Jesus’ death on the cross was the greatest testament of God’s love for us — on that cross, Jesus defeated Satan, death, sickness, lack etc.

• Wall Completed
  • How long did it take for Nehemiah to complete the wall? 52 days — quite an impossible feat.
  • What happened when the enemies heard of it? They were very disheartened for they knew that this work was done by our God.” (vs 16)
  • The completion of the wall is a picture of Christ’s finished work on the Cross. Remember when we learned about the 10 gates? Jesus is our Gate. Jesus is also our Wall of Salvation. In Him, we are safe and secure.

• All of us will go through difficult situations. Whatever situation you are facing today, whether long or short time, whether it seems like an impossible situation or you are tired and discouraged, God wants you look to Jesus and enter His rest because the He has won the victory on your behalf. He wants to give you strength to fight from a position of victory and not be intimidated by the fear tactics of the devil.

3. SHARE: What is one challenge or opposition you are facing now? What lessons from Nehemiah can you learn and apply in your situation? Pray for one another.lat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites