Defeating Defeating Dangerous Dangerous

DiscouragementDiscouragementNehemiah 4Nehemiah 4

Lewis WinklerLewis Winkler

Crossroads International Churchwww.biblestudydownloads.com

James 1:2-4James 1:2-4

““Consider it pure joy, my brothers, Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”not lacking anything.”

By Way of Review:By Way of Review:

The temple stood unprotected The temple stood unprotected without city wallswithout city walls

Prayer and visionPrayer and vision

KingKing''s Help s Help GrantedGranted

Nehemiah wisely investigated the situation before getting started

Enemies in Enemies in NehemiahNehemiah''s Times Time

Geshom Geshom the Arabthe Arab

Geshom Geshom the Arabthe Arab

Sanballat Sanballat the Samaritanthe Samaritan

Sanballat Sanballat the Samaritanthe Samaritan

Tobiah Tobiah the Ammonitethe Ammonite

Tobiah Tobiah the Ammonitethe Ammonite

NEHEMIAH

The Initial External Challenge: Discouraging Ridicule (1-3)

““Angry and Greatly Incensed”Angry and Greatly Incensed”

RidiculeRidicule

““Feeble Jews”Feeble Jews”

The Initial External Challenge: Discouraging Ridicule (1-3)

Will they restore the wall?Will they restore the wall?

Will they offer sacrifices?Will they offer sacrifices?

Will they finish in a day?Will they finish in a day?

Can they “resurrect” the wall from a pile of Can they “resurrect” the wall from a pile of rubble?rubble?

TobiahTobiah''s Foxs Fox

The Power of WordsThe Power of Words

““No human being can tame the tongue. It No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things out not to be so.”brothers, these things out not to be so.”

— —James 3:8-10James 3:8-10

The Power of WordsThe Power of Words

““Death and life are in the power of the Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”fruits.”

— —Proverbs 18:21Proverbs 18:21

Some Food for ThoughtSome Food for Thought

Are you aware of the awesome power of Are you aware of the awesome power of your words?your words?

Do you use words more often to build Do you use words more often to build up or to tear down?up or to tear down?

The Initial Response: Prayer (4-5)

““Imprecatory”Imprecatory”

Hear usHear us

Note our situationNote our situation

Repay in kindRepay in kind

Return their insults upon themselves!Return their insults upon themselves!

Let them become plundered and taken Let them become plundered and taken captive!captive!

Do not ignore their sin!Do not ignore their sin!

NehemiahNehemiah''s s ““ImprecatoryImprecatory”” Prayer (4-5) Prayer (4-5)

Some Food for Thought:Some Food for Thought:

What is your typical “first response” What is your typical “first response” when tough times and opposition come when tough times and opposition come you way?you way?

What would you like it to be?What would you like it to be?

The Next External Challenge: Dangerous Threats (7-8, 11-12) Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites

and the men of Ashdod become very angry.and the men of Ashdod become very angry.

They plot to fight together against Jerusalem They plot to fight together against Jerusalem and cause trouble for the builders.and cause trouble for the builders.

They promise to kill the builders if necessary They promise to kill the builders if necessary in order to stop them from succeeding.in order to stop them from succeeding.

1 Peter 5:8-91 Peter 5:8-9

““Be self-controlled and alert. Your Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist Him, standing firm in devour. Resist Him, standing firm in your faith, because you know that your your faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”sufferings.”

Ephesians 6:12Ephesians 6:12

““For our struggle is not against flesh For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”heavenly realms.”

The Next Response: Prayer with Wise Action (9, 13-14, 16-20, 22-23)

1 Corinthians 15:101 Corinthians 15:10

““By the grace of God I am what I am, By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of effect. No, I worked harder than all of [the other apostles]—yet not I, but the [the other apostles]—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”grace of God that was with me.”

How to Defeat the EnemyHow to Defeat the Enemy''s s Dangerous Discouragements:Dangerous Discouragements:

God-dependent PrayerGod-dependent Prayer

God-informed PlanningGod-informed Planning

God-empowered ActionGod-empowered Action

Psalm 127:1Psalm 127:1

““Unless the Lord builds the Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.”stand guard in vain.”

The Ultimate Result: The Work The Ultimate Result: The Work ContinuesContinues (15, 21) (15, 21)

2 Timothy 3:122 Timothy 3:12

““In fact, everyone who wants to live a In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”persecuted.”

Summary and Conclusion:Summary and Conclusion: When opposition and discouragement arose, When opposition and discouragement arose,

Nehemiah first sought God in prayer.Nehemiah first sought God in prayer.

The work of God continued.The work of God continued.

When dangerous threats arose, Nehemiah When dangerous threats arose, Nehemiah first sought God in prayer and acted with first sought God in prayer and acted with wisdom.wisdom.

The work of God continued.The work of God continued.

Main Idea of Nehemiah 4Main Idea of Nehemiah 4

Respond to external Respond to external discouragement and danger with discouragement and danger with

• • God-dependent God-dependent prayerprayer, , • God-informed • God-informed planningplanning, and , and • God-empowered • God-empowered actionaction..

Personal Application:Personal Application: What discouragement or danger are you What discouragement or danger are you

facing in your own life right now that is facing in your own life right now that is trying to keep you from serving God trying to keep you from serving God fearlessly and whole-heartedly?fearlessly and whole-heartedly?

What steps might you take in this What steps might you take in this situation to seek God first, plan, and act situation to seek God first, plan, and act with His wisdom?with His wisdom?

Opposition, Danger, and Glory:Opposition, Danger, and Glory:The Story of William CareyThe Story of William Carey

Opposition, Danger, and Glory:Opposition, Danger, and Glory:The Story of William CareyThe Story of William Carey

““Young man, Young man, sit down! sit down! When God When God pleases to pleases to convert the convert the heathen, He heathen, He will do it will do it without your without your aid or mine!aid or mine!””

Opposition, Danger, and Glory:Opposition, Danger, and Glory:The Story of William CareyThe Story of William Carey

Carey sails to India Carey sails to India with His Wife and with His Wife and ChildrenChildren

Opposition, Danger, and Glory:Opposition, Danger, and Glory:The Story of William CareyThe Story of William Carey

The Indigo The Indigo FactoryFactory

Opposition, Danger, and Glory:Opposition, Danger, and Glory:The Story of William CareyThe Story of William Carey

A Godly Witness and A Godly Witness and Prolific TranslatorProlific Translator

Opposition, Danger, and Glory:Opposition, Danger, and Glory:The Story of William CareyThe Story of William Carey

The Mission The Mission Chapel at Chapel at SeramporeSerampore

Opposition, Danger, and Glory:Opposition, Danger, and Glory:The Story of William CareyThe Story of William Carey

1761-18341761-1834

The Legacy of William Carey:The Legacy of William Carey: Before he was thirty-one he could read the Bible in Latin, Greek, Before he was thirty-one he could read the Bible in Latin, Greek,

Hebrew, Dutch, French, and English.Hebrew, Dutch, French, and English. He founded the Baptist Missionary Society, and launched the He founded the Baptist Missionary Society, and launched the

modern missionary movement which has succeeded in taking the modern missionary movement which has succeeded in taking the gospel worldwide.gospel worldwide.

He founded a university that is still providing a Christian education He founded a university that is still providing a Christian education in India today.in India today.

He founded the still-existent agricultural and horticulture society.He founded the still-existent agricultural and horticulture society. He translated the Bible into Bengali, Sanskrit, Marathi, and Punjabi, He translated the Bible into Bengali, Sanskrit, Marathi, and Punjabi,

along with numerous portions of other dialects and languages.along with numerous portions of other dialects and languages. He founded and operated his own printing press business.He founded and operated his own printing press business. He was directly involved in the founding of 19 different mission He was directly involved in the founding of 19 different mission

stations throughout India.stations throughout India. Awarded an honorary doctorate degree, he was a highly respected Awarded an honorary doctorate degree, he was a highly respected

professor of Sanskrit and Bengali languages in India for 30 years.professor of Sanskrit and Bengali languages in India for 30 years. He successfully lobbied to have the Hindu practice of “sati,” or He successfully lobbied to have the Hindu practice of “sati,” or

widow burning outlawed in India.widow burning outlawed in India.

CareyCarey''s Final Admonition:s Final Admonition:

““Dr. Carey this, Dr. Carey that! Please, Dr. Carey this, Dr. Carey that! Please, sir, after I am gone, praise nothing about sir, after I am gone, praise nothing about Dr. Carey. Praise only Dr. CareyDr. Carey. Praise only Dr. Carey''s s Savior!”Savior!”