recovering from opposition the church in recovery: part v nehemiah chapter 4 pastor andrew cromwell

Recovering from Opposition

The Church in Recovery: Part VNehemiah Chapter 4

Pastor Andrew Cromwell

Recovering from Oppositi

on

2 Corinthians 2:11 NLT

So that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar

with his evil schemes.


on

Nehemiah 41 But it so happened,

when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the

wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and

mocked the Jews. 2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, "What

are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify

themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they

complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones

from the heaps of rubbish--stones that are burned?”


on

Nehemiah 43 Now Tobiah the

Ammonite was beside him, and he said, "Whatever they build, if even a fox

goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall."

4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own

heads, and give them as plunder to a land of

captivity! 5 Do not cover their

iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out

from before You; for they have provoked You to

anger before the builders.


on

Nehemiah 46 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined

together up to half its height, for the people had

a mind to work. 7 Now it happened,

when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the

Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem

were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry,


on

Nehemiah 48 and all of them

conspired together to come and attack

Jerusalem and create confusion.

9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God,

and because of them we set a watch against them

day and night. 10 Then Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so

much rubbish that we are not able to build the

wall."


on

Nehemiah 411 And our adversaries said, "They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their

midst and kill them and cause the work to

cease." 12 So it was, when the

Jews who dwelt near them came, that they

told us ten times, "From whatever place you turn,

they will be upon us."


on

Nehemiah 413 Therefore I

positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their

swords, their spears, and their bows.


on

Nehemiah 414 And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the

people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the

Lord, great and awesome, and fight for

your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your

wives, and your houses." 15 And it happened,

when our enemies heard that it was known to us,

and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall,

everyone to his work.


on

Nehemiah 416 So it was, from that time on, that half of my

servants worked at construction, while the

other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were

behind all the house of Judah.

17 Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at

construction, and with the other held a weapon.


on

Nehemiah 418 Every one of the

builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet

was beside me. 19 Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, "The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall.


on

Nehemiah 420 Wherever you hear

the sound of the trumpet, rally to us

there. Our God will fight for us."

21 So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears

from daybreak until the stars appeared.

22 At the same time I also said to the people, "Let each man and his servant stay at night in

Jerusalem, that they may be our guard by night

and a working party by day."


on

Nehemiah 423 So neither I, my

brethren, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes, except that everyone took them off

for washing.


•Two Strategies the Enemy Uses to Discourage Us

•Two Strategies to Overcome the Enemy

Two Two Strategies Strategies the Enemy the Enemy

Uses Uses to to

Discourage Discourage UsUs


on

1. To frighten us with a display of anger.

Two Strategies of Two Strategies of the Enemythe Enemy

Nehemiah 4:1But it so happened,

when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding

the wall, that he was furious and very

indignant, and mocked the Jews.


on

1. To frighten us with a display of anger.


Revelation 12:4bAnd the dragon stood

before the woman who was ready to

give birth, to devour her Child as soon as

it was born.


on

1.To frighten us with a display of anger.


The first reaction of the The first reaction of the Enemy when he sees us Enemy when he sees us begin to move forward is begin to move forward is

ANGER.ANGER.

As soon as we make a As soon as we make a decision, we should expect decision, we should expect

to be challenged.to be challenged.


on

2. To overwhelm us by belittling us.

Nehemiah 4:1-31 But it so happened, when Sanballat heard

that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was

furious and very indignant, and mocked

the Jews.



on


Nehemiah 4:1-32 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, "What

are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify

themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they

complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from

the heaps of rubbish--stones that are burned?"



on


Nehemiah 4:1-33 Now Tobiah the

Ammonite was beside him, and he said,

"Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down

their stone wall."



on


Proverbs 16:9A man’s heart plans A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord his way, but the Lord

directs his steps.directs his steps.



on


The Enemy’s second tactic is to The Enemy’s second tactic is to speak to us through our inner speak to us through our inner critic. The inner critic readily critic. The inner critic readily agrees with the whispers from agrees with the whispers from

Hell.Hell.

We have to decide who we are We have to decide who we are going to listen to and believe.going to listen to and believe.



on

Five Ways the Enemy Five Ways the Enemy Belittles UsBelittles Us

a. He attacks our confidence.a. He attacks our confidence.““what are these what are these feeblefeeble Jews Jews

doing”doing”



on


b. He attacks our motives.b. He attacks our motives.



on ““Are they going to restore it for Are they going to restore it for themselves? ” themselves? ” NASNAS


c. He attacks our worship.c. He attacks our worship.



on ““Will they offer sacrifices? ” Will they offer sacrifices? ”


d. He attacks our belief that d. He attacks our belief that change is possible.change is possible.



on““Will they complete it in a day?” Will they complete it in a day?”


e. He attacks the progress e. He attacks the progress we’ve already made.we’ve already made.



on““Whatever they build, if even a Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break fox goes up on it, he will break

down their stone wall.”down their stone wall.”

Two Two Strategies Strategies

to to Overcome Overcome the Enemythe Enemy


on

1. Prayer — Rely on God

Strategies to Strategies to OvercomeOvercome


on

Nehemiah 4:4-5Hear, O our God, for we Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their are despised; turn their reproach on their own reproach on their own

heads, and give them as heads, and give them as plunder to a land of plunder to a land of

captivity! Do not cover captivity! Do not cover their iniquity, and do not their iniquity, and do not

let their sin be blotted out let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they from before You; for they

have provoked You to have provoked You to anger before the builders.anger before the builders.

1. Prayer — Rely on God


Prayer should always be our Prayer should always be our first response when the Enemy first response when the Enemy comes against us. Our human comes against us. Our human tendency is to strike out when tendency is to strike out when injustice happens. But God’s injustice happens. But God’s

process is different then ours. process is different then ours.

Put it in God’s hands before Put it in God’s hands before you take it into your own.you take it into your own.


on

2. Preparation — Respect the Opposition


Nehemiah 4:9Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them

we set a watch against them day and night.


on



James 4:7Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from

you.


on

We have an adversary who we We have an adversary who we should not underestimate. Yes, should not underestimate. Yes, the Enemy is a defeated foe, but the Enemy is a defeated foe, but

he waits for us to take our he waits for us to take our victory for granted and let our victory for granted and let our

guard down. guard down.



on


Trust God and keep your Trust God and keep your powder dry. — Oliver Cromwellpowder dry. — Oliver Cromwell



on

Four Ways to Be Prepared Four Ways to Be Prepared for the Attackfor the Attack

a. Know your weakness.a. Know your weakness.

Nehemiah 4:13Nehemiah 4:13Therefore I

positioned men behind the lower

parts of the wall, at the openings.



on


b. Join with others.b. Join with others.

Nehemiah 4:13Nehemiah 4:13and I set the people according to their families, with their

swords, their spears, and their bows.



on


c. Encourage yourself.c. Encourage yourself.

Nehemiah 4:13Nehemiah 4:13And I looked, and arose And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, the rest of the people,

"Do not be afraid of "Do not be afraid of them. them. Remember the Remember the

LordLord, great and , great and awesome, and fight for awesome, and fight for

your brethren, your your brethren, your sons, your daughters, sons, your daughters, your wives, and your your wives, and your

houses."houses."



on


c. Encourage yourself.c. Encourage yourself.

2 Timothy 2:82 Timothy 2:8Remember Jesus Remember Jesus

Christ, risen from the Christ, risen from the dead!dead!



on


d. Refuse to quit.d. Refuse to quit.

Nehemiah 4:15Nehemiah 4:15And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone

to his work.



on


d. Refuse to quit.d. Refuse to quit.

Nehemiah 4:21Nehemiah 4:21So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared.



on

Press on. Nothing can take the place of

persistence. Talent will not. Nothing is more

common then unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not. Unrewarded genius is

almost a proverb. Education will not. The world is full of educated

derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are

the overwhelming power. — Calvin Coolidge


The Church in Recovery: Part VNehemiah Chapter 4

Pastor Andrew Cromwell

Kids Church Kids Church ReminderReminder

Please pick up Please pick up your children your children promptly…promptly…

recovering from opposition the church in recovery: part v nehemiah chapter 4 pastor andrew cromwell

Documents

entire wall

stone wall

feeble jews

attack jerusalem

walls of jerusalem

heaps of rubbish

house of judah

vnehemiah chapter