Do not give into fear
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building. Ezra 4:4
The enemy wants to make you afraid and he wants to discourage and weaken your hands. He wants to scare you and hold you back from doing what God has called you to do. That’s what he does and comes to do; to steal, kill, and ultimately destroy you. He doesn’t want you to build for the Lord. He comes to take from you and he comes in many forms. He wants you to play it safe and scared. He wants you to comply.
The people of God were coming to build a temple for their Lord and when the adversaries heard about it, they moved in on the situation to cause confusion and keep them from building rightly. They come to cause opposition. The KJV says that the people (enemies) of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah and the NIV says that they set out to discourage them. That is when they were told no, that they could not help build. They came to discourage them. If we get discouraged, we tend to weaken in our faith.
It angers the enemy when you refuse to fear or cooperate with his plan and so he uses scare tactics. He tries to wear us down (Daniel 7:25). God’s people didn’t give in. I believe that is why the Lord told Joshua NOT to fear or be dismayed, but to only be strong and of good courage. It was a command and not a suggestion, because discouragement will eventually get you down and cause you to quit. The opposite of discouragement is encouragement and it takes courage to believe. Like David had to do, so must we encourage ourselves in the Lord and believe that He has a good work that He has started and wants to complete in you!
There is an enemy, an opponent, and an oppositional resistant force coming and sent out against us. The enemy is compared to a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. His bark or roar is bigger than his bite and he has no power over you. He’s sneaky and likes to surprise attack you or make it look like something that it is not. (Diversions). When we have strict orders from our King, we can resist the bait or temptation to give into fear or his tactics.
The enemy uses who or what he will. So does God. Do not become a slave to fear by giving in. Give the enemy a minute of your time and he’ll try and take a mile.
What has God told you to do? When the enemy hears about it, no doubt, he will come to distract you. He doesn’t have to knock you off course, he just has to get your attention. Don’t take the bait.
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel; 2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither. Ezra 4:1-2
Note the word saying: “When the adversary HEARD that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel… When they heard and and as soon as they heard, they came to say that they wanted in. They wanted to build with them and tried to convince them that they were there to help and that they served their God too. Why? Because the enemy doesn’t want us to build and succeed in eternal matters and he doesn’t want God to have our worship or time. He doesn’t want souls to be impacted and taken from him.
There will always be those who say they want to be on board but as soon as you don’t comply with their request or demands, you’ll see their true colors. It’s all about them, not Him.
These people that tried to build with God's people, not only had ill intent but also threw their suckers in the sand when they didn’t get their way. Then they got mad. That didn’t stop God’s people. They KNEW what they had come to do and were on a strict mission to do so. If you don’t know where you’re going or bound, and what to do, then you need to seek. The enemy likes for us to stay confused because the likelihood of us even being on track, much less staying on track, is slim in that regards. He doesn’t want us going toward the things of God. The Bible says that without vision, we perish. We must have a vision in order to have a destination. And we must build toward it and continue on it, in order to complete it. Or else, where are we going and what are we doing?
We are to be kingdom-minded and not narrow-minded. Not self-proclaimed and self propelled. Unless the Lord builds or unless we’re building for the Lord, we are just laboring in vain or for nothing. David was on a mission to serve God and Saul tried to stop him. God sent men to help him. (1 Chronicles 12) These men were all laser-focused and of one purpose, heart, mindset and accord! They were all on a singular mission together! So were the tribes of Judah and Benjamin in the building of the temple. So must we be! The enemy comes to separate the church (God’s people) and to divide us from building together. If he can’t get us discouraged, he’ll get us distracted on things that don’t matter and that cause the wrong kind of impact. We have souls to win and a kingdom to build.
This brings my mind back to the story of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the wall. Nehemiah had a strong desire to rebuild the wall and much opposition came against the people once they begin. They didn’t quit and God’s people were set into positions and places in order to work and in order to protect what was being built. They finished!
We need to know our job and not worry about someone else’s. We need to stay in our lane and do what God called us specifically to do. We’re not to get sidetracked by someone else’s job or lack of. That’s how we get sideswiped when we’re not looking at what we should be. God is coming back but will He find us doing our job? We mustn’t take our eyes off of Jesus and what God has called us to do. To love and help one another, and to build our lives around Him. To stay the course and not let the enemy stop us. To be firm and resolute in what we truly believe, not what the enemy presents as truth.
When we aren’t on the job or watching, that’s when the enemy comes in to steal what we’ve worked for. Stay focused and stay aware. It’s not to scare you but to make you realize:
No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house. (Mark 3:27)
These adversaries tried to be slick and say we want to join you and your party, and we seek and worship your God as you do. But their worship or intent was not true. Yeah, they worshipped and pretended but for all the wrong reasons. Look with your eye and hear with your ear to examine their fruit.
Matthew 7 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
It is not God’s will for you to be deceived! Look and listen… Observe and then move on.
There will always be someone trying to stop you and it’s often through deceit and deception. The enemy sends people but God does too. Learn to discern. If they can’t lie to you and trick you, then they’ll get aggressive, but Stand Firm.
3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves (alone) together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
The people of God said “NO”. We are told to let our yes be simply yes and our no to be no, because anything other than that leads to compromise and sin. “Mean what you say and say what you mean”, as my cousin always says. But in order to do that you must know where you stand, what you stand for, and what your mission is (and where you’re going)! We must be bendable to God but in order to do that, we must have absolutes to the outside world. If it does not absolutely but kinda’ aligns with God and His plan, it must be absolutely not!
They said no! We will build alone together with each other (believers) and not with the fake ones. We might have to be wheat amongst the tares, and we see that these enemies didn’t completely go away or cease to exist, but we don’t have to compromise our faith. We don’t have to say yes or be like and participate with them. God will separate the wheat from the chaff one day, and the real from the pretenders. The sheep from the goats if you will. Don’t worry about that. Let Him do His part, you just do and focus on yours.
God is God and we are not. We are in but not of this world. We are to be building for Him. We must look different and stand up for what is right. We are to love those who misuse us but do not comply to the enemy’s threats or schemes.
Just say no!
Does it align with the will of God or will it hinder and distract you from the race you have in front of you to run? Will it keep you back from the prize that you are to win??
Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that NO ONE may take your crown. Revelations 3:11
No one! No, not one. Have absolutes.
See, God makes it very clear. No compromise. No dabbling. No entitled victim poor is me. It’s not just “coexisting”. It’s getting very clear on Whose you are and what He sent you to do. It’s all about Who you are working for and being all about His business. We are in the business of pleasing God, loving people, winning souls, resisting evil and not letting the enemy distract us with his lies.
It’s not what we say but what we do that matters and why. We must not just talk about it, but we must do it. Hand to the plow attitudes. We must not give into fear. The only two words that I want to hear and the only two words that will matter one day is: “Well done.” Are we being good and faithful servants and stewards of what God gave us to use to further His kingdom?
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.” Revelations 3:15
God knows your deeds and your why. He knows mine. He knows theirs too! He knows the heart's truest intent and He wants to see us act on it. We have a job to do.
So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Revelations 3:16
Again, clearly, it takes a yes or a no. No in-between! He’s coming back for us, what will He find us doing or not doing?
And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 1 Kings 18:21
Again, yes or no, in or out.
Get honest with God and confess where you’re at today so that you can get set back on the right path. Have you given into discouragement or defeat? Do you need a pick me up? Maybe you don’t even know where you’re going or where to start. Seek Him. Be honest before Him because He honestly already knows. He is waiting on you and me to confess it and to give Him permission to step in. He can establish your going’s and will if you will just ask, seek, trust Him and so obey Him!
If you are hindered, it’s ok. Don’t expect not to be. Jesus clearly told us that in this world, we would have trouble and that as His disciples, we would face persecution. They’ll set traps but you don’t have to fall for the snare, because you can know and follow the truth. It is not God’s will for you to be deceived… just say no and refuse to compromise your faith.
Do not fear the enemy or the threats any longer. And even though they may try to continually weaken your hands, trouble, try and terrify you, or however you want to look at it: It’s all just a threat. Don’t let up. If God be for you, who in this world can stop or be against you!? Remember, Gideon, who was scared. God called him a mighty man of valor (courageous), even though he didn’t feel like it and before he realized that he was. He assured him that he would not die before hand because the fact of hearing that opposition will come is scary. And then God wrapped him in His Spirit and fought for him. He will fight for you and I, but we must stand up and obey! Know what you’re fighting for and who you’re building with.
Ask God to show you and to open your eyes to the Victory. The battle is spiritual and one you can’t fully see. There are spiritual forces fighting against us but there are more fighting for us!
2 Kings 6
14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16 And he answered, FEAR NOT: FOR THEY THAT BE WITH US ARE MORE THAN THEY THAT BE WITH THEM.
17 And ELISHA PRAYED, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
May we PRAY like Elisha to see the love and power of God fighting on our behalf, and stay in the fight and build! With God, it is already won. Greater are You that is in me than any opposition or opponent in this world that may come against me. We are Yours. A Father fights for His child.
God,
Please forgive me when I give into doubt and discouragement (or unbelief and unwillingness). The battle belongs to You God. You truly are great and You show Yourself mighty in me, just as You did to and for Gideon. I don’t have to fear if You are for me and I’m commanded not to be. Who in this world can be against me? I take You at Your word.. The scripture isn’t just cutesy and cliche, but it’s true and powerful. So is Your Spirit upon your people, to do what they cannot do alone. Thank You God for going before us, for giving us power and a mission and not the spirit of fear! But instead giving us power, love and of a sound mind. We don’t have to be timid or afraid anymore. We don’t have to overthink it. We are overcome with Your Spirit and power. I’m walking it out with You and I won’t be moved. In Jesus Name, Amen.
“Whom shall I fear” lyrics
I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side
Trust in no one else. Do not give into fear. Fear is a liar! God is truth.
