God is for you

Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. Ezra 4:4-5

As I looked over this verse this morning, I was reminded that the enemy is always trying to frustrate us and to stop God’s plan for our lives. But God made the plan and with God we will prevail. That is why He told us so many times: “Do not fear.” We don’t have to fear the fact that the enemy is lurking around every corner, because God is there too. He is with us, He is in us and He is for us. He’s on our side. We must not give in to discouragement if we want to win. We must have winning mindset and attitude, for the mind can play tricks on you. Know truth!

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32

In the book of Ezra, the people were trying to build the temple but their enemies were trying to stop them. Why? Because the real enemy knows the danger when we are doing God’s will. We are dangerous to him and his mission to  keep lost souls lost and to divert and deceive believers.

If all hell is breaking loose, you can guarantee heaven fights for you.

Same story with Nehemiah and the workers rebuilding the wall that God had shown Nehemiah to redo. This made some folks real mad. They didn’t want well for the Israelites. But guess what? God did and He had a plan. The main point was is that His people shouldn’t give up. They were taunted and despised but the people prayed and set a guard day and night. They didn’t quit. They followed through. It may have seemed that they’d be shut down, but nevertheless, God came through.

“Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work. Nehemiah 4:14-15

The temple in Ezra was finished and the Lord made them joyful. He even turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands to do the work that He had given them to do. God will use whatever and whoever He wants. We see this all throughout the Bible, just like in the story of Daniel when he was thrown into a den of lions. The king was for him. God is for you!

“Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.”Nehemiah 4:4-5

God wants to finish the work He started In you - beginning to end, no matter how much opposition you have faced.

The opposition didn’t stop just because they kept going. In fact, it got worst before better. A man was even hired to trick or lure Nehemiah so that he would run at the warning of a fake death threat. The enemies desperate. He will lie to you and use anyone or anything he can use to distract you. Don’t believe everything and don’t take the bait. Nehemiah discerned this and called his bluff.

Don’t fall for the lie, keep your eyes on Jesus. He is truth and He will never lead you astray or leave you. But fear will and the moment you give into it, you’re going the wrong way. We must have the attitude and prayer life of Nehemiah. He didn’t stoop to their level or fight like they did. He kept doing good. He knew what He was sent to do - he was the leader of the project, and he did much praying before He even got there. We see that He continued to pray throughout the whole journey, looking to God for help and guidance, and God saw him through.

Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart.”

For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.”

“Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.” Nehemiah 6:8-9

The people had a mind to work and they set their hearts and minds to it no doubt. They were following through. They set a watch  night and day. We must not leave any areas of our life off watch. Half of them built, while the other half guarded and there was one who sounded the trumpet for warning.

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. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” Nehemiah 4:19-2

It matters who you have in your circle.

Remember what they were told to do: “to remember the Lord, great and awesome, and to fight for their families and homes.” The enemy knows if he can cause you to give up that the plans won’t be completed. Don’t! You’ve got too much at stake. It’s worth fighting for, you’ll see in the end…

And so the wall was finished - And it happened when all the enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God. Nehemiah 6:16

Good news: God is the same God then, now and forever more. He is for you, not against you. But the enemy is. No need to fear, it’s just to remind and warn you to continue to work and let God continue to do His work in you. Don’t give up no matter how strong the opposition may be, you’re stronger because He is in you. You might be weak but His strength is made perfect in our weakness. He picks up where we can’t and His grace is enough.

God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah Psalm 46:1-3

There is nothing to fear but God Himself. Fear is a liar and powerless over us unless we give in. God is powerful and He is Almighty. We have the very power of The God of the universe living inside of us if we know Him.

God is with us. So be doing the work you once set out to do.

There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.

God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Come, behold the works of the Lord,
Who has made desolations in the earth.

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!

The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah Psalm 46:4-11

I hope this brings us comfort today that knowing the very same power that raised Jesus up, and helped all of these before us, will help us too. No matter what or who is trying to stop you, you can be still and know that He is God. He will fight for you. Don’t stop until you’ve finished the work that He has given you to do, for it’s with great purpose what He’s accomplishing in and through you.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20