Nehemiah 4: 6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work. 7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, 8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
The remnant of God’s people was returning from captivity. They saw the state of Zion; Jerusalem was in ruins. The walls were to the ground. The temple was ruined. Stragglers and hobos had set up house in the ruins. The old devil’s crowd comes in when we fall away. Because of Israel’s backsliding the old devils came back around. Satan doesn’t let up on us one bit. He wants to hinder and defeat. Through the blood of the Lamb we are set aside, saved and justified. We don’t know each other’s battles but I can tell you he works on me. Maybe that should be taken as a compliment. There may be clouds outside but we know the sun is shining above them.
Nehemiah got a vision beyond the ruins. They didn’t focus on ruins. They weren’t as good as the original craftsmen but they believed the same God. They had a mind to work. They had hardly got started when their enemies started. There will always be a Sanballat and Tobiah around when we set our mind to work. They conspired to fight against Israel. The devil pours on the steam to hinder, steal, kill and destroy. He doesn’t want to see progress. That’s what Israel was doing. God showed them how to build out of the broken stones and rocks. Our house—this old heart—is where we need to build. We are the habitation of God. The breeches on the walls were stopped up. Let’s determine to plug up the holes in our life. Those holes and gaps are what let the devil get through.
As they rebuilt the walls they saw the holes and repaired them as they went. If we sin and come short take care of it then and now. If we have to repent 70 times a day, do it. Patch up the holes and get your spiritual life back on the Rock. Nehemiah had formidable foes. Their main intent was to ruin the work and hinder the people. Everything in the book will go wrong this week. We’ll be tired. The devil will make our minds wander. He wants to ruin revival. The adversaries will come against us. Nehemiah looked at it and didn’t say he was outnumbered. He didn’t look at past failures and defeat. The enemy could be overtaken. Every day we make progress or go back. If God is for us who can be against us? Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
Let’s set ourselves to seek the Lord. Be like Nehemiah and say nevertheless. In the midst of things. In spite of things. Make your prayer to God. Pray anyway. That’s the way to have revival. Just say nevertheless. I don’t care how big the enemies seem, make a prayer anyway. Set a watch. Pay no attention to hindrances. They can threaten but they don’t have to stand in the way. Set to pray. Make a commitment. Keep one eye on the enemy but keep focused on Jesus and the Bible. We can have revival. The good old days are not gone. We could see our best days ahead. It doesn’t matter how hard times get; we don’t have to be of the world. We’re just in it. The Lord has cleansed us.
In spite it all Nehemiah and the people finished the walls and established Jerusalem again. They set their minds to the work. They made the effort. Set to work. Set to prayer. Set a watch on the enemy but keep your eyes on the Lord. A life in surrender to the Lord is necessary. Take the ruins. Patch the holes. Build up the walls. Seek the Lord. Together let’s work. Let’s call on the Lord. It will pay off. People look at the times and say we can’t have what we used to. Sure we can! The devil is no stronger today than he was. God is still the same. If we set our minds to it, it will be good. They finished the wall. We can have revival. We can see the wall go up and the devil go out.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 