Nehemiah - Chapter 6: Further Opposition
SERMON TRANSCRIPT
I haven't met you. My name is Andrei. I'm one of the pastors here. Not to be confused with Pastor Chris, even though we wear the same color shirt. He also has a beard, so just that's the difference. And no sleeves. Yeah, I'm cold. Okay, well, it's good to be... those are, these are accidents by the way. We don't plan this. We might need to start coordinating to be like, "Hey, I'm wearing... I called green today." So just one announcement for you this morning. I want to put this in front of you again that we have a workday coming up in October, October 6. It's the first Sunday and we like to do these a couple times a year. One usually before Easter and then another before the holidays and Thanksgiving and Christmas, just to pay attention to our building and kind of clean it up. And so you're invited to join us in that. We'll provide lunch for your services. Thank you so much in advance for anyone who helps. And yeah, we just have a fun time cleaning up. Hopefully it's fun. If it's not fun, I'm so sorry. Let us know. We can make it fun. Well, we're gonna have a good time. Just clean. Yeah, we do like windows and washing a couple things. So you're invited. Just maybe bring a change of clothes and yeah. Thank you so much. If you have any questions about that, you can find someone with a green name tag afterwards and they can give you some more information. For everything else announcement related, I'd point you to the bulletin or to our website. Lots more coming up in the future here.
All right, as we turn our attention to our series this morning, we are coming to our halfway point. Halfway through, almost halfway through the book itself. And then we're gonna be taking a couple week break here after this week. Next week and the week after we have guest preacher coming in. And so and then we're gonna finish out the rest of our Nehemiah series. But so far in our series and in this book we've seen, this book has showed us the brokenness of God's people and the righteous response of prayer. It's shown us God's provision even through foreign political leaders. We've seen opposition to God's plan and to his people from outside of Jerusalem and even from within. And then we've also seen the unity of people coming together to build the walls, to build the gates. And we've even seen generosity through Nehemiah and everything that God has given him and the power that he has been given by God, by the other king, and using that for benefiting everyone else. And today in our passage we're going to return to the theme of opposition as we'll see these efforts from the enemies really intensify against specifically Nehemiah. And so as we get into this story, as we see this rebuilding project reach completion, it's also overshadowed by what happens when someone encounters personal and spiritual and emotional opposition. And doesn't allow it, thankfully, to distract them from the work that God is calling them to do. And we see it when someone clings to God's truth as they continue to follow him in obedience.
Let me go ahead and pray before we continue. You guys could bow your heads. God, thank you again for our time to gather this morning. As we come around your word, we pray that you would, through your spirit, reveal truth to us, bring us closer to you, draw us in, and may your spirit speak to us, encourage us, empower us, even convict where necessary. And God, after this, and we go about our days in this week, that we'd be able to see clearly how to live for you and give you everything that we have. We pray this in your name. Amen. All right, so in chapter 6, just before we really dive into it, we're gonna see this building effort come to its final stage. But this is when opposition, just as this is about to finish, opposition gets really intense. And Nehemiah's enemies try to lure him outside the city. They try to discredit him. They start going to all these tactics that they haven't used before to really try to put a stop to what is about to be done. And there's an overarching theme and thought which is, when one should be aware, we should be aware, that the enemy doesn't like it when we are living in God's will. When we are living a life of obedience to what God has called us to do, when we are who he has called us to be, that does not make Satan happy. He doesn't like it when we're obedient, when we're steadfast to God's calling. And in those moments, the enemy's attacks are strongest, maybe even loudest. So you're gonna try to pull us away from God to distract us a bit, even if it's just a whisper, to sow a seed of doubt, to feed into our pride, or whatever it may be. The enemy wants to keep us from living in the will of God. And that can range from outright slander against who we are, that is very, you know, affects all of our lives, to something as small as making sure that we're scrolling in the morning instead of reading God's Word. Whatever it takes, the enemy will do whatever it is to keep us from living like God wants us to. So let's see how the enemy is working against Nehemiah in our passage this morning.
We're gonna go section by section, and let's start by reading the first four verses. Chapter 6, verse 1, it says, "When word came to Sambalot, Tobiah, Geshem, the Arab, and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, not a gap was left in it, though up to that time I had not set the doors and the gates, Sambalot and Geshem sent me this message, 'Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.' But they were scheming to harm me, so I sent messengers to them with this reply, 'I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?' Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer." So we'll pause right there.
Again, we see this distraction for Nehemiah intensify, and sometimes when we get to the end of something, be it a project or a paper or an assignment, like I said, the distractions get louder. And the next, maybe it's something like the next thing on your to-do list, all of a sudden you become more aware of it, and you're like, "I got this, I'm almost done with this, so what's the next thing that I'm gonna have to work on?" Or maybe it's catching up with relationships. You've been so focused and so diligent that you're like, "Oh, I've ignored some people, so I've got a little bit of time right now as I'm wrapping this thing up, let me go catch up with them, whether through text or social media." Or maybe it's just a lack of energy or doubt or insecurity or annoyance. Those feelings can be louder as we near the completion of something. I know for me, when I was in college and seminary, whenever I had to write a paper, and I often waited until a day or two before it was due, so that might be on me, but there was a lot of pressure and getting it started. And then as I was coming, you know, one o'clock in the morning or something, I'm finishing it up, I'd be like, "Man, I deserve a break. I'm almost done." And I'd be like, "I've been working so hard, let me just check the highlights of the latest game that I missed, let me go text some people or scroll social media." And then it was almost harder to finish my paper than actually start it. So finishing the project can be hard. I'll just say that it's not uncommon as we near completion, distractions intensify.
Now Nehemiah's distractions are less self-imposed than actually someone from the outside really trying to derail him. Sandbullet, Tobiah, and Gesher, remember, are these enemies that represent the surrounding nations of Israel, and they invite Nehemiah to a village to talk. And Nehemiah discerns that this is a trap. How did he know? Well, the city that they mentioned, Ono, is a day's journey away, and it borders the districts of Samaria and Ashdod, which were both, at that time, they were hostile regions. And so at best, this trip would have been a time-wasting effort, just slowing Nehemiah down, and maybe even given the opportunity that they all had spies and influences inside the city, they could, if Nehemiah was outside the city, they could really start to work on spreading some rumors and getting things sent. And so Nehemiah's like, "I don't want to do that." At worst, I mean, it could have been Nehemiah's life. This could have been a plot to kill Nehemiah. If he's outside the city, we can kill this leader who is doing stuff that we don't want to do.
So Nehemiah responds in verse 3, "I am working on a great project." Now this isn't like a prideful self-praise of like, "Hey, I'm too big for you guys. I don't have time to be..." No, this is just saying, "I am so focused on what God has called me to do. This is God. He's more important than you two. He has called me to do this. I have to stay here and focus on the task that God has put in front of me." So instead of letting his enemies distract him, he chooses to remain focused on the work of God. And Nehemiah could see what these leaders were trying to do, and he had the discernment and the wisdom to see, "Here's what God has called me to do, and this thing that they're offering does not line up with where God is calling me to go. It's going to distract me from what God wants me to do." Now I don't know what projects or enemies you have at home, but I don't think any of us are rebuilding city walls. But we do all have a God-given work, and that is to become more like Him, to live in obedience to God's Word, to live like Jesus and to bring Him glory in whatever we do and wherever we are. The most basic level we all have as Christians, that is a job that we have to do.
So I want to ask this, what distractions in your life are pulling you away from that work that God has called you to do? If you just kind of do a self-assessment, you evaluate what you have going on in your life, what's on your plate, what distractions are in your life that are pulling you away from the direction that God is calling you to go? What do you think would happen if those distractions were removed? Or what would happen if you chose to ignore those distractions and remain focused on the work that God is doing in your life? This might also mean having to discern whether you can clearly see first and foremost what God has called you to do, because that is necessary to know what is a distraction. You have to know what God has called you to do to understand what might not be in line with it. What distractions are pulling you away from God and His work? So you think about that, let's continue in our story.
Verse 5, it says, "Then the fifth time, Sam Bolot sent his aid to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written," unsealed, we'll come back to that, "It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says it is true, that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports, you are about to become their king, and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you and Jerusalem. There is a king in Judah. Now this report will get back to the king, so come, let us meet together. I sent him this reply, 'Nothing like what you are saying is happening. You are just making it up out of your head.' They were all trying to frighten us, thinking their hands will get too weak for their work, and it will not be completed. But I prayed, 'Now strengthen my hands.'" By the fourth time of asking for this meeting, Sam Bolot must have realized that his anxiety and his desire for power were beginning to show through in his efforts, and so he shifts tactics. He sends an open letter, ensuring that this malicious rumors would begin to spread, again hoping to undermine Nehemiah's authority, halt the progress of the wall, and retain whatever power and influence he has over Jerusalem. You see, most letters at that time were written with some kind of papyrus, and then they were sealed with some kind of wax and an insignia, and they would seal it, and that person receiving the letter would know, 'Okay, I recognize that. That is from this person. This is a real letter, and this is legit.' Now in open letter, scholars kind of think that this is maybe even made on some kind of big pottery, and this messenger is carrying it around so that everyone can read, like, 'Oh, I'm going to the king. Oh, you can see this message? Oh, I didn't know you could do that.' But really, they're trying to spread this information, and having everyone in the village or wherever it is read this to say, 'Oh, what's that say? Nehemiah wants to become king?' And so it's really just a smear campaign on Nehemiah, and he's like, 'What? What are you guys talking about? This is completely made up. I'm not trying to do any of this.’
But again, these tactics, this effort from the enemy is intensifying. It's an intentional way to spread lies and rumors and allegations that are completely false, not only for the people, but also hopefully by all this happening, it's going to sow further doubt and really test the resolution of Nehemiah. 'Do I want to keep doing this? Do I want to keep fighting these rumors and these people? I've tried to put it to bed before, but they keep coming up. That's tiring.' Some people say, 'That's it. I'm out of here. No one wants to seem to want this.' As much as it was to affect everyone else and their belief, it was also a personal attack about Nehemiah wanting to become king. It could have been so damaging to him emotionally, and further distracting him from what God wants him to do. It's damaging because it's clearly a lie. We know from chapter 1 that he has no desire to become king. He's good with the king. The king sent him and blessed him and said, 'Take what you need.' And he said, 'I'm gonna come back to you, king.' So he knows that that relationship is good. He's planning to return. But they are really trying to start a new narrative of why and what Nehemiah is doing, and it's simply not true. And Nehemiah, what did he do to confront these lies? Well, he spoke the truth. Whatever feelings Nehemiah was going through, we want to be careful. We don't know his feelings. He's writing this, but I think it's fair to say he had some kind of emotional response inside, whether he shared that with anyone or not. But there's a message circulating around accusing him of doing something that he is not at all doing, and you've probably been there at some point. Someone's spreading lies about you, and it is hard to just stand by and not say anything. Sometimes there's a point to say something, but when something is said about you that is not true, we have an emotional reaction.
So I'm imagining that Nehemiah might have felt infuriated, frustrated, angered, hurt, more doubt. But Nehemiah's response reveals what ultimately came out on top in his heart, and that is the truth of God. And maybe Nehemiah was telling himself this truth just as much as he was reminding everyone else around him, saying, 'That's not true. I'm not trying to be king. I'm doing God's work. Nothing that you're saying is true.' It's such a good reminder for us today that when we are confronted with lies and the emotions that we may feel and may want to act out of those emotions, the truth not only instructs our outward actions but our inward attitude. Say that again. The truth not only instructs our outward actions but our inward attitude towards that opposition, towards those lies. Pastor Eric Mason says we need to speak truth to our emotions because while they may be real, they don't always point us to the truth. Emotions that we feel are real, but they are not always pushing us towards the truth or to the true way of living as God wants us to, living like Jesus. What do I mean by that? Well, we're going through the generosity practice right now, and we just talked about greed. And we may have in our current situation talking about finances, we may feel stressed, anxiety, worry over not having enough, over finances being tight. But if we were to follow those emotions, those may lead us to be greedy. The opposite of what God wants us to be, which is generous. Instead of living in obedience, those emotions might drive us to acting not as Jesus has called us to. So our emotions are real. We do feel stressed. We do feel anxiety. But we have to speak truth to our emotions. Say, "I know I feel this, but God I know you're gonna provide. You are a generous God. I'm gonna have enough." Can't deny how we feel, but we can't let those emotions drive our lives.
So the question for us is, are you letting your emotions direct you away from God's truth in any area of your life? Again, do the self-assessment. Think about your life. Think about where you're feeling stressed, where you're feeling very emotional. Is there an area of your life today where your emotions are in the driver's seat? And are they pushing you to live like Jesus, to live as Christ? Or are they pushing you to be selfish, to be greedy, to be unkind, to be hateful? How might God's truth dictate what you should do in whatever situation your emotions are affecting you? Nehemiah is showing us the difficult task of staying focused on God's truth and not letting his emotions take over. And it is hard. I struggle with that weekly. I'm an emotional person. I feel emotions and I start to act out of it. I speak out of it and that gets me into trouble sometimes. And I need to tell myself, "I'm feeling this, but God I know your truth. And you say whatever it is, that I'm loved, that I'm important, that I'm worthy. Or God you say that you are going to provide. I'm stressed about finances. You are going to make sure that every day I am not needing anything, that I'll get through it." So are you letting your emotions direct you away from God's truth? And how might God's truth dictate where you should do in that situation?
Let's continue in verse 10. It says, "One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Deliah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, 'Let us meet in the house of God inside the temple and let us close the temple doors because men are coming to kill you. By night they are coming to kill you.' But I said, 'Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go.' I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Samboleth had hired him. He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this. And then they would give me a bad name to discredit me. Remember, Tobiah and Samboleth, my God, because of what they have done. Remember also the prophet Naodia and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me." This is on another level of scheming against Nehemiah. They are now paying prophets to try to get someone to sin. These prophets are supposed to be the voice of God, the voice of truth, and they're being paid to deceive. I mean, this is so corrupt. This should be infuriating to read this and be like, "How can a prophet be paid to intentionally try to commit someone or have someone commit sin?" Nehemiah, thankfully, knows the truth, knows the words of this prophet aren't lining up with God's words and the instruction to his people. You see, this invitation to come save himself by going into the temple was really an invitation to sin and to discredit him because a man of his status, which is not a priest, is not allowed in the temple. The last person to try that was King Uzziah back when Israel was one nation. And that king got leprosy from it. God punished him and said, "You weren't supposed to do this and you now have leprosy for the rest of your life." So Nehemiah knows, "Why are you inviting me into the temple? This is weird. This is not..." And apparently people are coming and he's putting all these pieces together. He's like, "No, I'm out. I'm not gonna do this." We've already talked about the importance of knowing and living by the truth, but there's another warning to us here, which is we should not, we need to be careful not to be like this prophet Shemaiah.
Now you're saying I will never take money to lie about God's Word. I hope that's true. That's good. But on an even lesser scale, we need to filter what we hear and what comes from our mouths, what we are internalizing and believing and sharing with others. There's a lot, this is very difficult in today's world, there's so much information being taken in by everybody every day, you know, whether from news outlets to other people sharing to news media to social media, the internet, just on top of we're hearing so much information. And on top of all that we're hearing, there's so many platforms for us to share, whether in person-to-person and we're just having conversation or posting on social media, to texting, whatever it is, are the words that we are sharing about whatever subject you were talking about, whether schools or politics or your neighborhood or whatever it is, are they words that are pointing others to God? Or are they actually pulling people away from God? Are they instilling fear? Are they instilling hate in someone?
In order to know what to filter and what is worth sharing, it means we have to be intentional to know the truth, to be feeding ourselves the truth through the reading and the hearing of God's Word, not just on Sundays but every single day. We need to know who God is and what his perspective is of how to live this life. Knowing the truth is so important, we have to make it a priority to be in God's Word daily. And I know that's hard, that's hard for me to be, to have, that takes self-discipline and routine and dedication, but that's what God wants of us. Dallas Willard, an author, a former pastor, he's passed away but he's written so many books, he says this, "Few things in life that are worth doing are pleasant in their early stages. Persistence is the prerequisite for a fruitful life in the kingdom of God." I love that, persistence is the prerequisite for a fruitful life in the kingdom of God. We need to persist in the daily reading of God's Word so that we know the truth, so that as we're hearing information, as we are sharing information, the filter that we have is one that aligns with Scripture and saying, "I know this is happening, that may be true, that could be facts about what is happening, but what I'm gonna share about it is gonna point people to Jesus, is gonna share that I have faith in God." We want a fruitful life in the kingdom of God, and when we know the truth, when we are dedicated and we are committed to reading His Word, it will help us from being deceived and then from even unintentionally deceiving others or keeping others from going to God or understanding who God is. We don't want to be a Shammai, a story was written about us, we don't want to be that person that said, "Then they encountered this person and they really said some things that really did not help the person but really led that person away from God.”
The other thing that Nehemiah does to combat this emotional and social spiritual attack on top of knowing the truth is that Nehemiah prays. In verses 9, we read that he said, "But I pray now, strengthen my hands," and in verse 14 he says, he's speaking to God, "Remember Tobiah and Sambal, my God, because of what they have done. Remember the prophets and how they've been trying to intimidate me." In another attempt at discrediting him, at further chipping away at his fortitude and resolution to follow God, he prays, "Strengthen me, God, and remember them." That "remember them" is not simply, "You're gonna forget God." It's saying, "God, I'm handing this over, you have to take care of them. Remember them, God. They're in your hands now. Your judgment, whatever you're gonna do, my hands are out of it, you take care of it. And I'm gonna keep working, God. I'm gonna keep doing what you called me to do. I'm gonna rebuild this wall, I'm gathering people, I'm uniting people. You have this project we're gonna finish.”
And so a question for us today is, what are our prayers in the midst of opposition? When we face emotional, spiritual, mental opposition to what God has called you to do, are you praying to God to do what he wants you to do? Pastor Mason again says, "Prayer is not the dictation of our will to God, but our alignment with his will." We're not saying, "God, I'm going through this, so you got to get on board with my plan to get out of it." We're saying, "God, I'm going through this. I'm with you in however you want me to get through this. Whether you're gonna rescue me from it, or I'm gonna have to endure, God, I'm with you in your plan." Prayer helps us align with God, not the other way around. And I think in our heads we know that. We say, "Yes, that's pretty obvious." But do we pray like that? Do the words we say in our prayer time actually reflect that approach? Even in the hardest of times, do we pray, "God, strengthen me to get through this. Give me what I need, Lord, that you know what I need to live a life that still honors you through the hardest of life's challenges." Or do we pray, "God, take this away from me. I don't want to do this. I think, God, we know what's best is that I don't go through this. So, could you rescue me? God, you're the great rescuer. Get me out of this. I'm out." I've prayed that prayer. And it's okay to pray that prayer, but don't end on that note. If you're processing with God, you're like, "God, I don't want to do this. God, rescue me." That's fine. But make sure that you're ending that prayer in a place of surrender, saying, "God, if this is what you have for me, then give me what I need to get through this." Just as Jesus prayed in the garden, "God, is there any other way? There's not. Give me what I need to get through this next 24 hours, to die on this cross." We've got to humble ourselves to the will that God has for our lives, even in difficult situations. We want to be aligned with His will and His heart, which we know are true and good and loving. Praying and knowing God's truth are the two key components in facing opposition in the Christian life. And Nehemiah has them on full display in this chapter, full of opposition to what he is doing.
Let's end our chapter starting in verse 15. It says, "So the wall was completed on the 25th of Elul in 52 days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. Also in those days, the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekiniah, son of Arah, and his son Jehonin had married the daughter of Meshulam, son of Berekiah. Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling me what I said, telling him what I said, and Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me." All right, a lot happening here.
First, super positive note, the wall is completed. This is great! It's completed in time and in a way that points clearly to God. Despite the opposition on multiple fronts, the wall is finished. And what a reminder for the people, and even for us reading it today, that nothing can stop God's plans. What God wants, what God begins, what God is behind, it will happen. It will come to completion. It will be done. God used all that attention that was on Jerusalem, all the attention from the enemies, all the attention from the people who were working on it, all the people from within who were opposed, and all the people from surrounding nations just having this eye on this is the current, you know, newest political thing that's happening. Jerusalem and the walls. That'd be like daily news for everyone. What's the latest with the walls? And God used all of that focus and attention for his glory. In the end, the city's rebuilding through the city walls being rebuilt. His power and his might are on full display. And the whole world's like, "Oh my goodness, look what just happened. The God of Israel is real. There's no way they could have done that without divine help. All attention is on Yahweh.”
Now despite this, sadly, opposition continues. This man, Tobiah, is clearly consumed and driven by power. And he's probably, scholars think that he's a fellow Jew, and so his connections are deep. Not only are his family ties providing a seed of influence in the community, but he also seems to have business contracts he's owed with other people. And so this is a man who is stubborn. He's not letting go of this desire to have influence in a broken-down and lesser-than Jerusalem. And feeling threatened, he's continually lashed out, attacked, conspired against the work and people of God. Mostly pointed at Nehemiah. And Nehemiah, so far, through prayer and the power of God, has been able to withstand those attacks. And the people, through the leadership of Nehemiah, have remained focused on the task. They remain focused on the work that God had called them to do, and they have done an amazing thing. I mean, some scholars look back and be like, "I don't know if this really happened. 52 days to rebuild a wall seems very unlikely." And however long it took, the fact is that through God and through the people remaining focused on the task, God was able to accomplish great things through those people.
So our question today is, "What can God accomplish through our church as we remain focused on the work that he has called us to do?" What can God accomplish through Spring Valley as we remain focused on the work that God wants us to do, is calling us to? We just met about our vision, and Pastor Chris shared this 2010 3-1. 20 new baptisms and salvations, 10 new families, 3 new ministry leaders, 1 united heart, church heart of gratitude for what God has done and what God will do. And we believe that God is calling us in that direction and that God will make it happen. And as we remain focused and committed to living like Jesus individually and also communally as a church, who knows what else is possible? But as we pray and read and know God's truth about living like Christ, we can get a lot done. If we stay focused, God can work amazing things through this church. In addition to those numbers, I just want to encourage all of us to also reflect, maybe this week, what might God be putting on your heart, your hopes and dreams for this faith community? This is your church. It's not just for Pastor Chris and I and the staff or the elders to be asking God, "What do you want us to do?" You, we want you to be asking that question too. God can stir in any one of us and if it's where God is leading, then as a church we'll rally behind and say, "God, if this is where you're going, then we're going with you.”
So our passage this morning serves as both a warning and a helpful exhortation. And as I close, I just want to say this, as we live in God's will, as we obey the call he has placed on our lives, we will face opposition. You've heard this a couple weeks ago from Pastor Lauren. You're hearing it again. You're gonna hear it more in this series. You will face opposition. Maybe you're facing it right now. Maybe you're not. And so right now is a season of gearing up, of knowing God's truth, of preparing for when you will. It may not look like the same opposition that Nehemiah faced. There's no one walking around Rocklin with an open pottery with rumors of any of you. But the enemy is still working hard to discourage you and to distract you from what God has called you to do. So will you be ready? How will you respond when that happens? Will we remain faithful to him, focused on what he has called us to do? Which means, are we going to be praying and are we going to be in God's Word to know his truth? And then this passage also provides an exhortation for us. We can know and be assured that God's plans are good and they will come to be. It's gonna happen. If God wants it, if God wills it, nothing will stop him. We can know and be assured that as we follow God, he will be faithful to carry out his work through us. And that work will be a testimony to the world around us, to the people around us, of who God is and what he does. As God works in you and through you, whether you're verbally sharing who God is or not, just that work that he is doing will be a testimony to other people. You may never know it. You may get to heaven and someone's gonna be, "Hey, I saw you live your life. I saw you go through that situation over months, over years, and it pointed me to Jesus. Every response that you had to that opposition, to that attack, I was blown away. And over time, your testimony and what God was doing, that drew me in. And my faith was strengthened, or maybe I came to faith because of how you lived." God will fulfill his work in you and know that he is doing work through you. And we just gotta come before him and say, "God, give me what I need. Give me what I need to do that, to be a part of your work." It's a joy to partner with him in his work. It's hard. It's very hard at times. But as we continue to surrender, we'll see God provide for us. We'll see him give us everything that we need. And in turn, we just turn around and praise him some more. "God, that was amazing. That was all you. Thank you for using me, for using my life to bring people to you." Amen?
Let's pray. God, thank you so much for your Word, for this example of Nehemiah, a man who was so faithful in times of so much opposition. I can't imagine all these rumors swirling around him, these lies. And God, because of his commitment to you, because of his steadfast knowledge of your Word and your truth, he was able to endure. That's such an example for us, God, as we are all enduring in this life. This life is challenging. It is hard. I know many of us are going through situations right now that are taking everything that we have just to get through another minute of another day. So God, I pray that you would fill us with what we need. Empower the people here. Equip us for these challenges. Encourage us, God, through your Spirit. May everyone who leaves today know that you are with them. You will not leave them, that you are going to give them everything that they need, whether they know it or not. God, you are continually providing for us. And so we just want to praise you again for that work that you're doing that we know about, that we see in our lives, and even for the things that we cannot see, for the protection that you give us, for the provision that you give us. God, thank you. We praise you. We want to honor you with everything that we have. We pray this in your Son's name. Amen.