“Overcoming Discouragement”
Nehemiah 6: 1-16
A funny thing happened in a town in Maryland …. a woman named Edith, a mother of 8 children was coming home from a neighbor’s house one Saturday afternoon. As she walked into the house she saw 5 of her youngest children huddled together, focused intensely on something in the circle. As she got closer to them, trying to see what was the center of their attention. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Smack dab in the middle of the circle were several baby skunks. So she screamed at the top of her voice; kids run! So each one promptly grabbed a skunk and ran to their room.
Like that mom we often have no idea how complicated life can get. Things had definitely gotten complicated for Nehemiah. He was receiving opposition from all sides. And at times from places where he least expected it. Let me ask you … do you ever feel discouraged? Of course you do. The bigger question is when you do, what do you do with it? How do you fight it? Have you ever noticed that discouragement never comes at a good time? It’s usually when we’re operating on overload, we’re too busy, too many items on our “to do” list. It is a fact that leaders/busy people will often have to stop and deal with discouragement. And that is what happened with Nehemiah. Discouragement came at a pivotal/critical time in his life. He was nearly finished with the most significant project Jerusalem had seen in years. The wall was about to be finished. And that is when discouragement set in. Listen
Discouragement has terrible timing.
Discouragement always shows up unannounced.
Verse 1 tells us this attack of discouragement occurred when they were almost finished rebuilding the wall. Almost ready for the ribbon cutting ceremony and discouragement sets in. It always comes when we least expect it. The apostle Paul said “so be careful.” If you are thinking, Oh, I would never give in to that” let this be a warning. For you too may fall into sin.”
Let me give you something to think about here. Often it is not the person who has almost fallen who is the most likely to fall. It is the person who thinks he will never fall. Pride comes right before a fall. Look at what scripture teaches us.
• David and Bathsheba. David, up to that time has not really known much besides victory. He killed the lion and the bear. He killed Goliath. He had never been defeated politically. Never been defeated in war yet it was Bathsheba that was his downfall. And that was when he became very discouraged. Up to that time things were great for David.
• Jonah preached and the city repented and then Jonah became discouraged.
Time and time again when things were going well, discouragement set in. You may have seen this as well in your own life. Everything is moving along --- life is good and seemingly out of nowhere discouragement sets in. Nehemiah was already planning the dedication service for the wall and that’s when the enemy attacks. There is a truth here we really need to pay attention to … one we don’t like ….
Often we will face a test.
We forget that God allows them to happen.
God allows them for a purpose.
His purpose was to strengthen Nehemiah.
We sometimes see the demands in life and we think you know what, I’m just walking away … you know what you can have it … I’m done. But Nehemiah said I’m following God. And that’s when the attack came. This is what happened. 1st of all there was a personal request … it seemed innocent, harmless. In fact it seemed like something he ought to consider. Look at vs. 2. The plain of Ono was located about 20 miles North of Jerusalem … it was a beautiful valley. They said, Nehemiah, you need to get away for a while, you’ve been working too hard … Let’s get together and go to Ono. And Nehemiah said Oh No I’m not going there. Why? Cause they’re planning to harm me. V. 2 Now how did he know? Not sure except that often leaders have a gift of discernment --- like a 6th sense --- you see something on the horizon that others don’t and you say something’s wrong. We can’t go there. Discernment is a wonderful thing because it allows you to read between the lines. “They were planning to harm me so I sent messengers to them saying I cannot come down.”
You see there is a difference in being available and in being a puppet. A huge difference. Some of us never know how to say no. Because when you say no, the next question is always why? You tell your kids or your grandkids they can’t do something and what do they say? Why? One of the marks of maturity is the ability to say “no” without giving an explanation. Sometimes you just sense this is not the right thing to do. Look at verse 4. “They sent that message to me 4 times.” Did you get that note? Did you get that memo? Did you get my other note? But each time Nehemiah gave the same answer. V. 4 I answered them in the same way. Nehemiah refused to be intimidated. Leaders have to learn to stand up for what they believe. Look at v. 5. Then, Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a 5th time. This time it was an open letter. Like a petition. Open for everyone to read. And it’s basically a threat. Vvs. 6-7.
Here is what they were doing/saying. You wouldn’t do it the 1st time we asked or the 2nd 3rd, 4th …… now we’re going to expose you. And when we do we’re going to tell you people some things. We’re going to basically make some stuff up. This is what we’re going to say. “When you came to Jerusalem you didn’t just come to gather support. You came to start trouble. And we will also tell them that you came her to get rid of the king so you can be the new king.”
We call this starting a rumor. Ever had a rumor going around about you? One of the characteristics of a rumor is that the source is never quoted. They have no source. V. 6 says, it is reported among the nations … that’s like saying well somebody in the United States told me. ?
Here is how you spot a rumor. (1) The source is never mentioned. (2) The statement is usually exaggerated. (3) The statement is inaccurate. It happens. It happens in churches. In your office. Pastor, you know what people are saying? Rumors. I remember when I was about 8 we played a game in Sunday School called “The Gossip game.” Ever played? If you’re not familiar with it, the leader whispers a statement in one person’s ear and then passes it along to the next person. Whispering it. By the time it gets to the end it has really changed. In our class, it was something like Billy fell down and hurt his arm. By the time it got to the end poor Billy was almost dead.
A rumor is usually designed to hurt someone. Somebody is the target. In this case it was Nehemiah. So it put Nehemiah in a dilemma. If he refused to do what they wanted him to … to go to them … it would look as though he was hiding something. And if he did go the work would have to stop. He couldn’t finish the wall on time. So it was an impossible situation. Gossip is a terrible thing. Ephesians 4 says “let no unwholesome word come from your mouth.” None. Sometimes the best way to deal with gossip is to call it exactly what it is. Confront the person doing it and tell them you refuse to listen. That you won’t have any part in it. Look at how Nehemiah handled it. v. 8.
1. He denied it. It’s not true. “Such things as you are saying have not been done.” 2. He put the blame in its proper place. “You are inventing these things in your own mind.” You invented these rumors. 3. He took it to God. V. 9.
It is nearly impossible for a leader or anyone for that matter to not be hurt by a rumor. We think we have tough skin. “Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me.” Garbage. They do hurt. I don’t care how strong you are. Gossip is a major reason for disunity in the church and God will deal with it. I would challenge you to put this scripture by your phone, in your car, on your mirror at home …. “Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth.” Ephesians 4:29
The letter that was written to Nehemiah had one purpose. v. 9. To frighten him. To intimidate. Nehemiah chose not to give in. But that didn’t stop them. They wrote memos. They signed a petition. V. 10. Now they are coming to kill you. These guys are coming for you….. In the middle of the night and they’re going to kill you. And they tried to do it in a way that seemed harmless. “Let’s meet together at church and talk about this. Let’s get together and pray about it.” How phony can you get? But Nehemiah saw through all of it. He says, should I run away? V. 11. I can’t do this because God has not sent this man! God is not behind all of this. This is not a man of God.
Sometimes trouble comes in the form of an unsigned letter/anonymous letter. Those belong in file 13. That round file in your office also known as the trash can. Nehemiah refused. Why? Simple. “God doesn’t want me to go.” Then he makes an interesting point. Look at verse 13. “He was hired so that I would be intimidated, do as he suggested, sin and then get a bad reputation and cause people to discredit him.” So what was the sin? Yielding to intimidation. Yielding to intimidation produces sin because it will cause you to react in the wrong way.
Why did they want him to sin? V. 13. So that they might have an evil report …. so they could discredit me. It continues. V. 17. Many letters were sent. v. 19. Sent letters to frighten Nehemiah. But Nehemiah stood up. You can write your letters, send all the people you want to. I WILL STAND FOR GOD. Look at verses 15 and 16 to see what happens. The wall was completed. And now THEY were intimidated and lost their confidence.
In 1941, in what was perhaps Winston Churchill’s greatest speech, WW2 was in progress and everyone seemed uncertain as to how the war would end. Would we be free or would Hitler’s regime continue? Churchill stood up and he said, “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in.” Never give in to discouragement.
In a small village, a woman had an argument with her pastor and became so angry that she began spreading rumors about him around town. As the story goes she became ill and called on the pastor to pray for her. He came and she asked his forgiveness for her gossiping. He said “sure but there's something you must do." Bring me a feather pillow and a basket from your home. "As soon as you get well, place the feathers in the basket and bring them to me. When the woman got well, she brought them to him. The minister said. "Now take this basket of feathers and scatter them in the all over town. Then return to me." So the woman did. She walked from one end of town to the other, scattering the feathers. Then she returned to her pastor. "I have done as you asked," she said. "Very well. Now take your basket and collect all the feathers. Make sure not one is missing."
"But that is not possible!" "The wind has carried many of them away!" They’re everywhere now. "So it is with your words," the minister said. "While I have gladly forgiven you, do not forget that you can never undo the damage your rumors have done.
