In Genesis 37 we read about Joseph the second youngest of twelve brothers born to Jacob, He was only seventeen years old. His father loved him more than his other sons. One day he made a coat of many colours for Joseph.
His brothers hated him and did not speak very kindly to him. Joseph then has two dreams which he told his father and brothers, the dreams indicated his brothers would someday bow to him. This pushed the brothers right over the edge and made them very angry.
One day Joseph’s father sent him to visit his brothers while they were taking care of the sheep. His brothers then planned to get rid of him. They threw Joseph into an empty well. Midianite traders with their camels, passed by where they were, so they sold their brother as a slave. For 20 shekels of silver about $200, R3800 in South Africa. Really nice guys. They then tore his coat and dipped it in goat’s blood, and when they got home, they told Jacob his favourite son had been killed by wild animals.
Joseph was taken by the Midianites to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guards.
Genesis 39 The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man, and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. 4 So Joseph found favour in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.
Now as a household slave. Joseph was later falsely accused of attempting to rape Potiphar’s wife and he was thrown into prison. In prison, Joseph interpreted the dreams of two of Pharaoh’s servants, who were also in prison. When they were both released Joseph asked them to not forget about him. When Pharaoh had a dream, he could not understand the dreams and none of his magicians and wise men could interpret the dreams. The chief butler one of the servants whom Joseph had interpreted his dream told Pharaoh about Joseph. Joseph was called from prison. Joseph then interpreted Pharaoh’s dream in a powerful and accurate way.
Genesis 41:39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream to predict seven good years of abundant harvest and then seven years of famine. He told Pharaoh that he must store grain in the seven good years. Pharoah then put Joseph in charge of the gathering of grain. There was so much grain saved it was more than the sand on the seashore. They stopped counting because it was immeasurable. During the famine, Joseph’s older brothers came to Egypt to buy food. It was twenty years after they sold him. They did not recognize Joseph.
Joseph then accused them of being spies. Joseph kept one brother in prison until the others brought their youngest brother, Benjamin, back to Egypt to prove they were not spies.
They brought Benjamin with them on a return trip, and the brothers now bowed down to Joseph. This was the fulfillment of Joseph’s dream of many years before. Joseph then told his brothers who he was. They were startled, to say the least. Joseph was then reunited with his father and God used Joseph to save his whole family and people from the famine.
Joseph told his brothers, “But now, do not, therefore, be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life”.
Many times, the opposition can come from your own family as with Joseph. It can come from your friends or colleagues at work. Depending on your position, dream, or where you feel God wants you to do something for Him. Opposition can come from total strangers.
David faced opposition from his older brother when he volunteered to kill Goliath. He told David.
1 Samuel 17:28-37 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men, and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”
Let us look at Nehemiah and his decision to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem he faced a lot of opposition. How we can learn from Nehemiah and the way he handled the threatened, jealous, negative people.
We have to know that in the Old Testament, it was a physical fight. They fought their enemy with actual swords. For us, after the ascension of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, it is a spiritual fight. We fight with the sword of the Spirit.
Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Nehemiah 4:1-3 But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?”
3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Whatever they build if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.”
Nehemiah immediately prayed. Nehemiah 4:4 [And Nehemiah prayed] Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their taunts upon their own heads, and give them for prey in a land of their captivity.
As a pastor or a leader or anyone who works with people it is not uncommon to face criticism and angry people. It is so easy to retaliate and defend yourself. Sometimes it is even easier to throw in the towel and run away. I know I have been there. The worst is to let sin have its way in your life because of opposition. Loose faith.
Sanballat means “Sin has Vivified” Vivified to evoke powerful feelings enough to induce imagery in one's mind. The enemy likes to bring confusion, doubt, and fear, and steal the word of life before it can be fully established.
You fear and begin to imagine evil thoughts, you let lust grow and become your reality.
Prayer is a weapon that the enemy cannot do anything about. You replace your negative thoughts with requests to God which change your attitude. You enter your prayer closet, which is the secret place inside of your heart. It is inside of your heart that God speaks His word and gives you the confidence to break through the toughest opposition.
Ephesians 6:18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
I want to emphasize praying always, it is not just on your knees in your bedroom. It is wherever you go while walking, showering, and even while driving your car. I pray while I am running. It is not necessarily loud prayers but the silent thoughts inside of you. Inside of your spirit.
Then with all perseverance, that is never ever, never ever, ever, ever give up.
Sanballat is a critical opposer to that which GOD is establishing. He has friends as well, spirits that will use humans to tear you down. Tobiah and Geshem, are allies and reinforcers. They will use intimidation, insults, and false accusations to give you body punches to distract you from God’s word in your life.
The Sanballat and Tobiah spirit can be in the church hiding amongst other brothers and sisters. They worship with you, break bread with you, and even offer to help you, and even pretend to be your friend. They often speak behind your back
Nehemiah faced these people, they were there to mock, laugh, and accuse Nehemiah of rebelling against the king. They mocked “Whatever they build if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall”.
Nehemiah kept his confidence in the Lord. He knew the fight was not against himself but against God. His trust was in what God had said and that’s how they successfully built the wall.
Nehemiah 4:14 And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”
Our confidence is not from an outside source. Not found in status, money, cars, houses, clothes, positions in our careers, not our achievements, or the organizations, or churches we belong to.
Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man.
Jeremiah 17:7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.
1 John 5:14 “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”
Nehemiah did not cower back in fear but confronted his accusers.
Nehemiah 6:1-3 Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates), 2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they thought to do me harm.3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?”
When people try to take your focus away from your God-given purpose. Do not come down to their level. Do not fight on their grounds. Remain silent and be encouraged by the word of God, and continue to pray.
Nehemiah 6:15-16 “So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.”
Notice that when the enemy HEARD AND SAW, they LOST THEIR CONFIDENCE. The very thing they had used as a means to discourage God’s people was the very thing they lost. Their Confidence
Now finally let peace rule in your life.
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].
Let the peace of God act as the umpire and make the ruling on the matter! It is the rule of God. Keep the peace!
God will fight the fight for you and defeat your opposition.
Amen
