Intro: Determination is the single greatest attribute of success.
- 3 doctors who studied 6,000 marriages and 3,000 divorces and concluded “There may be nothing more important in marriage than determination” (Parrots p.49)
- Not to say determination on one partner’s part can save a marriage, but that determination is the key factor behind each and every necessary step forward.
- Determination in every area of life… leads to a great finish.
- Father explains to son ‘he couldn’t quit school. He tells him, “You remember Abraham Lincoln… General McArthur… Babe Ruth… Elmo McCringle…’ ‘Who’s Elmo McCringle?’ asks the son. The father said, That’s because Elmo quit’
- Proverbs 24:16 ‘A righteous man falls seven times, and rises again.’
Nehemiah, we discover the power of determination in finishing what God begins in our lives…
- As we saw in previous weeks, Nehemiah… unfinished walls… a parallel to our lives… Opposition… discourage the people… Opposition… pressures… Anyone Here feel pressures? Challenges?
- Nehemiah reveals what’s involved in pressing on in the midst of pressure.
- Whatever God has begun in your life, you can finish…
- Part of the challenge lies in standing up to spiritual deception.
- That’s what Nehemiah faced. One round of opposition failed… walls going up… only gates remained… Enemy is more desperate and deliberate
1. DANGEROUS DISTRACTIONS
When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates—Sanballat 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. (Nehemiah 6:1-4)
- We find here a danger in the form of a distraction for their little get away was at least a days journey away from this Great and Godly calling.
Now, the word together suggests the idea of a compatible visit. The plain of Ono was located about twenty miles north of Jerusalem, and it was a beautiful, verdant valley. Sanballat and Geshem were saying, “You need to get away for a while. You’ve been laying bricks too long, Nehemiah. We’ve had our spats, a few little disagreements, but let’s get together. Come on up to Ono.” Nehemiah said, “Oh no!” to Ono. “I’m not coming up there. Not on your life.” Why Nehemiah’s negative response? “…they were planning to harm me” (v. 2). How did he know? I can’t explain how any leader in God’s marvelous family is gifted with a sixth sense from above. He gets to the edge of danger and something inside says, “I don’t dare get into that; there’s something wrong.” That doesn’t mean we should live the life of an isolationist; it does mean we should live a life of discernment. Discernment is a God-given quality a leader must possess. Discernment allows you to read between the lines. In this invitation, Nehemiah sensed trouble. He probably said to himself, “If I get up there in that place, I might be kidnapped. I could be murdered. I know for sure that as soon as I leave, the work here will suffer.” So what did he do?
HOLY SPIRIT can provide the discernment and direction we need to overcome dangerous distractions. I recall that just when I was faced with the challenges of navigating through a hard season of potentially leading this church… I got a call to consider a church in Santa Cruz… the very place I’d fallen in love with… and would run off to on vacations. Perhaps a fine call… but it wasn’t God’s call… or God’s best for me.
I think it is important to realize that the dangerous distractions of our lives are not always what we might think of…
- For instance… often think of earthly pleasures, but these aren’t dangerous in themselves
o The question is, do they compliment or compete for the greater good that God has called you to?
o One can enjoy golf… skiing… music… movies… and find no competition from allegiance/devotion… but another person may find they are a diversion, distraction, or obsession.
- In a similar way, we often think of our relationships with unrighteous people; but I think there’s a difference between unrighteous and undermining
o Many perceive our enemies as those who practice sins such as abortion or homosexuality. While I find the practice painfully wrong and destructive, no such relationship has led me away from Jesus.
- Rather, as Jesus has pointed out, the real dangers like in the deeper distractions… below the surface… such as desires for prestige, comfort, materialism, self-righteousness. These, Jesus said will be the Lethal Lures which invite us away from the great and Godly work in our lives.
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (Ephesians 5:15-17)
In everything to which you feel God has called you to… to which you are committed… there can be dangerous distractions…
- In marriage… some luring ideal of an easier partnership
- In your call to ministry… a desire for a commitment free life or something of greater grandeur
- In your life commitment to Christ… it can take any form… friend or foe… dreams of past or future
They will distract and undermine us until we, like Nehemiah, take a simple and definitive stand and say NO.
We can learn from Nehemiah’s response.
- He doesn’t focus on his suspicions of evildoing… but on the good to which he’s been called.
- Our strength lies not in what we’ve been called from, but called to
- Problem with legalism
- Perhaps you’ve tried to overcome a habit or obsession…
2. PUBLIC PERCEPTION
Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written: “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 in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us confer 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 the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.” (Nehemiah 6:5-9)
“Allow me to elaborate on their tactics, reading between the lines: “You wouldn’t come when we sent our invitation, and so we’re letting the truth be known. We plan to expose you. We want everybody to know two things. First, when you came to Jerusalem, you had an evil motive. It was not just to rebuild the wall. You came for the express purpose of collecting a group of people around you so you could lead a revolution. Furthermore, your method is evil. You want to be the king and so you’re spreading the prophets throughout the land to proclaim that Nehemiah will be the king, not Artaxerxes. So we’re going to send the word back to the king in Persia. The you’ll come up and visit with us.” (Swindoll p139)
Nehemiah faced what leaders in particular must face… public perceptions and the potential for criticism and rejection.
- My experience… reasonably well liked… secure in my role… then had to step out and up…. and face the natural criticism that comes from leading.
- We can all relate to fear of what others think
- We’re afraid of being misunderstood so we’re tempted to take no stand
- We’re afraid of being left out, so we’re tempted to simply follow.
But Jesus warns us that ‘wide is the gate that leads to destruction… and narrow the gate that leads to life.’
- We must choose a path other than popularity
- UCLA track meet some years back… cross country… In the middle of the race, several runners chose a different direction… he tried to convince them, but they just smirked and went on… At end, ‘I saw the marks… I knew it was the course’
- In the same way, the HOLY SPIRIT wants to help us finish the race set before us
- Nehemiah knew he must first live his life before an audience of one. He knew it was better to enjoy God than the false companionship of fools.
- The determination to be liberated from the prison of public perception will release us to finish what God has begun… to impact the world.
3. FALSE FEARS
One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, 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 one 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 Sanballat 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 Sanballat, O my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me.” (Nehemiah 6:10-14)
- Here we have a fear of harm coming to Nehemiah through a spiritual spokesperson… a spiritual confidant.
o You better stop Nehemiah… it’s not safe… You have no choice but to hide away in fear.”
- Such fear is indeed a great enemy
- Peter says that “our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion”
o Lions use their roar to paralyze animals that otherwise could never be caught.
- Each of us can be held back by fear
o Fear of rejection (as we saw before)… fear of failure, fear of not being secure.
- Remember… the devil, this lion, is also a liar, he’s no longer king of the jungle. He still roars and hopes to paralyze us… to imprison us in hiding, but he’s no match for the king of the universe
- So it is Nehemiah turns to God… who alone we fear in the sense of respect.
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes…For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. (Psalms 37:7,9)
- The one who fears God will discover they need not fear anything else; the one who does not fear God is destined to fear everything else
- Nehemiah settled his fear… and the Holy Spirit has the power to work the same in us
- Nehemiah faced spiritual opposition… spiritual deception that sought to keep him from finishing what God had set forth in his life, deceptions that we all face… dangerous distractions, public perception, false fears… but he had the determination to stand up to them; and by the Holy Spirit who is living in all who receive Christ into their hearts as Lord… Savior… so do we. The apostle Paul said, “We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us” and that we can all receive the prize of finishing the race God has set before us if we run to win.
Close with these final words….
So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two 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. (Nehemiah 6:15-16)
