When The Enemy Tries To Set You Up

When the Enemy Tries to Set You Up

Griffith Baptist Church – 10/26/08

P.M. Service

Text: Nehemiah 6:1-14

Key verse: Nehemiah 6:11 – And I said, should such a man as I flee? And who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

Premise: Satan will try everything at his disposal to set us up for failure and we need to know what it will take to stop him.

The Introduction

There was a guy who tried to rid his house of mice. He bought a mouse trap but had no cheese. To remedy the problem, he cut out a picture of cheese from a magazine. He loaded the trap with the artificial cheese and went to bed. When he checked the mousetrap the following morning he was surprised to find a picture of a mouse in the trap. Proclaim, Jack Gulledge

Would that we were as smart as that mouse.

Here we find the enemies of Nehemiah making one last ditch effort to stop the work

• The wall is built but not the gates.

• And the enemies of God continue to attack

• This time, they want to lure Nehemiah away and do him harm, but as we will see, God has given Nehemiah wisdom to know what is up.

The enemy will do the same thing to you; they will try to set you up to fail.

Do you know what you should do when that happens?

Nehemiah shows us the answers.

Body

1. The Enemy Will Try To Distract So Stay Focused – 6:1-3

A. A preacher tells this story about distraction - I was driving the other day with my family when a car cut me off. I pulled out to go around him. As I sped up so did he. Faster and faster we both accelerated. Finally I put on the brakes so I could let him go. AS I slowed down, so did he. Now I was furious. I looked over at the driver so I could give him a piece of my mind and when I did, I saw a good friend and church member driving the car. He was laughing hysterically.

B. The enemy’s aptitude to distract:

i. When you are succeeding, they will try and deter you (1 - heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein;)

ii. To pull you away is their greatest asset (2 - Come, let us meet together)

a. A meeting to stop the work

b. A meeting to do him harm

C. Stay focused (3):

i. God’s work is a great work

ii. God’s work requires concentrated, dedicated effort, our very best – Ecclesiastes 9:10 - Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might . . .

a. This should be the character of every Christian – Romans 12:11 - Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

b. Dedicated and industrious

2. The Enemy Will Try To Deceive So Stay Firm – 6:4-8

A. The enemy’s art of deception:

i. Persistence (4-5)

a. They will keep coming at you

b. They will try and wear you out way more than they are likely to wear out.

c. Hatred is a determined fuel

ii. False threats (6-7a)

iii. Feigned peacemaking (7b)

a. Making themselves to be friends when they are not

b. Pretending to like you and wanting to make amends but intend to harm

c. Proverbs 26:24-26 - 24He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; 25When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. 26Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation.

d. Remember, even Judas pretended love for Jesus, and betrayed Him

B. Stay firm (8):

i. Stand on the truth - Isaiah 40:8 – The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

ii. Expose the lie

a. It is not a Christian virtue to let a lie go

b. Ephesians 5:11-13 - 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. (we should not communicate the sordid details that might attract the wrong kind of attention) 13But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

3. The Enemy Will Try To Discourage So Stay Fervent – 6:9

A. The enemy’s ability to discourage:

i. Fear (9a - For they all made us afraid)

a. It is a primary tool in discouragement

b. 1 John 4:18 - There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love