November 22, 2023

How do you respond to challenges?

Nehemiah 4

Mandy Sisco
Wednesday's Devo

November 22, 2023

Wednesday's Devo

November 22, 2023

Big Idea

Start with prayer.

Key Verse | Nehemiah 4:2

And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?"

Nehemiah 4

Opposition to the Work

1 4:1 Ch 3:33 in Hebrew Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? 2 4:2 Or Will they commit themselves to God? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.

So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

3 4:7 Ch 4:1 in Hebrew But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.

10 In Judah it was said, 4 4:10 Hebrew Judah said “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” 11 And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.” 12 At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.” 5 4:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain 13 So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”

The Work Resumes

15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. 18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

21 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. 22 I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” 23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand. 6 4:23 Or his weapon when drinking

Footnotes

[1] 4:1 Ch 3:33 in Hebrew
[2] 4:2 Or Will they commit themselves to God?
[3] 4:7 Ch 4:1 in Hebrew
[4] 4:10 Hebrew Judah said
[5] 4:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
[6] 4:23 Or his weapon when drinking

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Dive Deeper | Nehemiah 4

Have you ever felt surrounded by discouragement? Our family certainly has. In fact, we most recently had a year that included a death in the family, mental health issues, physical health concerns, a hand full of unexpected financial burdens, job transitions, sibling disharmony, and kids with massive disappointments. To say we felt drenched in discouragement is an understatement. And that is exactly where we find Nehemiah in this moment! Amid his work, he looks up to find himself surrounded by pessimism, threats, and schemes. Yet, his response to negativity is an example for all of us. Anytime we feel discouraged, threatened, or pressured, we can follow the steps in Nehemiah 4.

  1. Pray (Nehemiah 4:9). Psalm 116:2 says, "Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live." Ask the Lord for help, joy, encouragement, or peace. He listens and provides.
  2. Remember the Lord (Nehemiah 4:14). The Lord has been faithful to each of us. Remind yourself of all the ways you have seen His hand at work in your past. This will carry you through the discouragement of your current struggle.
  3. Return to Work (Nehemiah 4:15). Get busy doing kingdom work. Focus on what the Lord has for you to do! The enemy would love nothing more than to keep you discouraged so that you are ineffective in the kingdom of God.  
  4. Strap on your Sword (Nehemiah 4:18).  Ephesians 6:17 reminds us that the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Each of the builders had a sword strapped to his side. We aren't going to tie our Bibles to our hips, but we can be in the Word daily. We can memorize it so that it goes with us throughout the day.
  5. Unite when the threat is high (Nehemiah 4:20). Nehemiah knew that strength comes in numbers. Surrounding yourself with other believers is meant to encourage your heart and spur you on to good deeds. When weariness or temptation is high, sound the trumpet by inviting others to join you in battle.

This month's memory verse

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

– 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Discussion Questions

1. Where do you tend to turn when you are feeling discouraged?

2. How can you continue to have God's Word with you throughout your day?

3. In what ways have you seen the Lord be faithful to you? Take some time to make a list of all the ways you've seen His hand at work.

4. Read Philippians 4:6-7. How can this passage shape your response the next time you face discouragement?

5. Whom can you surround yourself with in times of weariness and trouble?

As we gear up to release even more features for Join The Journey in 2025, our staff team, unfortunately, no longer has the margin to continue to support the comment functionality. We have big things in store for Join The Journey 2025. Stay tuned!

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Hugh Stephenson

Good morning, Mandy. Thanks for sharing so openly in your devo. What an incredibly tough time you all have had. I can see the link between y’all’s battle and Nehemiah’s. Thank you also for the great 5 step plan pulled directly from the passage. Q1. Coping in discouragement? BC- all kinds of unhealthy patterns. AD- still have struggles with food and problem avoidance. More and more turning to Amy and CG to walk with me. Q2. My main go to is worship music. Verse memorization helps also. Q3. The Lord’s faithfulness? A really long list…but I’d start with patience, mercy, and grace. Then gifts that allow me to provide for my family. Then the link to WMCC in 2012. Then great mentors. Q4. Phil 4:6-7 is a go to verse. The “peace that passes all understanding” hooked me many years ago. Q5. My go-to people are Amy, my CG guys and fellow Prodigal leaders. ----------------------------------------------------------- Short summary of this section and chapter 4 Neh. 3:1–7:4 The Wall Is Built, Despite Difficulties. This section records the building and repairing of the walls by all the people of Judah, despite the efforts of certain groups to stop them. Excavations on the Ophel hill of Jerusalem have uncovered remains of Nehemiah’s wall system. This wall system apparently incorporated walls from previous ages. It was not strongly built, and it reflects Jerusalem’s diminutive size at the time (see illustration). Neh. 4:1–23 Opposition Intensifies, but the People Continue Watchfully. While the building continues, Sanballat and his allies resort to direct action in order to stop it, but their plot is foiled.
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Hugh Stephenson

In MBA school there were all manner of classes and subjects. Lots of technical detail and analytical skill building. What was the single most valuable class? Organizational behavior, often called OB. It was about way more than the title conveyed. The best part of the curriculum focused on leadership and how to be an effective leader AND an effective follower. It took me a long while to embrace and internalize those skills. In many ways I am still learning. What I see in this chapter is that Nehemiah could teach that class at a PhD level. We have all seen how much leadership wisdom the Bible conveys. Many good examples and, just as important, many bad examples. I have read through the Judges to 2 Kings sequence several times as part of a class or as part of the JTJ plan. In some parts it’s wonderful with amazing stories. But much of it is a very, very tough read. Author Pat Conroy has written many great books. Among the best is “My Losing Season”. In it he writes about playing division 1 basketball at the Citadel. His coach was horrible. Yet the point of the book is that you learn from losing seasons many valuable truths and lessons that you can’t learn in winning seasons. As I’ve shared, my dad was a Great Depression baby who was raised by his mom with some help from his grandparents. In that, he “learned” that his #1 job was to provide. That left me to learn much about life from my athletic coaches and a few teachers. It was a blessing to have some really great ones. But by and large they were horrible. I’d say the same about my professional career; a few great boss/leaders but mostly a disaster. I loved the early examples of leadership in the OT, especially when a so-so character finally learned enough to be a good leader. Abram and Jacob had ups and downs but ultimately came to a point of faithfulness through their trials. Judah seems to have had a similar journey. Joseph never really wavered. Moses had a few slip ups but I felt that overall his leadership was good. Same for Joshua. Then the wheels came off. So it’s been a great joy to read through Nehemiah and see how he is so focused on faithfulness and leadership as a servant leader.
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Hugh Stephenson

Some truths that resonate come from the notes- Neh. 4:9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard. Nehemiah has prayed before in a threatening situation (2:4). Along with his prayers, he takes prudent action. Neh. 4:17 “each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. Though Nehemiah and the people prayed and trusted God for protection (see vv. 4, 9, 14, 20), they also kept their weapons close at hand (see vv. 16, 18, 23), ready to defend themselves from attack; God often accomplishes his purposes through ordinary human means.” (I’ve heard this described as pray and then act as He commands.) Neh. 4:20 With the people spread out all around the wall, they were potentially vulnerable at every point (v. 19). Nehemiah addresses this problem by his plan to let the sound of the trumpet be heard, a well-established call to arms (cf. Judg. 3:27; 1 Sam. 13:3). Our God will fight for us. Cf. Ex. 14:14; Deut. 1:30. (Be ready to make quick adjustments and changes) From TC in re chapter 4 “Any attempt to fulfill God's desires will almost certainly draw opposition from God's enemies.” "If you start building, you will soon be battling; so, be prepared!" "Whenever the saints say, 'Let us arise and build,' the enemy says, 'Let us arise and oppose.' There is no triumph without trouble. There is no victory without vigilance. There is a cross in the way to every crown that is worth wearing."[87] "The real test of a leader is how he or she faces crises and reacts to opposition. This chapter recounts several forms of opposition and how Nehemiah confronted them." Nehemiah based his imprecatory prayer (vv. 4-5; cf. Pss. 44; 74; 79; Jer. 18:23) on God's promise that He would bless those who blessed Abraham's descendants, and curse those who cursed them (Gen. 12:1-3). "God's people should always regard prayer not as a last resort but as our primary weapon against opposition." “Ridicule can be countered by prayer alone, but armed resistance needs both prayer and physical defense.” C. H. Spurgeon advised his students, "Pray as if everything depended on God, then preach as if everything depended on you." Nehemiah and the people's responses to opposition—prayer, perseverance, and self-defense—are the proper ones whenever an enemy seeks to stop the building of what God has commanded (e.g., His church, cf. Matt. 16:18; 2 Cor. 7:5). Swindoll again applied lessons from this first part of chapter 4:[105] · · · -Realize that it is impossible to lead without facing opposition. -It is essential that your first response to opposition be prayer. -Prayer may not be all that is necessary if opposition intensifies. Nehemiah's approach proved effective (vv. 15-16; cf. Ps. 127:1). The people had a mind to work (v. 6), a heart to pray (v. 9), an eye to watch (v. 9), and an ear to hear (v. 20).[106] The Jews were willing to make temporary sacrifices and endure some discomfort in order to finish the work that God had given them to do (vv. 17-23). In this they are models for all of us Christians who serve God. Constant vigilance is the price of freedom.
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Michael Sisson

Re: Neh 4:1, 4, 8 This is yet another link in a chain of examples throughout scripture of the far off, approaching Despised Messiah (Num 24:17a), His types, His progenitors, His prophets, and the faithful remnant through whom He approaches being unrecognized, mistreated, and despised. See Jn 15:18-25.
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Shawn Foster

Clear, concise, and compelling devotional! Thank you very much Mandy. Nothing encourages me more than God’s word and God’s people. In addition, keeping a prayer journal helps my wandering mind to recall that God has been Faithful every single day of my 22,000+ on earth. Philippians has been called the joy book of the Bible for good reason. I’m very grateful to surround myself with the family of God at Watermark. Let’s go Church!!!
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Greg Jones

Mandy I love the perspective that you being in your deeper dive. Normally when I read this chapter from a guy’s perspective I say “there’s about to be a fight so do what Nehemiah does.” But reading this through a different perspective I can hear myself making a snarky comment like this one. “Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” And if hearing something like that not responding like this. Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. I mean honestly I’m probably just going to turn back the taunt by talking $!/? back. Not pray in the moment. Unless I’m scared, then I do tend to pray first. But from a new perspective I hear Nehemiah say something that makes me go hmm. “Turn back their taunt on their own heads [and] give them up to be plundered in a land where they are [captives]. I’m assuming if raiders come into the land, the army of Samaria that has no history of attacking open Jerusalem but who Nehemiah is certain will attack them in any moment, can’t count on any support from the exiles. Up to this point there’s been some tension but it’s been in house, or internal, and minimal. But now that these returning exiles are building a wall around The City of Peace, aka Jerusalem, external tensions are ratcheting up. A dynamic seems to be slowly playing out. In a perfect world you would have exile and sojourner living free in the land and watching each other’s back. Listening to Nehemiah’s prayer it sounds like the perspective from his part is free exiles, and captives fending for themselves, living in the land. Ironically the new normal becomes this. So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand. Like how the five steps of the dive can be used to make us aware of negative trends early on and proceed in ways that reverse them.
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Michael Scaman

This was even beyond discouragement as the enemies even were willing to kill people working on the wall. It's amazing how fallen man get's angered. In Psalm 112 which is about the blessed man whose righteousness endures forever it still says Psalm 112:10 The wicked man will see and be grieved
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Sue Bohlin

MANDYYYYYYYYY!! One of the best devos of 2023!!! Thanks for the reminder to pray from Psalm 116. Years ago someone shared with me the wonderfulness of its opening verses from the Living Bible: "I love the Lord because he hears my prayers and answers them. Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I breathe!" The image of a loving heavenly Daddy bending down to listen attentively to a small child never ceases to bless me. I am struck by how today's chapter illustrates what spiritual warfare looks like. We have to stay engaged with our everyday commitments and endeavors, but we also need to stay aware of being hated by the enemy and fighting (with the Lord's strength!) to JUST STAY STANDING. I love how the NET Bible puts it: the wall rebuilders kept "one hand on the work and the other on their weapon."
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Jason Cromwell

Thanks to either Life Church or Bible Gateway no one in the 21st Century has any excuse as to not carry their Bible everywhere with them. I have deleted all of my Social Media for this season I am that's helped a lot with the battle against discouragement. Also for the past decade I have put everything I watch or listen to under the Philippians 4:8 Challenge, and that helps a whole bunch.
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Amy Lowther

1. I turn to God because He is a good helper. 2. I carry verses I have learned on my phone, or I can look up new verses on my phone. I have a Bible app on my phone, and I Google information to see how the Bible references it. I also use my regular Bible. 3. The Lord shows faithfulness by always being supportive and encouraging whether I do good or whether I do bad. 4. The passage encourages me to trust God and to stay calm while using His Ways to complete things. It works best. 5. I would choose God because He helps everybody no matter what is done or what is felt.