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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 someone 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, my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me. (Nehemiah 6:10-14)

As we near the end of this week, let's walk a bit further into the book of Nehemiah. While Pastor Martha focused her sermon on the early chapters, we read in subsequent chapters that the opposition to Nehemiah's work grew stronger. The more he achieved, the more angry his detractors became.

Taunting didn't work, military threats didn't work, and political threats didn't work. So, Nehemiah's enemies tried a new approach. They paid spiritual leaders to lie to Nehemiah and attempt to turn him away from the work that God had called him to. On the surface, Shemaiah's counsel seemed logical: Nehemiah, you should hide in God's house where it's safe. But Nehemiah maintained his stance, offering the same response he had given to his other enemies: Why should I stop doing what God has called me to do?

It's so important for us to hear from God for ourselves, because our enemies will even seek to use spirituality in an attempt to derail our calling and purpose. The New Testament echoes this tactic: "But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed." (Matthew 27:20)

May God help us all to be readers, hearers, and doers of His word.
May His voice prevail above all others.
May we remain cognizant of the enemy's attempts to derail the work of the Lord.

God, give us grace to obey You and carry out Your will.