So Your Called to Minister—Studies from Nehemiah

Nehemiah 2:17 – 3:1   17 Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.”  18 And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work.  19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?”  20 So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.” 

Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem set their hands to this good work and as soon as they made that declaration two things happened.  First, the opposition increased.  When Nehemiah arrived, Sanballat and Tobiah were disturbed, but now Geshem has joined in.  Second, the enemy brought ridicule, contempt, and accusation as their chosen means of attack.  Nehemiah could have stood up and shown the enemy the letters he possessed from the king, instead he invoked the name of almighty God.  Finally, Nehemiah told the enemy that they have no past, present or future right to be in Jerusalem.

If God has called you to a good work the enemy will attack using, ridicule, show contempt and accusation, and it may come from the most unexpected sources.  Invoke the name of Almighty God, for He that has begun a good work shall bring it to completion.