Then as I looked over the situation, I
called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them,
"Don't be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and
glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives,
and your homes!" When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and
that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall. But from
then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears,
shields, bows, and coats of mail. The leaders stationed themselves behind the
people of Judah who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work
with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. All the
builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to
sound the alarm. Then I explained to the nobles and officials and all the
people, "The work is very spread out, and we are widely separated from
each other along the wall. When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to
wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!" Nehemiah
4:14-20
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Rebuilding the City of David...
just as the people of Judah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem.
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The people of Judah were rebuilding the walls of
Jerusalem, following their return from exile in Babylon. Nehemiah organized the
people and they were making good progress, but their enemies the Horonites, the
Ammonites, the Arabs were threatening them. That is where this passage of
scripture comes in. Nehemiah told the workers, "Don't be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and
glorious, and fight for…you, your families and your homes.” Nehemiah only
had to sound the alarm…the trumpet signal…and the workers would go from working
on the wall to fighting their enemies, with God’s help. God will fight for us. The same goes for today…for us. God will
fight for us. Life is a spiritual battle. Put on your armor, listen for the
trumpet or sound the alarm.
A final word:
Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so
that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we
are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and
authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and
against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of
God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then
after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on
the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on
the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In
addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows
of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every
occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers
everywhere. Ephesians 6:10-18
Be strong in the Lord. Are you feeling
strong today? Are you in the midst of rebuilding the wall of your spiritual
fortress? Ask God for His help and be assured that God will fight your battle
with you.
Prayer
~ Lord God, You are going with me! You will fight for me against my enemies,
and You will give me victory!' Deuteronomy 20:4. I praise You and give You glory.
Daily
Bible Reading: Joel
©
2017 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
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