Nehemiah 6:1 Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.
Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.” But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.” And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.
Isaiah 35:3-4 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”
Hebrews 12:12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,
Psalms 56:3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
Psalms 71:1 In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame!
Isaiah 41:10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
Nehemiah faced obstacles and trials from enemies who despised the rebuilding of Jerusalem and everything it stood for. They even paid bribes to prophets to speak untruthfully. Having to be mindful of the attacks from others is not something we give much thought too. We seldom give thought to the attacks of satan. Nehemiah gave thought to what was being said and asked of him by these evil men. He weighed it against what he knew from serving God with his whole heart, mind, and soul. He made decisions based on this. He took action or stayed firm based on this. There is no substitute for Godly wisdom, courage, and strength.
I wonder if our problem is that when we face an obstacle or trial in our life we use our self-wisdom, self-courage, and self-strength rather than from and through God. It is when we humbly come before God when we lack wisdom, are afraid, and powerless, is when our faith grows and matures. When we have surrendered our heart, mind, and soul to Him we will begin to gain the understanding of denying self and all of its paths of self-reliance. In Him alone will we find a peace that passes all understanding. In Him alone will we find true strength that comes from our weakness and His power. In Him alone will we find wisdom beyond the reasoning of man.
