Faith lived out

Bible Reading

• Neh 4-7
• Ps 102
• Philemon 1

Neh 4:8-9 They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves.

Nehemiah prayed, but he also guarded the city day and night. Nehemiah’s faith wasn’t passive. Not only was he active, but he also took precautions. He didn’t just say, “God is in control, just trust Him.” He took steps to protect themselves.

The pressure Nehemiah and the people were under is crazy:

• Neh 4:10 the people of Judah began complaining – the workers are tired, there’s too much rubble to move, we will never be able to do this ourselves
• Neh 4:11 our enemies were saying, “before they know what’s happening, let’s swoop down and kill them and end their work
• Neh 4:12 the locals told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us”
• Neh 4:15-18 from then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard… the laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon.

This is quite a list of pressures! Can you imagine trying to work on repairing the walls with a hammer in one hand, and a sword in the other because of the potential of attack? Did the enemy attack? Neh 4:20 gives the impression they did have times when their enemies attacked. (When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!”)

While they were working, and while they were watching, ready to defend themselves, Nehemiah told them to remember, “Our God will fight for us!” If God is the one who will fight, then why did they need to carry swords?

Is this not how we view the Christian Life too often? If Christ is in me, and it should be not I, but Christ, then I should just let him do it, right? Well, what does that really mean?

Nehemiah also told the people, (Neh 4:14-15) “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. Yes, God will fight for us (Neh 4:20) but he wants to use our hands and feet and ears and mouth to do the fighting!

God will fight for us behind the scenes, frustrating their plans. But, He will also fight for us by using our hands and feet in the battle! He has no other. So, when the enemy comes, remember the Lord. Remember how great and glorious He is! Then fight! Fight for your sons, for your daughters, your wives, and your homes. Fight with the confidence that God will fight for you and through you!

Neh 6:15-16 So on October 2 the wall was finished—just fifty-two days after we had begun. When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God.

When it was all over, and those who witnessed their lives looked at what had happened, the only answer they could give was “God must have helped them!”

This should be the testimony of our lives. As people witness our lives, and they see our endurance, our faithfulness, our devotion to God, may the only answer they have be, “God must be helping them!”

Ps 102:1-2 Lord, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea! Don’t turn away from me in my time of distress. Bend down to listen, and answer me quickly when I call to you.

These could have been the words of the people in Nehemiah’s day. The Psalmist continues:

Ps 102:13-21 You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem— For your people love every stone in her walls and cherish even the dust in her streets… the Lord will rebuild Jerusalem. He will appear in his glory. He will listen to the prayers of the destitute. He will not reject their pleas.. He looked down to earth from heaven to hear the groans of the prisoners, to release those condemned to die. And so the Lord’s fame will be celebrated in Zion, his praises in Jerusalem…

When we begin living this way, Paul’s words of encouragement to Philemon will become true of us:

Philemon 1:4-5 I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. (the acting out of our faith)

Philemon 1:6-7 And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.

I pray that you will see and experience how great and glorious our God is (Neh 4:14) and that you will learn how to fight with his strength (Eph 6:10). And as you see God at work through you, that the greatness (generosity Philemon 1:6) of your faith will become contagious and refreshing to those around you.