How can Nehemiah's response in Nehemiah 6:6 guide us in spiritual warfare? Setting the Scene • Sanballat sends an unsealed letter announcing, “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem agrees—that you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore you are building the wall. According to these reports you are to become their king.” (Nehemiah 6:6) • The charge is public, intended to intimidate and isolate Nehemiah. • Spiritual warfare often starts the same way—through lies, insinuations, and fear. The Enemy’s Strategy: False Accusations • Satan is “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). • He uses accusation to undermine character and stall God-given assignments (Revelation 12:10). • The open letter was designed to: – Spread rumor (“reported among the nations”) – Divide allies (“Geshem agrees”) – Question motives (“you plan to rebel”) Nehemiah’s Response: A Pattern for Us • He flatly denies the lie: “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.” (Nehemiah 6:8) • He refuses to debate or defend at length—he simply states truth. • He stays focused: “So the wall was completed…” (Nehemiah 6:15) Lessons for Spiritual Warfare • Identify the lie quickly. Compare every voice to the written Word (Psalm 119:160). • Reject it firmly. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) • Refuse distraction. “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” (2 Timothy 2:4) • Stay prayerful. Nehemiah’s reflex all through the book is short, faith-filled prayer (Nehemiah 2:4; 4:9; 6:9). • Continue the assignment. Victory is often secured simply by finishing the work God gave (Galatians 6:9). Putting It into Practice 1. When false words come, measure them against Scripture, not feelings. 2. State the truth aloud—brief, clear, Scripture-anchored. 3. Ask God for strengthened hands (Nehemiah 6:9). 4. Keep building: maintain worship, witness, service, and obedience. 5. Trust the outcome: “The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4) Nehemiah’s calm, truth-anchored response equips us to face spiritual opposition today: deny the lie, depend on God, and keep doing the work. |
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