Recovering from Opposition
The Church in Recovery: Part VNehemiah Chapter 4
Pastor Andrew Cromwell
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2 Corinthians 2:11 NLT
So that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar
with his evil schemes.
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Nehemiah 41 But it so happened,
when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the
wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and
mocked the Jews. 2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, "What
are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify
themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they
complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones
from the heaps of rubbish--stones that are burned?”
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Nehemiah 43 Now Tobiah the
Ammonite was beside him, and he said, "Whatever they build, if even a fox
goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall."
4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own
heads, and give them as plunder to a land of
captivity! 5 Do not cover their
iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out
from before You; for they have provoked You to
anger before the builders.
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Nehemiah 46 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined
together up to half its height, for the people had
a mind to work. 7 Now it happened,
when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the
Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem
were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry,
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Nehemiah 48 and all of them
conspired together to come and attack
Jerusalem and create confusion.
9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God,
and because of them we set a watch against them
day and night. 10 Then Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so
much rubbish that we are not able to build the
wall."
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Nehemiah 411 And our adversaries said, "They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their
midst and kill them and cause the work to
cease." 12 So it was, when the
Jews who dwelt near them came, that they
told us ten times, "From whatever place you turn,
they will be upon us."
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Nehemiah 413 Therefore I
positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their
swords, their spears, and their bows.
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Nehemiah 414 And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the
people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the
Lord, great and awesome, and fight for
your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your
wives, and your houses." 15 And it happened,
when our enemies heard that it was known to us,
and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall,
everyone to his work.
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Nehemiah 416 So it was, from that time on, that half of my
servants worked at construction, while the
other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were
behind all the house of Judah.
17 Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at
construction, and with the other held a weapon.
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Nehemiah 418 Every one of the
builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet
was beside me. 19 Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, "The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall.
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Nehemiah 420 Wherever you hear
the sound of the trumpet, rally to us
there. Our God will fight for us."
21 So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears
from daybreak until the stars appeared.
22 At the same time I also said to the people, "Let each man and his servant stay at night in
Jerusalem, that they may be our guard by night
and a working party by day."
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Nehemiah 423 So neither I, my
brethren, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes, except that everyone took them off
for washing.
Recovering from Opposition
•Two Strategies the Enemy Uses to Discourage Us
•Two Strategies to Overcome the Enemy
Two Two Strategies Strategies the Enemy the Enemy
Uses Uses to to
Discourage Discourage UsUs
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1. To frighten us with a display of anger.
Two Strategies of Two Strategies of the Enemythe Enemy
Nehemiah 4:1But it so happened,
when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding
the wall, that he was furious and very
indignant, and mocked the Jews.
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1. To frighten us with a display of anger.
Two Strategies of Two Strategies of the Enemythe Enemy
Revelation 12:4bAnd the dragon stood
before the woman who was ready to
give birth, to devour her Child as soon as
it was born.
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1.To frighten us with a display of anger.
Two Strategies of Two Strategies of the Enemythe Enemy
The first reaction of the The first reaction of the Enemy when he sees us Enemy when he sees us begin to move forward is begin to move forward is
ANGER.ANGER.
As soon as we make a As soon as we make a decision, we should expect decision, we should expect
to be challenged.to be challenged.
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2. To overwhelm us by belittling us.
Nehemiah 4:1-31 But it so happened, when Sanballat heard
that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was
furious and very indignant, and mocked
the Jews.
Two Strategies of Two Strategies of the Enemythe Enemy
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2. To overwhelm us by belittling us.
Nehemiah 4:1-32 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, "What
are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify
themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they
complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from
the heaps of rubbish--stones that are burned?"
Two Strategies of Two Strategies of the Enemythe Enemy
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2. To overwhelm us by belittling us.
Nehemiah 4:1-33 Now Tobiah the
Ammonite was beside him, and he said,
"Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down
their stone wall."
Two Strategies of Two Strategies of the Enemythe Enemy
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2. To overwhelm us by belittling us.
Proverbs 16:9A man’s heart plans A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord his way, but the Lord
directs his steps.directs his steps.
Two Strategies of Two Strategies of the Enemythe Enemy
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2. To overwhelm us by belittling us.
The Enemy’s second tactic is to The Enemy’s second tactic is to speak to us through our inner speak to us through our inner critic. The inner critic readily critic. The inner critic readily agrees with the whispers from agrees with the whispers from
Hell.Hell.
We have to decide who we are We have to decide who we are going to listen to and believe.going to listen to and believe.
Two Strategies of Two Strategies of the Enemythe Enemy
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Five Ways the Enemy Five Ways the Enemy Belittles UsBelittles Us
a. He attacks our confidence.a. He attacks our confidence.““what are these what are these feeblefeeble Jews Jews
doing”doing”
Two Strategies of Two Strategies of the Enemythe Enemy
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Five Ways the Enemy Five Ways the Enemy Belittles UsBelittles Us
b. He attacks our motives.b. He attacks our motives.
Two Strategies of Two Strategies of the Enemythe Enemy
Recovering from Oppositi
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Five Ways the Enemy Five Ways the Enemy Belittles UsBelittles Us
c. He attacks our worship.c. He attacks our worship.
Two Strategies of Two Strategies of the Enemythe Enemy
Recovering from Oppositi
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Five Ways the Enemy Five Ways the Enemy Belittles UsBelittles Us
d. He attacks our belief that d. He attacks our belief that change is possible.change is possible.
Two Strategies of Two Strategies of the Enemythe Enemy
Recovering from Oppositi
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Five Ways the Enemy Five Ways the Enemy Belittles UsBelittles Us
e. He attacks the progress e. He attacks the progress we’ve already made.we’ve already made.
Two Strategies of Two Strategies of the Enemythe Enemy
Recovering from Oppositi
on““Whatever they build, if even a Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break fox goes up on it, he will break
down their stone wall.”down their stone wall.”
Two Two Strategies Strategies
to to Overcome Overcome the Enemythe Enemy
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1. Prayer — Rely on God
Strategies to Strategies to OvercomeOvercome
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Nehemiah 4:4-5Hear, O our God, for we Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their are despised; turn their reproach on their own reproach on their own
heads, and give them as heads, and give them as plunder to a land of plunder to a land of
captivity! Do not cover captivity! Do not cover their iniquity, and do not their iniquity, and do not
let their sin be blotted out let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they from before You; for they
have provoked You to have provoked You to anger before the builders.anger before the builders.
1. Prayer — Rely on God
Strategies to Strategies to OvercomeOvercome
Prayer should always be our Prayer should always be our first response when the Enemy first response when the Enemy comes against us. Our human comes against us. Our human tendency is to strike out when tendency is to strike out when injustice happens. But God’s injustice happens. But God’s
process is different then ours. process is different then ours.
Put it in God’s hands before Put it in God’s hands before you take it into your own.you take it into your own.
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2. Preparation — Respect the Opposition
Strategies to Strategies to OvercomeOvercome
Nehemiah 4:9Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them
we set a watch against them day and night.
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2. Preparation — Respect the Opposition
Strategies to Strategies to OvercomeOvercome
James 4:7Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from
you.
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We have an adversary who we We have an adversary who we should not underestimate. Yes, should not underestimate. Yes, the Enemy is a defeated foe, but the Enemy is a defeated foe, but
he waits for us to take our he waits for us to take our victory for granted and let our victory for granted and let our
guard down. guard down.
Strategies to Strategies to OvercomeOvercome
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2. Preparation — Respect the Opposition
Trust God and keep your Trust God and keep your powder dry. — Oliver Cromwellpowder dry. — Oliver Cromwell
Strategies to Strategies to OvercomeOvercome
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Four Ways to Be Prepared Four Ways to Be Prepared for the Attackfor the Attack
a. Know your weakness.a. Know your weakness.
Nehemiah 4:13Nehemiah 4:13Therefore I
positioned men behind the lower
parts of the wall, at the openings.
Strategies to Strategies to OvercomeOvercome
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Four Ways to Be Prepared Four Ways to Be Prepared for the Attackfor the Attack
b. Join with others.b. Join with others.
Nehemiah 4:13Nehemiah 4:13and I set the people according to their families, with their
swords, their spears, and their bows.
Strategies to Strategies to OvercomeOvercome
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Four Ways to Be Prepared Four Ways to Be Prepared for the Attackfor the Attack
c. Encourage yourself.c. Encourage yourself.
Nehemiah 4:13Nehemiah 4:13And I looked, and arose And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, the rest of the people,
"Do not be afraid of "Do not be afraid of them. them. Remember the Remember the
LordLord, great and , great and awesome, and fight for awesome, and fight for
your brethren, your your brethren, your sons, your daughters, sons, your daughters, your wives, and your your wives, and your
houses."houses."
Strategies to Strategies to OvercomeOvercome
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Four Ways to Be Prepared Four Ways to Be Prepared for the Attackfor the Attack
c. Encourage yourself.c. Encourage yourself.
2 Timothy 2:82 Timothy 2:8Remember Jesus Remember Jesus
Christ, risen from the Christ, risen from the dead!dead!
Strategies to Strategies to OvercomeOvercome
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Four Ways to Be Prepared Four Ways to Be Prepared for the Attackfor the Attack
d. Refuse to quit.d. Refuse to quit.
Nehemiah 4:15Nehemiah 4:15And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone
to his work.
Strategies to Strategies to OvercomeOvercome
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Four Ways to Be Prepared Four Ways to Be Prepared for the Attackfor the Attack
d. Refuse to quit.d. Refuse to quit.
Nehemiah 4:21Nehemiah 4:21So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared.
Strategies to Strategies to OvercomeOvercome
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Press on. Nothing can take the place of
persistence. Talent will not. Nothing is more
common then unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not. Unrewarded genius is
almost a proverb. Education will not. The world is full of educated
derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are
the overwhelming power. — Calvin Coolidge
Recovering from Opposition
The Church in Recovery: Part VNehemiah Chapter 4
Pastor Andrew Cromwell
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