Bible Text: Nehemiah 4:6-23 | Pastor: Eric Danielson | Series: Restoration – Nehemiah | Sometimes it feels like life is spinning out of control. Everything around us seems to be in chaos and confusion. We often start to feel dismay, anxiety, and fear. In times like this we can be vulnerable to spiritual attack and in today’s message we learn how we can stand firm.

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Standing Firm in Battle

Nehemiah 4:6-23

In the past few weeks we’ve been talking about the spiritual battle we’re in and how important it is that we take it seriously and learn to fight. If we are going to experience ongoing restoration in our lives we have to make some changes in this area or we’re going to get hung up and even start to unravel. Today we are going to continue to learn about the battle and how to stand firm in the midst of it.

Have you ever had a time where you felt like things were spinning out of control and life was full of chaos and confusion? I’m guessing we all felt that way about 3 months ago when the country started going into lockdown. I know I did. There were a couple of weeks at the end of March where I was in a tailspin. Everything was changing. No more school, kids were at home, everything we were doing at church had to be shut down and reinvented, Amy and I were trying to work from home, and many of the things we looked forward to were being cancelled. All of us went through major changes and much of that continues today.

We’ve all faced other disruptive times as well where problems have messed things up, or changes have happened that have made us feel overwhelmed. It might be a family crisis, or a financial crisis, or a problem at home or work. You might have lost your job, or had to move, or come down with a serious health problem. When these things happen, life starts to feel out of control and can really start to struggle with discouragement, anxiety, and fear. We can start to do things we normally wouldn’t do. We might lash out at people or lose our temper. We might go into hiding and try to avoid our problems. We might become inward focused and depressed and live under a cloud of darkness. We might become protective and defensive and experience conflict in our relationships.

When we go through those times it can really knock us off track. We’re so focused on our problems and how to cope with them that we forget about God’s work of restoration and his mission for in our lives. Have you ever considered that when things like that happen you might be under spiritual attack? I’m not saying that evil spirits are causing every problem, but I do think they are aware of the times when we’re most vulnerable and distracted and use those times to wreak havoc in our minds.

This morning, in the passage we’re going to look at, the people of Jerusalem were going through one of those times. Their enemies were threatening to attack and it was sending them into a tailspin. But the way they responded under the leadership of Nehemiah frustrated the attempts of the enemy to destroy them and they were able to continue the work of restoration. So this morning I want us to learn from them by seeing some parallels to the spiritual battle in our lives.

The enemies of Israel’s restoration were Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem and last week we saw how they had tried to disrupt the rebuilding of the walls by discouraging the people through jeering, despising, and false accusations. But these attempts didn’t work, and restoration continued. That brings us to our passage for today…

Read Nehemiah 4:6-12

6 So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. 7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. 8 And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. 9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. 10 In Judah it was said, “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” 11 And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.” 12 At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.”

This passage describes a very disruptive time for the people of Jerusalem. Rebuilding had been going very well, but their enemies became alarmed and started to rise up against them. They gathered together and plotted to fight against Jerusalem, to cause chaos and confusion in order to stop the work. The people became aware of their threat and fear started spreading among them.

In verses 10-12 it seems like Nehemiah lists three predominant messages he was hearing at that time. From the people in Jerusalem he was hearing about their exhaustion. They were getting discouraged and overwhelmed and felt like they’d never be able to complete the work. From their enemies he was hearing that they were going to take advantage of them in their exhaustion. They were going to quietly infiltrate different areas of the city and attack them suddenly when the people weren’t ready. And from the people in the outlying areas around Jerusalem he was hearing that they were afraid for their lives. They could see their enemies stirring and with everyone focusing on rebuilding the walls there was no one left to protect them. So they were calling out for the workers to come home.

The threat of attack was escalating, Nehemiah was feeling a lot of pressure, and the people were overwhelmed by discouragement and fear. All of these things were threatening to stop the restoration of the city and it was primarily being stirred up by the enemies of Jerusalem.

When I look at this story, I see a parallel to the spiritual battle we find ourselves in that I spoke about earlier. All of us go through times where it feels like life is out of control. Problems rise up, pressure sets in, we start to feel overwhelmed. We experience desperation as we wonder how bad things are going to get and if they’ll ever turn around. It literally feels like we’re under attack and we struggle with anxiety and fear. Lots of fear. And fear can keep us from growing in restoration. The enemy whispers things in our minds like:

This is never going to end
You’re going to lose everything
Everything is out of control
God has forgotten about you
He doesn’t really love you
You need to protect yourself

Doubt, dismay, anxiety, and fear – these are all things that Satan tries to stir up in our lives so that we abandon the work of restoration. And I think it’s during these times that we’re especially vulnerable, and Satan knows it. We’re not thinking straight. We’re focused on the chaos instead of on the Lord and it can really throw us in a tailspin. When your life is filled with these things and you start to panic with anxiety and fear, there’s a good chance you’re experiencing some spiritual warfare. What should you do?

Well I’ve learned a lot about spiritual warfare over the years and when I looked at the rest of the story in Nehemiah 4, and the way that the people responded, I could see four ways the people of Jerusalem responded that correspond with four ways we need to respond when we’re under attack. I think these things are critically important for you to grasp in our day and age so that you are able to stand firm in battle and help others stand as well. The first is in verses 13-14.

Read Nehemiah 4:13-14.

13 So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”

If you look at what Nehemiah did in this situation and the people he was addressing at the end, you can see he had the people gather in their clans to fight under the leadership and authority of the heads of each clan. He reminded them of how great and awesome God is and that they had nothing to fear. And he called on the heads every household to fight for their families. With God on their side, underneath the authority of their leaders, victory was certain.

And we too can have certain victory over the enemy when we fight with the authority of Jesus Christ. The first place we must go when we sense that we’re under spiritual attack is to run to Jesus and stand firmly in his authority. In Ephesians 1:20-23 the Paul says, “he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”

Jesus Christ has been given all authority in heaven and on earth and God has given him to us, the church. We are his body and when we put our faith in him we are united with him – we become one with him and have his authority in the spiritual battle. Victory is certain. God is on our side. No weapon that’s formed against us can stand. No attack of the enemy can be successful if we stand in the power of God and the authority we have in Christ.

So when fear starts to overwhelm you, you need to declare the truth that: “I belong to God and have been united with Christ. He has authority over every power and dominion and I stand in his authority. In Jesus’ name I renounce any spiritual forces of evil that are trying to make me afraid and discouraged. I tell you to leave in Jesus’ name. And I ask the Holy Spirit to fill me with his joy, peace and self-control.” Evil spirits cannot read our minds, so we declare these truths out loud. And because we have the authority of Christ, they have to flee. So the first thing we need to do when we’re under spiritual attack is stand firm under the authority of Christ. The second can be found in verses 15-18.

Read Nehemiah 4:15-18.

15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. 18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built.

So the second thing we need to do to stand firm in battle is to arm ourselves for battle. The people of Jerusalem armed themselves every day so that they would be ready to fight whenever an attack might come. We need to take that same approach. God has given us armor and weapons for battle and we need to take them up every day.

Many of you are familiar with the Armor of God in Ephesians 6. The apostle Paul gives us a very helpful image of a Roman soldier and his armor to help us see how to arm ourselves for the spiritual battle we’re in.

Eph. 6:10-18 says: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Some of you arm yourselves with these things every day and I think it’s a great practice to get into. You can mark Eph. 6  in your Bible or get a bookmark or card to put on your mirror. God has given us truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, salvation, the word of God, and prayer to fully equip us and we need to arm ourselves for battle every day. Knowing that you are in a spiritual warzone, remind yourself everyday of all that God has given you in Jesus Christ. And when you feel the battle closing in around you, remind yourself even more. The third response is in verses 18-20…

Read Nehemiah 4:18b-20.

The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

Here we see that there was more strength in numbers and when one area was under attack the people were to rally to them for support. The same thing is needed in the spiritual battle we’re in. When we hear of someone struggling with discouragement and fear and really going through a tough time, they could be under spiritual attack and we need to rally around them in prayer and in person.

Jesus taught his disciples about the spiritual power they had when they came together in his name. Matthew 18:18-20 says: “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Jesus is with us when we are alone, but there is even greater power over the enemy when we rally together. There have been many times when I’ve prayed for someone or they’ve prayed for me during a time of struggle and oftentimes there’s a power of darkness that’s immediately broken and hope and encouragement comes in again. When we sense someone under spiritual attack we need to rally to them.

Read Nehemiah 4:9, 21-23.

9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night… 21 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. 22 I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” 23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.

Here we see that under the threat of enemy attack the people prayed and set up a guard for protection, and I think these go hand in hand in the spiritual battle. When we pray, we are guarding ourselves against attack so we can see it coming. Throughout the NT there is a call to pray and be watchful, be alert, be on your guard. Ephesians 6:18 says, “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” In 1 Peter 5:6-8 it says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” So prayer, and watchfulness… At the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus was deeply troubled he said this to his disciples in Matthew 26:41: “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Prayer and being on guard in the spiritual battle go hand in hand, so we need to learn to pray continually throughout our day so that we are always on our guard against an attack.

These four responses to the threat of spiritual attack will guarantee the victory.  So I strongly urge you to take note of these things so that you will be prepared in the day of battle. Stand firm under the authority of Christ, arm yourself for battle, rally to one another when we’re under attack, and pray and stand guard. By doing these things you will be able to stand firm in the spiritual battle. And when you go through times of chaos and confusion and you’re struggling with discouragement, anxiety, and fear, you may be under attack, and these are the things that will help you stand firm.