Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.” Nehemiah 4:10 NIV
As the people worked to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, they became discouraged. They were working hard but they were getting tired. As they looked around and saw how much work still needed to be done, how many broken pieces were in the way, it started to feel like an impossible task. Have you ever felt like that? Perhaps you’ve gotten to the place where you’ve thought, “My life is just too much of a mess, there’s no way to fix it!” or “I’ve made so many mistakes, it’s all piled up, and now there’s no way out, I’m just not strong enough to fight my way back anymore!” Cleaning up our lives is never easy, and making matters worse, Satan delights in our discouragement.
Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?” Nehemiah 4:2b NIV
The enemy posed this question to sow doubt in their minds, but still, the question was valid. The city of Jerusalem had been burned to the ground! The wall around the city, which protected them from enemy attack, had been completely destroyed! Broken pieces were everywhere, and rebuilding it, at times, seemed like an impossible task.
When the enemy is pounding us and there seems to be no way out, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged. But the answer to the question was: YES, those stones, as damaged as they were, could be brought back to life! Likewise, the broken pieces of our lives can be put back together because God is never overwhelmed! When He is involved, the situation is never hopeless!
So what did Nehemiah do?
1. He prayed and sought help from God. Prayer is always the first step in rebuilding and finding our way back!
But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. Nehemiah 4:9 NIV
2. He posted a guard. Spiritual battles are never fought alone! If your life is falling apart, take advantage of the support God is providing for you; perhaps it’s a pastor, Bible study leader, Christian friend, doctor, counselor, support group, sponsor, or a combination thereof. Identify the gaps in your wall, and station the right people to stand guard until every gap is closed!
Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. Nehemiah 4:13 NIV
3. He gave them a reason to fight. When we’re exhausted and feel like giving up, it’s important to remember how our success or failure effects our loved ones. Let your love for God and the people He’s brought into your life motivate you to fight hard!
After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” Nehemiah 4:14 NIV
4. He armed them for success. We are never defenseless because God has given us the Bible. It is our primary offensive weapon against the attacks of the enemy! In Ephesians 6:17, Paul refers to the word of God as the sword of the Spirit. But remember, a weapon is only helpful when we pick it up and use it.
And each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. Nehemiah 4:18 NIV
Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water. Nehemiah 4:23 NIV
So if you feel defenseless against the enemy’s attack and are tired of the fight, don’t give up! Learn from Nehemiah; seek God’s help, take advantage of the support He’s making available, immerse yourself in His word, and fight hard! There is hope!