Rebuilding Together #4: Wisdom of Facing the Opposition
Opening: There are times we face opposition as we serve God.
“O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me.” (Psalm 3:1)
“Whenever God moves forward, it is in conflict with many other forces.” (Erwin McManus)
I. EXPECTING OPPOSITION IN OUR HEARTS.
“Opposition may come from close by.”
“When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.” (Nehemiah 2:10)
“The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people.” (Gilbert Keith Chesterton)
“He was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews.” (v.1)
“What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” (v.2)
“If a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” (v.3b)
“God’s people sometimes have difficulty working together, but the people of the world have no problem uniting in opposition to the work of the Lord.” (Warren W. Wiersbe)
“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.” (v.10)
II. TURNING OPPOSITION INTO OPPORTUNITY TO GROW.
Our natural responses
Fight, Flee, Freeze
“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16)
“And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.” (v.9)
Closing: God’s work always overcomes despite any opposition.