Nehemiah 4:4-5 "Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: (5) And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders."
Nehemiah was a good example for all of us in that he was a man of prayer. We
remember he fasted and prayed when he first heard the report of the condition
of Jerusalem. He prayed before he went in before the king. He prayed before
answering the king when he asked why he looked so sad. No doubt he prayed as he
observed the rubble that was all about the city. And now we find him praying
again. Nehemiah was already following the direction that was given long before
Paul was inspired to write, "Pray without ceasing."
Why was Nehemiah praying at this time? As the men were working diligently to
get the wall rebuilt, the adversaries were very angry. Sanballat and Tobiah
were very angry when heard that the work was being accomplished. They began to
mock the Jews. They began to stir the anger in others by talking to them about
this work. Listen to some of the things they spoke against the workers.
"What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they
sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of
the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by
him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even
break down their stone wall." (Nehemiah 4:2-3) They were doing
everything within their power to discourage those who were working on the wall.
Discouragement is one of the most used tools in Satan's tool pouch. It is well
worn because it has been used many times. Many of God's people have become
discouraged while trying to work in the kingdom of the Lord because others
mocked them or spoke against their work. Satan has done a good day's work if he
can get us discouraged. How do we avoid it? How do we combat this feeling of
inadequacy or failure to accomplish what we set out to do? Again I say,
Nehemiah is a good example for all of us. In every situation that could
have brought discouragement, Nehemiah prayed to the Lord God Almighty. Don't
you think if it worked for him, and we shall see that it did, then it will also
work for us. Strength to endure is found when we seek the encouragement of the
Lord.