Leadership and Opposition (Part Three)

This week we are going to school on Nehemiah’s experiences by learning how to handle opposition. Sometimes, however, “handling” opposition is easier said than done—resulting in discouragement…

Causes of Discouragement (4:10-12)
The cause of the builders’ discouragement was threefold. It included failing strength, debris, and self-doubt. This combination can be lethal to a building project. Recently, I received an SOS prayer request from the mission field regarding a stalled building project with the implication that “our adversary, the devil” was behind it. For Nehemiah, the early enthusiasm was waning, and people were getting ready to quit at the halfway point. Self-doubt was paralyzing the workers: “We are not able to build the wall” (v.10).

Nehemiah’s story is reminiscent of a story in Joshua. Twelve spies had left Kadesh-Barnea to spy out the land of Canaan. Ten of the spies focused on walled cities and huge giants. Their report to Moses was filled with discouragement: “We are not able to conquer this land.” The result was 40 years of wilderness wanderings.

Recovery from Discouragement (4:13-23)

Nehemiah combated discouragement and initiated recovery by doing the following.

• Practical Steps—He positioned guards in strategic places.
• Motivation—He focused on the family. He told them: “Fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses” (v.14). Those who serve in the armed services are doing just that. They are on a mission to protect their family, their nation, and this world from the terrorism that is part of life today,
• Preaching—We in the United States have had our battle cries: Remember the Alamo! Remember Pearl Harbor! Remember 9/11! Nehemiah had his battle cry: “Remember the Lord, great and awesome (v.14)! This becomes their crown jewel in recovery. Nehemiah would have loved our chorus:

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love

Our God is an awesome God!

Resources:

Hand Me Another Brick by Charles Swindoll

Excellence in Leadership by John White

The Message of Nehemiah by Raymond Brown

Be Determined by Warren Wiersbe