Originally posted: 7/05/2020
Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews… 8 All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it… 11 Our enemies said, “They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work,” (4:1, 8, 11).
The enemies of God, and His people, are numerous and unrelenting in their schemes and plans against His Work. It has been so from eternity past. And until Jesus returns, we should not be surprised by the conspiracies against His plans.
But we must also not be fearful, as though somehow the enemy may gain the upper hand or come out victorious. The enemy may roar with his fierce threats and vicious tauntings, but his ability to carry out his feckless plots against God Almighty will never prevail; for God’s Work cannot and Will Not Be Stopped.
May we be strengthened and encouraged today, by Him Whose Work Will Not Be Stopped.
Consider Him Whose Work Will Not Be Stopped
- Though the enemy hurls derision… His Work Will Not Be Stopped
- Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews, (4:1).
- As judgment and justice are left to God… His Work Will Not Be Stopped
- Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builder, (4:4-5).
- As He empowers our mental resolve… His Work Will Not Be Stopped
- So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work, (4:6).
- Though the enemy’s anger is heightened… His Work Will Not Be Stopped
- Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry, (4:7).
- When our fears arise… His Work Will Not Be Stopped
- When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: “Do not be afraid of them….” (4:14).
- As He is remembered and revered… His Work Will Not Be Stopped
- “…remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses,” (4:14).
- As He frustrates the enemy’s plans… His Work Will Not Be Stopped
- When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work, (4:15).
- As He equips us for battle… His Work Will Not Be Stopped
- From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah, (4:16).
- As He trains our hands for war… His Work Will Not Be Stopped
- Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon, (4:17).
- As He rallies us to courageous readiness… His Work Will Not Be Stopped
- As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me. 19 I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another. 20 At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us,” (4:18-20).
- As He provides His strategy… His Work Will Not Be Stopped
- So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day,” (4:21-22).
How do we respond to Him Whose Work Will Not Be Stopped?
His Work Will Not Be Stopped, but that is not an excuse for complacency; for we know, the enemy certainly never slacks off.
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour, (1 Peter 5:8).
- Though the enemy prowls and hurls derision against the Work of God, let us commit to stand firm in our faith, no matter the cost, trusting God to accomplish His Work in us and our world.
- But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world, (1 Peter 5:9).
- Let us daily seek the Lord, that He would transform our mind and resolve to commit to His Work through the renewing power of His Word.
- And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect, (Romans 12:2).
- Though the enemy’s anger is heightened, and when things get scary, for they will, let us find His strength as we purposely fix our mind on the truth of Him Whose Work Will Not Be Stopped.
- “Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
11 Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored;
Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish.
12 You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them,
Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.
13 For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand,
Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’
14 Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel;
I will help you,” declares the Lord, “and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,” (Isaiah 41:10-14).
- “Do not fear, for I am with you;
- As we choose to remember Who He Is, and to fully revere Him Who Is worthy and all-powerful, we can rest assured that He will frustrate every evil plan that comes against His Work.
- Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen, (Hebrews 13:20-21).
- Let us trust His Work that has provided everything needed to equip us for the battle and to train our hands for war.
- Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle;
2 My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My stronghold and my deliverer,
My shield and He in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues my people under me, (Psalm 144:1-2).
- Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
- And may we trust Him to ready us to courageously answer His rallying call through the power of His Mighty Word.
- Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, (Ephesians 6:14-17).
- When the work seems too great and extensive, when the battles rage, we must rely on His Strategy of His divinely powerful weapons; for our God will fight for us and His Work Will Not Be Stopped.
- For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
- And as we work together, in prayer and service, we can depend on His Word to equip us, that we would both guard and labor for Him Whose Work Will Not Be Stopped.
- With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, (Ephesians 6:18).
- But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry, (2 Timothy 4:5).