Title: How to Overcome Discouragement
Scripture: Nehemiah 4:1-23
4 [a]When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”
3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”
4 Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of[b] the builders.
6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
10 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.”
11 Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”
12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
13 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. 14 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.”
15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.
16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.
19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
21 So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” 23 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.[c]
Message
Fight a gloomy outlook.
Attitude is a little thing, but it makes a big difference.
Depression, gloom, pessimism, despair, and discouragement stop more people than all the world’s combined illnesses.
The truth is, enthusiasm will take you where talent alone can’t.
Think about it: Every day talented people give in to discouragement and quit, while people with less talent and ability keep going and succeed.
Winston Churchill once quipped, “I’m an optimist. It doesn’t seem too much use being anything else.”
If you really, really, really believe that God is on your side, you’ll be optimistic even in the face of overwhelming obstacles and discouragement.
In the Old Testament, a group of former slaves rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in just fifty-two days, and went on to prosper.
How did they do it?
Because their leader said, “Don’t surrender to discouragement. Don’t give in an inch. Fight every step of the way!”
And that prescription still works today!
One of Satan’s favorite weapons is discouragement.
He knows you can never be defeated unless you’re defeated in your thinking. But you have the power to overcome him.
The Bible says, “Submit…to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
When Satan brings discouragement to your door, what should you do?
Don’t open the door!
Don’t invite him in!
Don’t accept the package!
Don’t sign the receipt!
Instead submit to God – and resist him!
From time to time we all experience fatigue, frustration, failure, and fear.
But, by standing on God’s promises and drawing on His strength, you can choose not to get discouraged.
The choice is yours!
So why do I share these things? The answer is simple… let’s go to the Word of God and see why…
4 [a]When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”
3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”
4 Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity.
5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of[b] the builders.
Reflection: (Nehemiah 4:4-5)
Nehemiah is not praying for revenge but for God’s justice to be carried out.
His prayer is like many of David’s (see the note on Psalm 7:1-6, p. 523 and the chart on p. 1203)
Reflection: (Nehemiah 4:1-5)
Ridicule can cut deeply, causing discouragement and despair.
Sanballat and Tobiah used ridicule to try to dissuade the Jews from building the wall.
Instead of trading insults, Nehemiah prayed, and the work continued.
When you are mocked for your faith or criticized for doing what you know is right, refuse to respond in the same way or to become discouraged.
Tell God how you feel and remember His promise to be with you.
This will give you encouragement and strength to carry on.
6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
Reflection: (Nehemiah 4:6)
The work of rebuilding the wall progressed well because the people had set their hearts and minds on accomplishing the task.
They did not lose faith or give up, but they persevered in the work.
If God has called you to a task, determine to complete it, even id you face opposition or discouragement.
The rewards of work well done will be worth the effort.
7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.
9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
Nehemiah constantly combined prayer with preparation and planning.
His people trusted God and at the same time kept vigilant watch over what had been entrusted to them.
Too often we pray without looking for what God wants us to do.
We show God we are serious when we combine prayer with thought, preparation, and effort.
10 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.”
11 Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”
12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
13 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. 14 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.”
Reflection: (Nehemiah 4:10-14)
Accomplishing any large task is tiring.
There are always pressures that foster discouragement – the task seems impossible.
It can never be finished, or too many factors are working against us.
The only cure for fatigue and discouragement is focusing on God’s purposes.
Nehemiah reminded the works of their calling: their goa, and God’s protection.
If you are overwhelmed by an assignment; tired and discouraged, remember God’s purpose for your life and His special purpose for the project.
15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.
Reflection: (Nehemiah 4:10-15)
The people working on the walls faced the continual threats of terrorist attacks from those who didn’t want to see Jerusalem rebuilt.
Threats demoralize.
The tension created by the possibility of sudden assaults adds to fatigue.
Nehemiah took wise, practical steps to counter threats:
- He stationed guards at obvious weak points.
- He reminded the workers to keep weapons close at hand and to fight for God, their families, and the nation if an attack came.
- He established duty rotations that some stood guard while others worked.
The preparations for defense and the continuation of the work reversed the effects of terrorism and demoralized the enemies.
Obstacles and foes can make us work smarter and live wiser or make us give up our purpose and our way of living.
If they accomplish the latter, they have won even if they haven’t actually attacked us.
But, if we adjust our way of living wisely while continuing resolutely to live under God’s instructions, the opposition will fail.
16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah
Reflection: (Nehemiah 4:16)
The workers were spread out along the wall, so Nehemiah devised a plan of defense that would unite and protect his people – half the men worked while the other half stood guard.
Christians need to help one another in the same way because we can become so afraid of possible dangers that we can’t get anything done.
By looking out for each other, we will be free to put forth our best efforts, confident that others are ready to offer help when needed.
Don’t cut yourself off from others; instead, join together for mutual benefit.
You need them as much as they need you.
17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.
19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
Reflection: (Nehemiah 4:18-20)
To further relieve the anxieties of the people, Nehemiah set up a communication system.
The man who sounded the trumpet stayed with Nehemiah, and the people knew what to do if they heard it.
We have no record that the trumpet was ever used, but simply knowing it would issue a warning when needed was reassuring.
The system also put doubt into the minds of those trying to terrorize the workforce since the people on the wall were no longer passive targets.
The promise of open, immediate communication helped the group counter the enemy threats and accomplish the reconstruction of the wall in record time.
21 So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” 23 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.[c]
Reflection: (Nehemiah 4:23)
Although the exact meaning of the Hebrew phrase “even when we went for water” is unclear (it has also been translated, “in his right hand” or “at his right hand at night”), the point is that each man always had his weapon close at hand.
The guards were prepared and took their responsibilities seriously.