Facing Opposition

What does the word opposition mean to you? If you're a sports fanatic like me, you might be taken back to the sights, sounds, and emotions of your favorite high school sport. For me, it's basketball. Even though this is going back almost 8 years now (yikes!), I can still remember it like it was yesterday.

After shouting our team cheer and tucking our jersey's in, we lined ourselves up at center court, each of our five players standing face-to-face with our five opponents. We knew exactly what we were up against because before the game we studied our opponents. We knew their weaknesses, and we knew their strengths. We knew their defensive game, and we knew their offensive game. Did we ever feel fear and  intimidation as we faced them? Quite often. But did this stop us from playing OUR game? Of course not! For we ourselves had developed our own strategies. We practiced and prepared our own offensive and defensive plays. We knew our own strengths and weaknesses. We always came prepared. When we underestimated our opponents and fell behind, our coach called a time-out, and we re-strategized, perfecting our game, and headed back out on that basketball court feeling stronger and more confident than ever. Opposition is not meant to destroy us, but to push us to be stronger and better. It's only when we lack a plan and let discouragement and defeat overcome us that our opponents rise victorious over us!

The example above is only meant to point you to a greater picture. How we face opposition on the basketball court is one thing, but how we face opposition in our spiritual lives is another. The leader of our opposition is crafty and cunning, devious and vicious. He's always on the prowl, looking for his next victim to devour. (1 Peter 5:8). Are we prepared to face this opposition? We must learn our opponents tactics, his defensive and offensive strategies so that we can prepare our own offensive and defensive strategies. If we don't, we will be devoured, for in the Christian life, opposition is not only to be expected, it is GUARANTEED. The Old and New Testament books are full of stories of opposition that God's people faced as they desired to do His will. Daniel is thrown in to the lion's den after he refused to stop praying to his God even though King Darius ordered that he must stop (Daniel 6). Young Timothy warns us that if we desire to live godly in Christ Jesus we WILL be persecuted (2 Tim 3:12)  Peter reminds us not to be surprised when fiery trials come against us (1 Peter 4:12) Jesus himself tells us in John 16:33 "in this world we will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world".

I recently went through the book of Nehemiah and was encouraged by his ability to rise above his opponents. God gave Nehemiah the important task of rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem, and he went forward with the plan even though his enemies did everything they could to try and stop him.   Because of his faith in God, his clever strategizing and unwavering perseverance, he stood victorious over his opponents and successfully completed the task God had given him.  We have a lot to learn from his example!

Read Nehemiah 4.

To give you some background on what's going on here... Previously in 605–586 B.C the Babylonian's sieged Jerusalem destroying  the city walls and temple, leaving the city completely ruined, desolate, and nearly depopulated (Read about in 2 Kings 25). The surviving Jews were brought into 70 years of captivity under Babylonian rule (Read Jeremiah 25:11).

After the 70 years of captivity, the exile ended in 538 BC when Cyrus II of Persia (Who had conquered Babylon the year before) decreed that all peoples from Jerusalem could return to their city as God had promised they would (Jer 29:10). In Ezra 1-6, the first wave of surviving
Jews return back to Jerusalem who begin rebuilding the temple. While the Jews are at risk of being destroyed once again under the threat of Persia (As told by Esther), the second wave of Jews return to Jerusalem (Ez 7-10).  The final process of restoring Jerusalem was to rebuild the walls around the city, and God calls Nehemiah to put together a force to complete this task.  The Persian Empire was still dominating the region, and rebuilding the walls would pose as a great threat to the empire.

In Chapters 1-3 of Nehemiah, the prophet repents to God for his sins and the sins of Judah. (This disobedience is what led them into exile and captivity in the first place). He weeps over the destruction of Jerusalem and God puts it in his heart to begin rebuilding the walls around the city.  As cupbearer to the king, Nehemiah requested to the King that they have the walls rebuilt, and the king gives his approval. Nehemiah rallies the people together and they begin construction on the wall. However, it doesn't take long for his opponents to see what is happening, and they are quick to take action against Nehemiah and his builders to stop them from proceeding.  

Their first form of attack: Mockery. (4:2-4)  By definition, mockery means "ridicule, scorn, intimidation, a derisive action or comment" From the text, we can see that the builders of the wall faced all of the above. They were called feeble (weak) and mocked with question after question meant to intimidate them. They were also reminded of the vastness of the devastation and the seemingly impossible task that lay before them. Tobiah even goes so far as to say that if a fox ran up on their wall, it would fall down!

Nehemiah's reaction is one to be admired.  He cries out to God. He prays for justice to be served and for their enemies to be plundered and taken into captivity. Going to God in prayer during trouble and heartache is a pattern that is prominent in Nehemiah's life, and this pattern remained consistent in the midst of trouble.  (Neh 1:5-11, 2:4) "The people had a mind to work", and under Nehemiah's leadership, they shook off the intimidating and threatening remarks and fixed their eyes on the task ahead.

However, their opposition was not about to give up so easily, and the threats continued to escalate from mockery to conspiracy (v. 8)  Out of their anger upon hearing that the Jews were making progress on the wall, the enemies began to conspire together against Jerusalem, forming a larger army in hopes of causing even more fear. Though they were feeling discouraged and frightened, the Jews did not let this stop them,  but they prayed once again to God and this time made a strategy to set up guards all around the city. 

The pattern continues and once again, the opposition escalates. They are now threatened with death if they continue to build the walls (Verse 11) Nehemiah now strategizes and positions his men behind all the parts of the wall and sets guards at all the openings. Whole families were called into action and were equipped with swords, spears, and bows. He tells them to now REMEMBER their God, who is great and awesome! Notice how Nehemiah's faith in God is consistent but not passive! Faith always requires action. They were armed and ready!

This time it was the enemies who were discouraged, for they heard that the Jews were advancing in construction of the wall and that GOD had brought their plot to destroy the Jews to nothing. Notice how Nehemiah did not have the people spread word that he himself was the hero of the project, but that GOD was the one at work causing them to succeed! 

The Jews continue to improve their  strategy, having half of the servants work on construction while the other half stand guard with spears, shields, bows, and armour. But even those who were building constructed with one hand and kept a weapon in the other, with a sword girded at his side. Nehemiah also had a strategy to unite his people together, for he knew that they were stronger to defend themselves united. In all his diligence to take action, he continued to place his ultimate hope in the Lord,  not in the strength or size of their army He believed "Our God will fight for us!"

The continued to labour day after day and night after night, constructing and defending. Never once did Nehemiah, the servants, or the guard take of their clothes of armoury (except when they were washing). And with much prayer, wise strategy, and perseverance the wall was finished in fifty-two days. (Neh 6:15)


So what does this have to do with you and me?? What can we learn from Nehemiah?

1) God calls us to do things that we cannot accomplish on our own strength. It didn't take long for Nehemiah to realize that the task that God had put on his heart was not an easy one, and it required full reliance on the Lord.

2) When we are involved in the Lord's work, there will be opposition. This opposition may come to us in many different forms. Know your opponents.  Learn their offensive and defensive strategies. Know that the purpose of this opposition is to discourage and distract us from the Lord's will for our lives.

3) Repent of any known sin in your life. Ask God to show you if the reason you are facing opposition is because of  disobedience. (I am not saying this is always the case... but it is good to examine the heart before God!)

4) Cry out to God for wisdom and help! His eyes are on you and his ears are attentive to your prayers (Psalm 34:15) 

5) Develop a defensive strategy. After turning to God for wisdom, make a plan of protection! Having faith does not mean being passive. God calls us to action WHILE KEEPING FAITH. Be a soldier, fight the good fight. Unite with other Christians. Stand guard and clothe yourself with the Armour of God.

6) Develop an offensive strategy. Use the Sword of the Spirit! The sword is not only a defensive weapon, it is also an offensive one. It can block attacks from the enemy, but it can also slay the enemy. For every opposing word or action, come back with an offensive move by using God's word. Read it, memorize it, meditate on it, speak it out loud!

7) Persevere. The more you take a defensive and offensive stand, the more persistent and severe the attacks from the enemy will be. DO NOT lose heart! If you continue to persevere, you will receive what God has promised! (Hebrews 10:36)

8) Give God the glory. When others ask you about the victory, do not brag about your own strength, but point them to the strength of your God! ( Neh 6:16, Psalm 33)

9) Reflect: What things is God asking me to accomplish for Him today? What kind of opposition am I facing? Am I letting opposition discourage and distract me or am I turning to God for wisdom? Do I have a strategy in place? Am I persevering? What will give God the most glory in this situation??