Nearly always when you are on the path to fulfilling destiny, you will have nay-sayers, cynics, and mockers that the enemy throws into your path with the subtle intention of derailing you from reaching your goal. And sometimes sadly these nay-sayers and mockers are people close to you, your family, relatives, and close friends. Yes, it is hurtful but don’t dwell on their words because they do not define you, God defines you. Turn their hurtful words to seeds of progress that will drive you forward by the help of the Holy-Spirit in attaining that height of glory God has called you. My job today is to let you know what the Holy-spirit is saying to you dear reader, “stay focused on the assignment and goal(s) God has given you and ignore the mockers.”
Certainly the story of Nehemiah dealing with Sanballat and Tobiah provides valuable lessons on perseverance, focus, and resilience in the face of mockery and opposition. Let’s briefly dive into it.
Background: Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes. Upon hearing about the ruined walls of Jerusalem, he felt a deep burden to rebuild them. Despite facing challenges, Nehemiah led the effort to restore the city’s defences.
Sanballat and Tobiah: Sanballat, a governor of Samaria, and Tobiah, an Ammonite official, opposed Nehemiah’s project. They mocked the Jews, ridiculed their efforts, and even threatened violence. Their goal was to discourage the builders and halt the construction.
Let us summarise Nehemiah’s response:
Persistent Prayer: Nehemiah turned to God in prayer. He acknowledged the insults and hatred from Sanballat and Tobiah. His prayer reflected both trust in God’s justice and a desire for their actions to have consequences. You will need to add aggressive ware-fare prayers when the opposition is now proving stubborn and you perceive strong demonic attacks behind it. A good ware-fare prayer resource you could explore for your spiritual growth is; Prayer Points – Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries | Deliverance, Spriritual Warfare and Prayers
Focus and Determination: Despite the mockery, Nehemiah remained focused on the task. He didn’t allow their words to distract him. Instead, he continued building the wall with zeal, determination, and commitment.
Strategic Measures: Nehemiah took practical steps to address the threats. He stationed guards on the walls day and night, ready to defend against any attack. He organized the people, armed them, and encouraged them to fight for their families and homes.
Leadership: Nehemiah rallied the people, reminding them of God’s greatness and urging them not to fear. He emphasized the importance of fighting for their loved ones and their city. His leadership inspired unity and resilience among the builders.
Lessons we can learn from Nehemiah as believers in Christ Jesus:
Ignore Mockers: Nehemiah didn’t engage in arguments with Sanballat and Tobiah. Instead, he focused on the work at hand. Sometimes, ignoring mockers and staying committed to our goals is the best response. Don’t waste your precious, valuable time fighting them, they are time-wasters the enemy is trying to bring your way to distract you from the real prize ahead of you
Stay Focused: Nehemiah’s unwavering focus allowed the project to progress. When faced with distractions or negativity, maintaining our purpose and vision is crucial.
Prayer and Action: Nehemiah combined prayer with practical action. He sought God’s help while also taking steps to protect the builders and the project. Remember faith without action is dead (James 2:17)
Resilience: Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. It also mean toughness Nehemiah’s resilience or toughness in the face of adversity teaches us to persevere even when others try to discourage us. Ask the Holy-Spirit to give you that mental toughness to march forward with power and with grace even when mockers and opposition come your way.
In our own lives, we can all learn from Nehemiah’s example. When mockers arise, let’s stay focused, pray, and continue working toward our divine goals with determination and God’s grace backing us up.
Altar call: For anyone reading this article who is not saved and wants to be part of the family of God or you want to re-dedicate your life back to Jesus, please repeat this out loud. “Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I have sinned against you. Lord Jesus forgive me of my sins. I repent of my sins. Lord Jesus come into my life and be my Lord now and forever in Jesus Name“
Prayer: O God arise and disgrace ever mocker assinged against my advancement in life, in Jesus Name
Feast of Light Word Ministry (Part of the RCCG family worldwide)
