“From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows, and armor … Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked...”
Nehemiah had a mission… He was rebuilding the wall that protected God’s people. At first, Nehemiah’s enemies laughed, but as the wall began to come together, his enemies decided to attack the builders. So, Nehemiah called an audible… He adapted and adjusted job assignments and equipment.
I learned early in my coaching career that clinging to your game plan after your opponent makes effective adjustments is unwise. So, at times we would modify our approach, but we never abandoned our objective of winning the game.
The church must remember the same principle … As our ministries become successful, the enemy may attempt to hinder our plans. When that happens, we may need to alter our method… But we can never stop doing what we have been called to do. We have been commissioned to make disciples, and nothing can interfere with that objective.
The devil will mock, threaten, and attack. Our success may cause him to intensify his assaults. Don’t ignore the escalation . You may need to adjust. Sometimes you will need to build with one hand, and fight with the other. But keep building … and keep fighting, trusting God for the outcome.
Legend has it, that during the attack on Pearl Harbor a Chaplain was asked to pray for his men as an enemy plane was zeroing in on them … He put his bible down, manned a gun and said, “praise the Lord and pass the ammunition”. Similarly, Nehemiah in essence says, “praise the Lord and give me a hammer”. Though threatened, his faith in God, and his resolve to complete the mission were unwavering.
So, I have two questions for you:
1. Are you building anything for the Kingdom worthy of being attacked?
2. Are you prepared to fight for it?
Our commission is clear. No one said it would be easy. So, get busy, pray, and pass the ammunition. Adjust, evolve, multitask when you need to - but never forget your calling.
“God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply.” - Hudson Taylor
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