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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
NEHEMIAH 4
TACTICS OF THE ENEMY
LESSON # 9
MEMORY VERSE: ROM 8:37
FOR 75 YEARS THE JEWISH PEOPLE LIVED IN THE MIDST OF THE RUBBLE AFTER REBUILDING THETEMPLE THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO DEAL WITH THE RUBBLE IN YOUROWN LIFE. IN NEHEMIAH’S TIME, THE PEOPLE WERE READY TO WORK ON CLEARING THE RUBBLE SO THEYCOULD BUILD THE WALLS.
READ NEHEMIAH 4:1-3 SANBALLAT’S OPPOSITION – SATAN’S KINGDOM EPH 6:12 EPH 1:21
SATAN’S TACTICS:
A. MOCKERY AND RIDICULE
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ATTACKS:
INTERNAL ATTACKS ARE THE NEGATIVE THINGS YOU TELL YOURSELF ABOUT YOU. EXTERNAL ATTACKS ARELISTENING TO NEGATIVE THINGS OTHERS SAY ABOUT YOU.
**WHAT 5 THINGS DID SANBALLAT SAY ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF GOD? (4:2)
1.WHAT ARE THESE FEEBLE JEWS DOING?
2. WILL THEY FORTIFY THEMSELVES?
3.WILL THEY SACRIFICE?
4.WILL THEY FINISH IN A DAY?
5.WILL THEY REVIVE THE STONES?
THESE FIVE THINGS SANBALLAT SAYS REPRESENT THOSE THINGS SATAN BRINGS AGAINST INDIVIDUALSTO CAUSE THEM TO FEEL THEY ARE A HOPELESS CASE. TO ANSWER THE FIVE THINGS THATSANBALLAT SAID, NEHEMIAH TURNS TO PRAYER (4)
1.WHAT ARE THESE FEEBLE JEWS DOING?
SATAN TELLS YOU, “YOU’RE TOO WEAK!”
THE CHRISTIANS ANSWER: “MY STRENGTH ISN’T IN MYSELF, MY CONFIDENCE IS IN THELORD”
2. WILL THEY FORTIFY THEMSELVES?
SATAN TELLS YOU, “YOU’RE NOT WORTHY OF POWER!”
SATAN TELLS YOU, “AS SOON AS YOU GET STRONG YOU WILL TURN AGAINST THE KING?”
THE CHRISTIANS ANSWER: “THE LORD WANTS ME TO BE AN INDEPENDENT PERSONALITY NOTDEPLETING THE STRENGTH OF OTHERS. HE WANTS ME TO BE A MINISTERING SOURCE OF STRENGTH TOOTHERS.”
3.WILL THEY SACRIFICE?
SATAN TELLS YOU, “YOU’RE A HYPOCRITE IN WORSHIP!”
” ONCE THEY GET BUILT UP, I WILL THEY STILL WORSHIP GOD? ISA 26:3
THE CHRISTIANS ANSWER: “A MIND STAYED ON THE LORD” PHI 4:6-7
“PEACE MARCHES LIKE A SENTRY AROUND YOUR HEART”
4.WILL THEY FINISH IN A DAY?
SATAN SAYS, “YOU’LL NEVER GET DONE!”
“YOU GUYS WILL NEVER GET THE JOB DONE”
THE SAMARITANS UNDER SANBALLAT WOULD TRY TO ENTER AND BEGIN TO MOVE IN WITH THE PEOPLE ASTHE BUILDING PROGRESSED
SATAN FINDS SOME WAY OF GETTING A PLACE IN YOUR PERSONALITY.
THE CHRISTIANS ANSWER, “RESTORATION OF THE PERSONALITY CAN’T BE DONE IN A DAYBUT CONTINUES UNTIL THE LORD COMES.”
5.WILL THEY REVIVE THE STONES?
SATAN SAYS, “YOU’VE MESSED IT UP BECAUSE YOU’RE TRYING TO BUILD ON A BROKENPAST!”
THE CHRISTIANS ANSWER, “THE OLD RUBBLE WAS USED TO REBUILD THE WALL.”
SATAN SAYS, ” ARE THEY GOING TO TURN THAT RUBBLE INTO SOMETHING GOOD?”
THE CHRISTIANS ANSWER, “YOU BET! THE VICTORY IS THE LORDS”.
THE LORD USES THE PAST EXPERIENCES OF FAILURE TO BUILD A DEFENSE AGAINST THE FUTURE. EVERYTIME WE TURN OVER A PIECE OF JUNK IN OUR LIVES, GOD CAN TURN IT INTO SOMETHING GOOD.
NOTICE THAT THESE 5 STATEMENTS ARE SARCASM.
SARCASM IS SATAN’S TACTIC TO DESTROY AND HUMILIATE PEOPLE. YOU WILL OFTEN HEARPARENTS USE IT WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND LEADERS USE IT WITH THOSE UNDER THEIR AUTHORITY. ITIS DESTRUCTIVE, NOT OF GOD, AND A TOOL OF SATAN.
MAKE A CHOICE NEVER TO USE SARCASM AND RIDICULE WITH THOSE UNDER YOUR AUTHORITY. HOW SHOULD THE CHRISTIAN DEAL WITH NEGATIVE THOUGHTS, EVIL THOUGHTS, ANDTEMPTATIONS SO THAT WE PUT ON THE MIND OF CHRIST?
(1CO 2:16 PHI 2:5)
THE NEW TESTAMENT TELLS US 7 TIMES THAT WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD. IT WAS IN THE TEMPLEWHERE GOD REVEALED HIS NAME AND HIS CHARACTER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. THE OLD TESTAMENTTEMPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT OUR BEING THE TEMPLE OF GOD.
THERE ARE NO DETAILS IN THE BOOK OF EZRA ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE THATEXISTED IN NEHEMIAH’S TIME.
THEREFORE, WE WILL LEARN MORE FROM LOOKING AT SOLOMON’S TEMPLE. THE DETAILS FOR THISTEMPLE ARE IN 1KI 6. SOLOMON’S TEMPLE WAS THE ONLY TEMPLE WHERE THE SPIRIT OF GODLIVED PERMANENTLY. (1KI 8:10-11 2CH 5:13-14) IT WAS THE ONLY TEMPLE THAT HAD THE ARK OFTHE COVENANT INSIDE. THE BIBLE HAS A LOT OF DETAIL ABOUT THIS TEMPLE SO WE WILL USE IT FOROUR STUDY. (1CHR 28:12-19)
SOLOMON’S TEMPLE = A PICTURE OF THE CHRISTIAN’S LIFE
PARTS OF THE FLOOR PLAN
THE PARTS OF GOLD = DEITY, PURITY
THE HOLY OF HOLIES = OUR NEW SPIRIT RECEIVED WHEN WE WERE BORN AGAIN (EZE 11:19) WHEREGOD, THE FATHER; JESUS, THE SON; AND THE HOLY SPIRIT COME TO LIVE INSIDE OF YOU. THIS ISTHE SOURCE OF GOD’S LIGHT IN YOUR LIFE.
THE HOLY PLACE = OUR NEW HEART (EZE 11:19 1PE 3:4),
THE CONTAINER FOR THE NEW SPIRIT. THIS IS WHERE GOD’S LIFE: HIS LOVE, HIS THOUGHTS, ANDHIS POWER IS LIVED IN YOU.
THE PORCH = OUR NEW WILLPOWER
THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE WE MAKE OUR CHOICES. WE EITHER MAKE FAITH CHOICESBASED ON THE POWER OF GOD THAT COMES FROM INSIDE US, OR WE MAKE CHOICES CORRESPONDING TOOUR OLD NATURE BASED ON OUR EMOTIONS. (2CO 5:7) THIS AREA EITHER GIVES DIRECTION TO THELIGHT OF GOD WITHIN US, DIRECTING THAT LIGHT OUTWARD TO OUR SOUL AND BODY, OR THIS AREABLOCKS THE LIGHT OF GOD COMING FROM WITHIN US AND QUENCHES THE HOLY SPIRIT.
THE PARTS OF BRONZE = TESTING AND JUDGMENT
2 PILLARS ON THE PORCH
ONE WAS NAMED JACHIN = “IN HIS STRENGTH”
ONE WAS NAMED BOAZ = “IN HIS COUNSEL”
GOD GIVES US HIS COUNSEL TO MAKE FAITH CHOICES, AND HE ALSO GIVES US HIS STRENGTH TO MAKETHOSE FAITH CHOICES.
INNER COURT = SOUL
IT’S AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE INNER COURT = THE SOUL, WHERE WE SET OUR GOALS AND PRIORITIESREFLECTED BY OUR INTERNAL DECISIONS. THIS CORRESPONDS TO THE CITY GATES IN NEHEMIAH.
OUTER COURT = OUR BODY
THIS IS THE VEHICLE FOR GOD’S POWER TO OTHERS AS WE ARE NOW “WALKING AFTER THESPIRIT”. EPH 3:19 MAKING FAITH CHOICES: WHEN WE MAKE FAITH CHOICES,GOD GIVES US HIS STRENGTH AND HIS COUNSEL (THE 2 PILLARS) TO MAKE THOSE CHOICES.EVENTUALLY GOD CHANGES OUR FEELINGS TO FIT OUR FAITH CHOICES IN HIS TIMING. HIS LIGHTCOMES FROM WITHIN US TO CHANGE OUR THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS TO GOD’S THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS. WE ARE, THEREFORE, NOT RESPONSIBLE TO CHANGE OUR FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS, ONLY OURCHOICES. WHEN WE MAKE FAITH CHOICES, WE PUT CHRIST IN CHARGE TO CHANGE OUR EMOTIONS. WEARE THEN WALKING ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL, GOD’S POWER, AND WALKING IN HIS SPIRIT. WE ARE”SINGLE MINDED” AND “FILLED WITH THE FULLNESS OF GOD” EPH 3:19. JAM1:5-8
EMOTIONAL CHOICES:
EMOTIONAL CHOICES MEAN WE STOP THE FLOW OF GOD FROM OUR INNER MAN, QUENCHING THE SPIRIT.THESE CHOICES RESULT IN THE DOMINANCE OF OUR DESIRES, OUR EMOTIONS, OUR THOUGHTS QUENCHINGGOD’S DESIRES, HIS EMOTIONS, AND HIS THOUGHTS. SATAN USES THESE TO CONTROL US WITHTHE POWER OF SIN IN OUR LIVES SO THAT WE END UP “WALKING AFTER THE FLESH” ANDBEING DOUBLE MINDED. THESE EMOTIONAL CHOICES ARE MADE WHEN WE REACT TO HURTS,RESENTMENTS, DOUBTS, PRIDE, BITTERNESS, AND OTHER NEGATIVE THOUGHTS. THESENEGATIVE EXPERIENCES ARE NOT SIN WHEN THEY FIRST HAPPEN TO US. WHAT WE DO WITH THEMDETERMINES WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE SINFUL.
1. IF WE TAKE NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES AND NEGATIVE THOUGHTS TO GOD NAILING THEM TO THE CROSS,WE HAVE DEALT PROPERLY WITH THEM AND THEY ARE NOT SINFUL.
2. IF WE HARBOR THEM AND STUFF THEM IN THE SECRET CHAMBERS ON THE SIDE OF THE TEMPLE, THEYARE SIN. IN OUR NEXT LESSON WE WILL LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE SECRET CHAMBERS.
HOMEWORK FOR NEHEMIAH 4 –continued
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF NEH 4:1-3
DURING THE WEEK, WRITE DOWN EVERY TIME YOU USE SARCASM:
WITH YOUR CHILDREN:
WITH OTHER PEOPLE UNDER YOUR AUTHORITY:
ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS NEGATIVE PATTERN IN YOUR LIFE.
ASK GOD TO RING A MENTAL BELL WHEN YOU ARE ABOUT TO FALL INTO THIS SAME NEGATIVE PATTERNOF SPEECH.
ASK GOD TO HELP YOU REPLACE THIS NEGATIVE PATTERN WITH MORE POSITIVE SPEECH THATENCOURAGES OTHER PEOPLE.
PREPARATION FOR NEH 4 continued
TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PRIESTS HID IN THE SECRET CHAMBERS OF THE TEMPLE, READ EZE 8:6-12
READ NEH 13:3-7 TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS IN ONE OF THE CHAMBERS DURING NEHEMIAH’S TIME.
MEMORY VERSE: 2CO 10:5
