Enemy Attacks

Should A Woman Like Me Flee? - Psalm 11

11:00 AM

 


Psalm 11, John 14:6

When my husband is on vacation from work, we take that time for projects around the house or to get away, just the two of us. So on his recent vacation when he told me he’d really like to spend some time working in his pole barn, which in fairness does need some attention, my immediate reaction was hurt and anger. How dare he not stick to the plan! And why was it so easy for him to just cast aside spending time with me? I was going show him! So I decided to give him the silent treatment and spend the day doing little jobs on my own.


After a couple of hours of fuming and complaining to the Lord, I couldn’t stand it any longer. So I tracked him down and demanded to know why he wasn’t bothered by my silence. “You’re not talking to me?”, asked. “I thought you just busy doing your own thing. Wait, are you mad at me?” He looked at me with such honesty and confusion, I knew he genuinely didn’t have a clue I was upset, let alone why I was upset. I felt so silly and convicted at that moment, I couldn’t help but laugh. We sat down to talk. And like I should have done at the start, instead of running away in anger, I told him how I felt. 


Relationships take work. Whether it’s our relationship with God or others, they need a foundation of trust, honesty, love, and repentance to stand strong. Satan is in the business of tearing down, not building up. And he loves nothing more than to form cracks in those foundations through harsh words, misunderstandings, and unforgiving spirits. So when we flee from our problems instead of dealing with them head on, it opens the door for the Enemy to do his worst. 


When Nehemiah was facing an assignation threat, his friends advised him to hide out in the temple. But he replied, “Should a man like me flee?” (Neh. 6:11) David and Nehemiah both understood that as believers, instead of sinning against God by running away, we should always face every problem head on. Standing firm in the faith that the Lord will uphold the righteous. And believing He will give us the power to confront each one in courage and wisdom. I could have saved my heart a lot of hurt that day if instead of taking refuge in my anger, I would have taken refuge in the wisdom of God. 


Pause and Reflect - 

Not counting fear of physical safety, have you been in a situation with another where your first response is to flee? To wash your hands of that person or situation without first trying to reconcile with love, understanding and grace? What if God treated us this way?


Have you been trying to control challenges and challenging people in your own strength and in your own way? Or have you unhardened your heart, surrendering your fears and problems to the Lord? Has trusting God, laying everything at His feet and allowing Him to work in the situation produced results in the past? 


Finally, let’s pray together….


Dearest Father, 

Each day we encounter difficult times and difficult people. And so we humbly come before You asking for Your hand of support during these situations. Father, mold us to be kind and tenderhearted. Give us hearts of Jesus, so that we are slow to anger and quick to forgive. Empower us to stop the Devil in his tracks from gaining footholds in our relationships. Father, cleanse our hearts from all bitterness and anger, filling them with compassion and true Agape love for one another. You are our refuge and our strength; O Lord; our ever present help in trouble. Please guard our hearts, minds, and mouths. For our trust is in Your love which never fails, and Your power that knows no boundaries. In Jesus precious name we pray, Amen


Don't' forget to head over to our Facebook group at, https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenintheword2 to join in on the discussion. Also check out our public Facebook page at, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083156569388 and give us a like!

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts, and I pray your day overflows with love and blessings.


💕 Lisa


Ezra

SoulSearching Sunday ~ Pray BIG Prayers

12:00 AM

Sunday, April 22, 2018



Week Sixteen

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Ezra 1 - Nehemiah 13:31...

 1. Sometimes we limit God in our minds, assuming that He can’t or won’t answer a specific prayer. What big requests would you like to present to the LORD? Pray big prayers and have faith that God can do what to the human mind seems positively impossible.

 “In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the LORD fulfilled Jeremiah’s prophecy by stirring the heart of Cyrus to put his proclamation into writing and to send it throughout his kingdom.” (Ezra 1:1)

 2. What causes you to delay in confessing your sins? What sins have been piling up and now block the way to wholehearted worship. Lay them all before the LORD - remove anything that stands between you and the Savior.

 “I prayed, ‘O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached the heavens.’” (Ezra 9:6)

 3. Write down these three headings: participation, holiness and joy. Consider how you have experienced each in your worship - whether personally or corporately. Jot down ways you can incorporate these elements into your worship habit.
“Here is the list of the priests and Levites who had returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the high priests: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra…” (Nehemiah 12:1)


Mari Sandoval

Building Up in Love {Nehemiah 5-7}

9:00 PM




Chapter four ended with great victory! The people of God were doing the work of God, and they did it despite all obstacles. They worked with a sword in one hand and their weapon in the other, and they would not let their enemies stop them! (Neh. 4:17-23) But in chapter five, we find that the work stopped because of opposition among God's people. The enemy could not stop the work of God by direct attack, but the work stopped when God's people weren't unified and working together!

“Now there was a great outcry of the [poorer] people and their wives against their Jewish brothers [to whom they were deeply in debt]” (5:1 AMP)

When God's people fight one another they certainly are neither fighting the real enemy nor getting God's work done.

Is any of this familiar to you? Isn’t this actually happening in some of our families and churches? At work, school and even in our own Country?



“What leads to [the unending] [a]quarrels and conflicts among you? Do they not come from your [hedonistic] desires that wage war in your [bodily] members [fighting for control over you]? 2 You are jealous and covet [what others have] and [b]your lust goes unfulfilled; so you [c]murder. You are envious and cannot obtain [the object of your envy]; so you fight and battle. You do not have because you do not ask [it of God].” (James 4:1-2 AMP)

Jesus said: “Any kingdom that is divided against  itself is being laid waste; and no city or house divided against itself will [continue to] stand.” (Matt. 12:25)

Nehemiah was a Godly man and he wisely confronted them in love, even though these people where “building a wall of separation” among their brethren and he also took the proper steps for restoration (5:9-11).

"When God shows his people a particular sin that we are guilty of, He doesn't tell us to take our time dealing with it.  No, He says, `Deal with it now.' When we realize we are doing wrong, now is the time to stop it.  Making long range plans to correct a problem allows the sands of time to hone off the raw edges of God's reproof in our lives.  We end up tolerating that sin and maybe even protecting it.  Such laxity greatly concerns our Lord.  A prompt and thorough dealing with wrong in our lives is essential." (Chuck Swindoll)


Paul gives us the following instructions: “So I, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation], 2 with all humility [forsaking self-righteousness], and gentleness [maintaining self-control], with patience, bearing with one another [a]in [unselfish] love. 3 Make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace [each individual working together to make the whole successful].” (Ephes. 4:1-3)

So let us not be weary and let our arms fall in dismay, for we have much work to do! We must fall on our knees and humbly pray without ceasing to our God, so He can overcome those separation walls and restore all broken relationships! Yes, He is Able AND He is Faithful (we can pray these verses in Eph. 4 for ourselves and our loved ones)!!

“But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ. 16 From Him the whole body [the church, in all its various parts], joined and knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up [b]in [unselfish] love.” (Ephes. 4:15-16)


May we as Nehemiah, be willing to continue the good work: building up in love! (Neh. 5:14-18)
Blessings my sisters!!
Mari


Becky Austin

Spiritual Action and Response (Nehemiah 1-4)

4:36 AM



 
Nehemiah was one of the Jews who remained in Persia instead of returning to Jerusalem.  In fact, Nehemiah held a position of honor as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes.  The cup bearers traditionally tasted the King’s drink (for quality and/or poison) and were responsible for bringing the cup to the King. This put the cup bearer close to the King in his daily life.  Nehemiah could easily have remained focused on his own life and circumstances, with no concern for his fellow Jews so far away in Jerusalem, but that was not the case.  We can learn much from the example of Nehemiah.
How Did Nehemiah respond?
1. With concern for the spiritual well-being of others.  When he heard that the walls of Jerusalem were burned down and the gates destroyed, he was moved with sincere compassion and concern for the situation of the Holy City and his fellow Jews there.  “As soon as I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days…”

2. With prayer:“…and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. (1: 4).  His prayer confessed collective sin, declared the heart of a servant, and petitioned God to remember His promises to the Jewish people.  It was a deeply humbled and sincere prayer. 
3. With action:  He decided to ask the King for leave to travel to Jerusalem, and He prayerfully asked God to intervene and provide what he needed. “And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.” (2:8)

Nehemiah is granted permission to travel to Jerusalem and also sent with protection for safe travel and provisions for the task he wanted to accomplish. When he arrives, however, he surveys the conditions he must deal with and the challenges he must face.  He realizes that this will not be easy, that he can not do it alone and that he will have opposition.
How Did Nehemiah respond?
1. By sharing his vision.  He encouraged others by sharing his vision and by getting them to realize that God was going to help. Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” (2:17-18)
2. Working in Unity.  Chapter 3 lists out names of many individuals, tribes and families that contributed by repairing sections of the walls/gates.  Nehemiah recognized and appreciated each individual contribution to the whole.

Initially, the efforts were rewarded with unhindered progress.  But, as is often the case in this life, the oppositions and challenges presented themselves. 
How Did Nehemiah respond?
1. He took it to God in prayer.   Instead of taking personal offense to the insults and taunts of the enemy, he realized that the true assault was against God himself.   He left the outcomes to God. “Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. 5 Do not cover their guilt and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.
2. He set a guard against the enemy and continued to pray.  The Bible tells us to keep a guard of our hearts and minds. We have to face the enemy and acknowledge his presence but ultimately we know that the battle belongs to God and must be fought in the spiritual realm.

3. He persevered but remained in battle mode in case of attack.  We must not let fear stop us in our tracks but we must also stay ready for any attack of our enemy. Nehemiah had the people armed with weapons while they worked. They remained vigilant and always ready for battle. “So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.  The Bible tells us also to be wary of our enemy, the Devil, who is always on the prowl to attack us. We are to “put on the whole armor of God” each morning as well so that we are ready for spiritual combat no matter when or where it comes from or what form it takes.  

Nehemiah is a great example of true compassion for others and a willingness to get involved even with the challenge of opposition.  He is an example e of someone who truly sought the Lord for help, provision and comfort.  He is also an example of one who persevered against the odds to serve the Lord and encourage others to do the same.