Stand Fast

When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gap was left in it-though at that time I had not installed the doors of the gates- Sanballat and Goshem sent me a message: " Come, let's meet together in the villages of the Ono Valley." But they were planning to harm me.
So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should work. Cease while I leave it and go down to you?" Four times they sent me the same proposal, and I gave them the same reply.
Sanballat sent me the same message a fifth time by his aide, who had an open letter in his hand. In it was written:
It is reported among the nations - and Gesham agrees- that you and e Jews plan to rebel. This is e reason you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to be one their king an have even set up the prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: " There is a king in Judah." These rumours will be heard by the king. So come, let's confer together.
Then I replied to him, " There is nothing to these rumours you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind. For they will be one discouraged in the work, and it will never be finished."
But now, my God strengthen me. Nehemiah 6:1-9

An authority had been set up to prevent the Jews from rebuilding, before Nehemiah had returned to Jerusalem. Sanballat was defending that edict. He had established himself with authority to keep the Jews in a state of despondency. This upstart Nehemiah had come and changed all of this.

We have an enemy who has kept us blind to the freedom in Christ and when we are set free by Christ and want to walk into all the freedom Christ brings he begins to fight with all he has to discourage, demoralise and defeat the push for freedom.

Sanballat represents Satan. He hates us and freedom in Christ. His desire is to destroy freedom and retain us in bondage.

Knowing who we are in Christ is important. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and do not become entangled again in the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)

Nehemiah was the champion of freedom. He had no desire to lord it over those he was setting free. He had to continually counter the accusations of his enemies. He knew his integrity and he went to The Lord for strength.

God is our strength and the word of God is our truth. Stand fast!

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