6.18.23 - The Good Work
Week 3: Standing Strong in the Face of Opposition.

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The Good Work

shows up when the

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goes down.

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Nehemiah’s Opposition

¹When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, ²and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?” ³Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!” —Nehemiah 4:1-3 (NIV)

Facing Opposition
- Don’t be surprised when you face

.
-

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invites

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.
- The devil doesn’t

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those who are not a

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.
- Rebuttals hardly

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critics; They often

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them.
- Try to be unmoved by

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or

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!
- Don’t let praise go to your

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or criticism go to your

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!

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Hear us, our God, for we are despised.
Turn their insults back on their own heads.
Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity.
⁵Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.
⁶So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height,
for the people worked with all their heart. —Nehemiah 4:4-6 (NIV)

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Spiritual and Practical Application

as if everything depends on

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as everything depends on

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.

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Losing Strength

Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.” —Nehemiah 4:10 (NIV)

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People Doubting

Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.” ¹²Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” —Nehemiah 4:11-12 (NIV)

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External vs Internal

The

will only be as loud as my

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allow them to be.

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Nehemiah Responds to Critics

^14aAfter I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome …” —Nehemiah 4:14a (NIV)

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God Responds

The greater the

against us, the greater the

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for God to fight for us.

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Remember and Fight

^14b … “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” —Nehemiah 4:14b (NIV)

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Be Ready

If we’re not ready to face opposition for our

to God,
then we’re not ready to be

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by God!

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Talk It Over

• 1) When you face opposition, how do you usually respond?
• 2) Read Nehemiah 4:4-6. Why is it important for us to remember that we answer to God and no one else?
• 3) How can you prepare yourself for the opposition you will face as you pursue God’s work?