I realized that God had not sent him . . . He had been
hired to intimidate me
(Nehemiah 6:12,13).
As Nehemiah
continued his project to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, opposition took many
forms. There were threats, lies reported to the king in Persia, a failed
assassination plot, and in today’s reading a conspiracy of intimidation.
Sanballat wielded much influence in Judah’s neighbor
province Samaria, and would one day be its governor. He saw a repopulated
Jerusalem as a threat to his power, so he was determined to do whatever it
would take to stop Nehemiah. He hired Shemaiah, a man Nehemiah respected enough
from whom to seek counsel, who tried to sow into Nehemiah’s mind fear for his
life.
Sanballat’s plan was to intimidate Nehemiah and the builders
so that they would give up the project before its completion. It is an attempt
right out of Satan’s playbook. Lacking
the authority or power to impose your will, fling words of fear in the general
direction of your target, and let him derail his own progress.
For God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power
and love and self-control (NET, 2 Timothy 1:7). Satan is a
toothless, defeated foe, with no authority over Believers. All he can do is
threaten, hurl innuendo and hope we fall for his lies.
God warns; the Enemy threatens.
TODAY’S MEDITATION
What fearful thoughts are
being thrown at you by Satan to derail your forward progress? Ask God to reveal
them for the lies they are. Courage.
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