But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival, they were very displeased that someone had come to help the people of Israel.
—Nehemiah 2:10
Scripture:
In today’s devotion, we’re going to look at the hot-button issue of the need for leaders who take initiative. Obviously, the need for political leaders who fit that description is great. But today we’re going to focus on Christian leaders—more specifically, Christian leaders who face opposition. And we’re going to look at one of the many examples in Scripture in which God raised just such a leader when His people needed one most.
The people of Jerusalem were discouraged because the protective walls of their city lay in ruin. That meant those who had returned to Jerusalem following the exile were vulnerable to their enemies.
They needed a leader who understood what was at stake. They needed a leader who was willing to take initiative for such a project, one who was willing to take great risks for the glory of God. They needed someone who could rally the people behind a common vision.
They needed Nehemiah. He went to the Jewish leaders and said, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” (Nehemiah 2:17 NLT). He had a vision and a plan, and the people’s hearts were energized.
Yet whenever God’s people say, “Let’s rise and build,” the devil and his people will say, “Let’s rise and oppose.”
Nehemiah wrote, “But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival, they were very displeased that someone had come to help the people of Israel” (Nehemiah 2:10 NLT).
Whenever you do something in the will of God, you will face opposition. Sometimes it’s opposition by outright nonbelievers. And sometimes it’s criticism from fellow Christians. But there will be pushback in some form when you’re doing God’s will.
The great British preacher Alan Redpath said, “There is no winning without warfare; there is no opportunity without opposition; there is no victory without vigilance.”
If you never face opposition as a Christian, if you never get tempted or get tested, that tells me the devil isn’t wasting his time on you. But if you get pushback, harassment, and even persecution at times, that indicates to me that you might be on the right path. You’ll face opposition when you’re doing the will of God.
That’s essential to remember because it doesn’t matter what people say about you. It doesn’t matter what people say about your work. It doesn’t matter what challenges lie in the way.
What matters is God’s will. If you stay close to God through prayer, quiet listening, and Bible study, He will make His will known to you.
And if you pursue His will, if you make it your top priority, you can trust Him to accomplish His purposes despite the opposition you face.
Reflection question: How can you become or support a much-needed Christian leader? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!
