Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other.
– Nehemiah 4:17
What a picture, as Nehemiah 4 tells us about people who started working against the rebuilding of these walls around Jerusalem. So they started facing opposition from outside and from inside, which is a clear reminder and we see it all over the Bible, that as long as we are working for the building up of the church and the spread of the glory of God, there will be opposition from the outside, from the world, and even from the inside, from those who claim to be God’s people.
Nehemiah 4:17 reminds us to not be surprised by opposition.
We see both in Nehemiah 4:5–6. We see both of these things all throughout the Bible, all throughout the New Testament. So don’t be surprised when opposition comes. And remember this picture from Nehemiah 4:17. As they’re rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem, they’re working with one hand with a tool for rebuilding walls in one hand and with a weapon in the other. What a picture.
One hand showing us they are focused on rebuilding the wall. They’re focused on doing this work always day in and day out. Stay focused on Jesus and what he’s called you to do in your life on sharing the gospel, making disciples of the nations, obeying Jesus, being more and more like Jesus. Be focused on that. And with your other hand, so this picture of a weapon in the other hand, be ready for, be aware of threats from the adversary that will come at you.
Nehemiah 4:17 reminds us to be ready for the spiritual warfare of faithfulness.
As long as you are focusing your life on Jesus, on following him and making disciples of the nations, you will be opposed by the adversary and that opposition will come in so many different ways. So don’t be surprised when it comes, be ready for and fight spiritual battle the way spiritual battle is to be fought, from our knees with the Word of God. Just picture Ephesians 6, remembering our battle is not against flesh and blood. It’s not against other people.
It’s against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. So be on guard with a weapon in one hand as you do this work with the other hand. Just very practically in your life today fix your eyes on Jesus and doing all that he calls you to do today. Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, loving others as yourself. Leading people to become more like Jesus who are followers of Jesus, leading people to trust in Jesus who don’t know Jesus, glorifying God with the grace he has given you today. And as you do that, be on guard.
This verse reminds us of the schemes of the adversary.
There’s an adversary who doesn’t want any of those things to happen in your life. And he has many different ways he’ll work to discourage you, to distract you, to destroy you, but trust in Jesus. Keep doing the work with one hand and with spiritual weapons. Prayer, standing firm, breastplate of righteousness, a shield of faith, all these weapons spiritually that Ephesians 6 talk about, make sure you’re holding those in your other hand.
Oh God, we praise you for this picture of your people in Nehemiah 4:17. Staying devoted to this work while being on guard against opposition to the work. And God, I just pray this over each of our lives today. Help us to give ourselves fully to all that you call us to do. And to do so on guard, aware of spiritual battle and spiritual opposition that will come against us… Not surprised by it, but ready for it and standing in the middle of it.
God, whether that’s a temptation that comes our way or whether that’s opposition from other people or well. Whatever it is, God, help us to stay faithfully focused on you and all you’ve called us to.
Prayer for the Jat Dhillon People
And God, as we pray every day on this podcast for unreached people groups around the world… And for your church to reach them. God, we pray for all those who are working for the spread of the gospel to these unreached people groups… To the Jat Dhillon people of India, this Sikh people group of a quarter million people.
Lord, for all who are working for the spread of the gospel among the Jat Dhillon… Or any other unreached people group today. God, we pray that you would give them this picture of Nehemiah 4:17 in their lives… That you would help them to stay focused on getting the gospel to them… And to be on guard amidst all the attempts of that adversary to thwart that work. Oh God, we pray you’d help us all as your children… As co-laborers in your kingdom, to live with a Nehemiah 4:17 mindset each and every day today. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
