Christian Devotional – January 28, 2020

Day 28 – Opposition continues. It didn’t stop, it just changed tactics. Read Nehemiah 6:5-7.

Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports. You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, ‘A king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.”
Nehemiah 6:5‭-‬7 NASB
https://bible.com/bible/100/neh.6.5-7.NASB

The opposition wasn’t getting anywhere with Nehemiah, so they changed tactics. Instead of just trying to distract him from the work that he was doing for God, now they are making false statements about him and spreading those to everyone. This open letter would have been read by anyone and everyone while the letter was journeying to Nehemiah. So now, all these rumors have been spread about him and about the work he is doing.

Often, just because we are able to avoid one type of attack from an enemy doesn’t mean that the enemy is done attacking. Usually, it just means that they change their approach. We have to continue to be steadfast against the attacks of the enemy, no matter what form they take. Our enemy Satan is the chief of liars, and loves to lie. Often, his lies take the form of half truths. These make them even more difficult to address.

We’ll see Nehemiah’s response tomorrow, but don’t be surprised that the enemy is persistent in trying to take our focus off of being obedient to God. Expect the attacks. Stay focused on God.