Nehemiah 6

Neh 6:10-11 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you." (11) And I said, "Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!"

Keith Green sings a song which goes, "I make my life a prayer to you. I want to do what you want me to. No empty words, and no white lies. No token prayers, no compromise..." Nehemiah is a beautiful example of this. Here he is at the very end of what he set out to do. The wall is almost complete. The only thing missing is the gates. Of course, Satan has planned one last assault.

Surrounding nations are doing everything they can to stop him. They are making up lies about him. They are trying to draw him out to change his mind or kill him. Finally, one of his fellow workers here about an attempt at Nehemiah's life. He suggests they hide in the temple, because no Jew would dishonor the temple by committing murder in it. Nehemiah responds by saying, "I will not go in!"

You see, this whole work of the wall had been a work of God. The nations realized this. Imagine now what it would be if Nehemiah disgraced the Lord by taking refuge out of fear, in His temple. That is not what the temple was purposed to be. Truly the Lord is our refuge, however, there are battles we need to stand up to. When we are called to the battlefield, we should be in the battlefield! Nehemiah was not about to take the easy way out. His job, given by God, was to complete the wall. Nehemiah intended to complete the wall.

What ministry has the Lord given you? Are you completeing it? Have you allowed trials to cause you to hide? It is a very good thing that we go to church and are equipped, however, we are equipping for battle. When we leave church, we are entering into the battlefield. What is the point of being equipped if you never intend to use the equipment? Complete the ministry God has given to you, not by might or power, but by His Spirit.