![]() ![]() 8-9)ĭISTRACTION #4: The enemies conspire with others, enlisting them to try to pull the leader away from the work. Then I sent a message to him saying, “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind.” For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, “They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands. ![]() They leave their reputation in the hands of God, refusing to take time to defend themselves for the sake of God’s task. They simply rebuke their distractors, but then they do the most important thing: They PRAY, asking God to give needed strength to continue on. THE NEHEMIAH RESPONSE: A good leader refuses to stop from God’s work, even if they are personally assaulted. So come now, let us take counsel together.” (vs. “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. And you are to be their king, according to these reports. 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. Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. It is no longer just about the work, but about the leader’s motivations and character, designed to create such fear for the loss of their reputation that they will turn aside from the work. 4)ĭISTRACTION #3: A false accusation comes, full of deception about the leader personally that they feel they must stop and take time to address. They sent messages to me four times in this manner and I answered them in the same way. He will not give in and recognizes the repeated invitation as a repeated scheme. THE NEHEMIAH RESPONSE: A good leader perseveres in his unwillingness to turn aside from God’s task. They sent messages to me four times in this manner … (vs. The enemy’s thought is that surely the leader will be distracted if the temptation is repeated enough times. 3)ĭISTRACTION #2: The temptation to turn aside comes back multiple times, often in multiple forms. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” (vs. So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. He is gladly willing to say “No” to every competing distraction. He prioritizes everything that is presented to him, and only does what God has initiated. THE NEHEMIAH RESPONSE: A good leader recognizes the God-work that he is doing and refuses to be turned aside. ![]() Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me. ![]() His one intent is to turn your hand away from God’s work. This could be an invitation to be involved in a conversation, an entertainment, a game, a nice honor that seems a worthy thing to stop and engage in. It sounds innocuous, but there is behind it a deadly intent. Notice how the temptation develops and how Nehemiah deals with it at every turn.ĭISTRACTION #1: We receive a simple invitation to leave God’s work. Nehemiah, Chapter 6 is given to all of us, and particularly leaders, to teach us how to deal with this debilitating scheme. The devil doesn’t have to destroy you in order to keep you from doing God’s work he just has to distract you. There is a constant pull away from what is vital and essential to that which is secondary and even evil. We live in a world filled with distractions. THE UNSTOPPABLE POWER OF AN UNDISTRACTED LIFE ![]()
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