A Steadfast Church

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: Nehemiah 4Anyone who does something in the name of the Lord will face spiritual warfare. This is why a steadfast church is bound to be attacked by the enemy.Our enemy is very methodical. But the Holy Spirit is our ally. Not only can we know the enemy’s methods, but we can also stand against them.In the Book of Nehemiah, the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, despite spiritual opposition. We can clearly see the enemy’s tactics at work in Nehemiah 4.First, he tries derision.He mocked Nehemiah and his team, calling them feeble, futile, and foolish. The devil will try to laugh us away from our purpose.If that doesn’t work, he’ll try discouragement.About halfway through any big task, we’ll find we are discouraged by fatigue or frustration. This is on purpose; we must stay on track.Next, the devil tries dismay.He will use physical intimidation to scare us. But when threatened, Nehemiah and his team remembered the Lord and resisted the enemy; they continued to build and stood ready to battle at the same time. (See Nehemiah 4:18.)The devil will also attack with discord and division.We cannot let Satan drive a wedge in our fellowship. Whenever we stand for things within the church body, they must be for the right purpose, in the right spirit, at the right time.Adrian Rogers says, “If you are wise, you’ll always be a part of the solution, never a part of the problem.”Next, he tries to distract us.Satan’s motivation never changes; if he seems to be reasoning with us, it’s a diversion tactic. He is not our friend; we must keep our eyes on the Lord and continue serving Him.Finally, as he did with Nehemiah, the enemy will defame us among our peers and criticize our motives.When we live for Jesus, we will be slandered. We must never listen to any slander about another child of God. It is all garbage.Isaiah 54:17 says, “’No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,’ says the Lord.”Apply it to your lifeChristians: don’t be afraid of the enemy’s attacks. Commit to doing good work—a child of God is always building and battling at the same time.