Neh 6:1 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,
Neh 6:2 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.
Neh 6:3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”
Neh 6:4 They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way.
Neh 6:5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand.
New Testament Scripture Reading: ( Romans 8:28 – 39 KJV)
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Transforming Power Statements:
1) A good illustration of the providence of God, which is how God sets up the circumstances of what unbelievers are doing for the benefit of what He wants to accomplish in the world, and what He wants ultimately for to become the case for “His people” who like Nehemiah, find themselves positioned even against enemies of God who hate what they are doing and would love to shut it down entirely.
2) As long as we are in the world there shall be conflict mostly in two ways; which are internal and external, therefore, a major development within our Christian walk must be focused on these two so that we find ourselves moving closer to the goal of Christ-likeness and further away from the ways of the world, who continues to hate God and His true followers.
3) Being certain about exactly where we stand with God, which can only be perfect when we build our faith upon a personal relationship with God through His Only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, should give us blessed assurance that all things are working together for our good and for His glory! Are you saved?