Tabor Baptist Church

• Satan's aim is to oppose the church and stop God's work (v9)
• Satan sows discouragement and to dwell on our weakness
• Satan works by bringing division
• He has different methods of attack
• Chapter 4 - attack from without
• Chapter 5 - attack from within (internal division)
• Chapter 6 - personal attack
• Personal attack
• Letters sent direct to Nehemiah
• Five times messengers came
• Tried to use a false prophet to get Nehemiah to hide in the temple to kill him
• A church without a leader is destined to fail

How Nehemiah overcame a ...

A Crafty Attack

• The attackers do not come in person but sent messengers
• People that attack the church often do not do so directly
• They were pledging friendship
• What would people think of him if he said no?
• Nehemiah does not meet with them
• He is prepared for people to misunderstand him
• He doesn't want to be distracted
• He knows their intention is to destroy the work of God
• What things come in to distract us away from the work of God?
• Doing God's work is an antidote to falling prey to the evil one

A Constant Attack

• They sent the message four times (v4)
• The devil came to Jesus with repeated temptations
• They were seeking to weaken Nehemiah
• Some of the greatest men of God have been greatly attacked
• Personal example of John McArthur
• Attacks can happen to us
• Bad circumstance, strong temptations, ill health
• The evil one wants us to stop reading our bible, stop praying, stop going to church, stop witnessing and give up
• Eph 6:10-20: the armour of God

A Character Attack

• They sent an open letter on the fifth occasion (v5)
• Usually the send a closed, sealed letter
• Seeking to make him afraid (v16)
• More men sent letters to frighten him (v17-19)
• It was an attack against his character
• He had a hidden agenda
• He didn't just want to be governor but king!
• People attacked the character of The Lord Jesus Christ
• How do we respond?
• To confront error with truth (v8)
• Pray (v9)

An Incredible Attack

• A man (Shemaiah) posing as a prophet of God
• He doesn't want to give way to fear
• He would not go in / he would not give way (v11)
• Once Nehemiah made his stand he perceived that God had not sent Shemaiah at all
• Personal examples
• Lady from Brazil
• John Patten
• 'All that is not of faith is sin'
• Nehemiah did not sin, he didn't run away, he wasn't a coward
• 'Test all things and hold to that which is true'