Nehemiah met opposition head-on, giving it no chance
to get a foot-hold nor give it any room to grow. His response was
swift and direct. He was able to do so because:
Nehemiah defined his mission.
Nehemiah came to repair a wall. “Let us rise up and build” (2:18). When the
opposition came casting doubt asking, “what is this thing that you are doing?”
(2:19), he was able to answer them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us;
therefore we His servants will arise and build.” (2:20b)
Nehemiah narrowed his focus.
His critics have no heritage, right or memorial in the city (2:20c) but with a
defined mission in mind, Nehemiah focused on his target and let nothing
distract him from hitting it (3:1-32). Nehemiah’s focus was so narrow that he
was able to name those who were rightfully there to support the mission.
Nehemiah set a guard.
Nehemiah protected his workers and their work. (Neh. 4:9-23) Any difficult
endeavor tends to weaken just after the half-way mark. Strength was failing and
their adversaries were noticing. Nehemiah weaponizes the people according to
their families and encourages their renewed vigor, “do not be afraid of them .
. . remember the Lord . . . fight . . . the work is great . . . wherever you
hear the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” (4:14, 19-20)
Nehemiah disarmed his enemies.
(Neh. 5-6). In the sight of growing extortion (4:1-8) Nehemiah simplifies the
battlefield by disarming his enemies through swift answers to every distraction
with a mission-based response (6:3, 8, 11). He had no time for opposition.
Nehemiah did what others would not.
(Neh. 5:8-19) Nehemiah works alongside the people, even giving sacrificially of
his own stores and personal wealth to redeems (5:8), provides (5:10), relieves
(5:14-15), works alongside (5:16) and shares (5:17-18), all motivated by his
love for God (5:15)
