Day 7


“When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.” Nehemiah 2:10
As we look at the account of Nehemiah leading the people of Israel to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, we will see how the enemies of Israel respond immediately and attempt to stop the work. It does not please the enemy when we decide to follow God wholeheartedly. Satan does not want us to worship God and do His will. He is happy for us to be passive, apathetic and powerless and will always tempt us to worship created things rather than the Creator! Ultimately, the enemy wants you to worship him by serving yourself, created things and anything else other than God (see Matthew 4:8,9). It should not surprise us that when we decide to devote our hearts and lives to serving God that the enemy gets upset and will try to discourage us from pursuing God. Peter writes, “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you” 1 Pet 4:14. In other words, if you pursue God wholeheartedly and receive opposition, you are blessed because it means you are hosting God’s presence! The early disciples rejoiced because they had been counted worthy to suffer for Jesus’ name (Acts 5:41). Do not be discouraged by opposition as you pursue God and His call for your life. The Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. Rejoice! 

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„Als aber Sanballat, der Horoniter, und Tobija, der ammonitische Knecht, dies hörten, missfiel es ihnen sehr, dass ein Mensch gekommen war, um das Wohl der Kinder Israels zu suchen.“ Nehemiah 2,10
Wenn wir uns den Bericht über Nehemia ansehen, der das Volk Israel zum Wiederaufbau der Mauern von Jerusalem angeleitet hat, werden wir sehen, wie die Feinde Israels sofort reagieren und versuchen, die Arbeit zum Stop zu bringen. Es gefällt dem Feind nicht, wenn wir uns entscheiden, Gott von ganzem Herzen nachzufolgen. Satan will nicht, dass wir Gott anbeten und seinen Willen tun. Er ist froh, wenn wir passiv, apathisch und machtlos sind und wird uns immer dazu verleiten, die geschaffenen Dinge und nicht den Schöpfer anzubeten! Letztendlich will der Feind, dass du ihn anbetest, indem du dir selbst, erschaffenen Dingen bzw. allem anderen als Gott dienst (siehe Matthäus 4,8.9). Es sollte uns daher nicht überraschen, dass, wenn wir uns entscheiden, unser Herz und Leben dem Dienst an Gott zu widmen, der Feind verärgert ist und versuchen wird, uns davon abzuhalten, Gott nachzufolgen. Petrus schreibt: "Wenn ihr im Namen Christi geschmäht werdet, glückselig seid ihr! Denn der Geist der Herrlichkeit und Gottes ruht auf euch" 1. Pet 4,14. Mit anderen Worten, wenn du Gott von ganzem Herzen nachfolgst und Widerstand erhälst, bist du gesegnet, weil es bedeutet, dass du die Gegenwart Gottes beherbergst! Die ersten Jünger freuten sich, weil man sie für würdig befunden hatte, für den Namen Jesu zu leiden (Apg 5,41). Lasst euch nicht von Widerständen entmutigen, wenn ihr Gott und seinen Ruf für euer Leben verfolgt. Der Geist der Herrlichkeit und Gottes ruht auf euch. Freut euch!

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