Nehemiah 4:7–9 ‘They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.’ (v8)
It is often in children’s movies and comic books that enemies are obvious in their actions. The reality is that in life the enemy is often sneaky.
Confusion is caused, by the whisper of gossip in the staff canteen, the seemingly innocent question in the company boardroom, the text message or social media post that could be read in many different ways.
We assume the worst and suddenly we have created all kinds of stories in our heads and what may or not have been an innocent mistake becomes a breakdown of trust.
The enemy is sneaky. And more so in the Christian life. From that origin moment in Genesis 3 when the serpent whispers in Eve’s ear that she must have misunderstood what God meant when He said ‘You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,’ we have an enemy that is sneaky.
Which is why in 1 Peter the writer reminds us that the devil is prowling round like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Sneaking around looking for someone.
Don’t get isolated, but make sure you stand firm then against the devil’s schemes (Eph. 6). Which is why Nehemiah and his people, when they realised they were under attack from the sneaky enemy, got together and formed a plan to guard the city day and night and protect one another.
Who are you standing with in times of trouble? Where is the enemy trying sneak his way into your life?
A Prayer To Make:
‘Lord, help us to be on our guard against the enemy that tries to surround us and isolate us. Help us to stay connected to others and to stand firm against the enemy’s schemes. Amen.’
An Action To Take:
Consider where the ‘deceiver’ is trying cause confusion in your life or come between you and significant relationships. Take time to pray for clarity, that your heart would be guarded.
Scripture To Consider:
Gen. 3:1–13; Jer. 17:5–10; Eph. 6:10–20; 1 Pet. 5:8–9
