Overcoming Discouragements & Devil's Schemes

Meditation from Nehemiah Chapter 6

Nehemiah and the people are faced with the opposition by those who plan to discourage & stop the work. He exhibits spiritual attitude & identifies the plans of the enemy & thwarts them.

1. Intention : The enemy makes people to doubt our intention. Here he says that Nehemiah's intention is to rebel and to become the king (6:6).

If we give in to this, we will become discouraged. We should always check with the Lord and His Word whether our intentions are pleasing to God or not.

2. Inventions : The enemy invents false & negative things that have not happened and spreads as if it has happened. (6:8)

When our heart & actions are true before God, we don't need to think about the false accusations & evil inventions of the enemy against us.

3. Intimidation : Finally, the enemy tries to intimidate Nehemiah to make him fearful (6:10-13).

Nehemiah recognises the scheme of the enemy and does not give in to fear. We need to fear God and respect for people, not fear people.

How does Nehemiah overcome these schemes of the enemy?

1. Committed : He is completely devoted to God's work that which is entrusted to Him; he understands it's a great work and so he doesn't waste his time and commitment on distractions or on the causes of discouragement (6:3).

2. Strengthened : When the enemy plans to weaken him, he strengthens himself in the LORD (6:9).

Prayer is the weapon that can defeat the enemy's strategies.

3. Focused : Nehemiah focuses on God and the work and not on the enemy. He commits the matter to God and continues to do his work (6:14).

We should allow God to deal with the opposition & the enemy's schemes.

Because of Nehemiah's godly attitude in facing the enemy's strategy, he and the team could complete the work and the enemy testified that they accomplished the work with the help of God!

Opposition & opportunities of discouragements turned into testimony for God's glory!

Never give up in the face of discouragements. Never stop. Stopping what God has committed to you is enemy's victory, pursuing unto completion amidst opposition is God's victory!

Have a blessed day!

Reasons to Stop or Restart Work

Meditation from Ezra Chapter 4

In the fourth chapter we see that the work on the house of God was stopped (4:24). We can learn lessons for our life, work & ministry the reasons why things get stopped and how to restart.

1. Accusations : False accusations were brought against the people of God. (4:6,13)

2. Bribe : The officials were bribed to frustrated the work (4:5). People may take the favour of influential people & can use them to stop the work.

3. Cause to Remember the Past : The opposers were recalling the past to stop the work (4:15). When our unpleasant past is called to remember it can discourage & stop the work.

4. Discouragement : The people of God were discouraged by those who wanted the work to stop. (4:4).

Discouragement can come in many forms.

5. Enforcement & power : They used force & power to stop the people from working. (4:23)

6. Fear : They made them afraid to build (4:4).

I can either be a discourager or the discouraged or one who receives encouragement from the Spirit of God who is the greatest Comforter & Help!

Allow not anything to stop you from doing God's work. Strengthen yourself in the Lord, receive comfort & encouragement from the Holy Spirit & focus on God's purpose.

Steps to Overcome & Restart

 When the accusations are false don't worry about that or meditate on it. If there is anything true correct yourself or if it's false meditate on God's promises.

 No one can take away what God has kept for you. If your trust is completely on the Lord, His favour is enough!

 When you have reconciled & repented of your past, the Lord has forgotten it. Thank God for the new beginning and forgetting the past, strain forward.

 When arrows of discouragement come, strengthen yourself in the Lord so that you can be protected by the shield of the Spirit.

 The Lord is above every power and authority. When your trust in Him who is on the throne, He will show His might.

 When you have the assurance of God's presence, you don't have to fear anyone or anything. Allow not any anxiety to cause fear, for the Lord is in control.

When we place God's plan & purpose over our 'self' we can overcome any & every stopping or discouraging element.

Today's Intercession:

# Pray for the inauguration of the new school building scheduled this month.

# Pray for the plan of God alone to prosper and God's name to be glorified.

# Pray that the Spirit of God may take complete control over every plans & proceedings of the inauguration.

Have a blessed day!