Sat.’s Devo - Their Struggles and Victories

Read: Nehemiah 3:15-5:13; 1 Corinthian 7:25-40; Psalm 32:1-11; Proverbs 21:5-7 Each family repaired the wall close to where they lived but Satan was not happy. His minion was Sanballat who flew into a rage and mocked the Jews trying to intimidate and discourage them in their efforts. Nehemiah prayed that their mocking would fall back on their own heads and that they would become captives in a foreign land. *** At last the wall was joined and half its height was finished. This made Sanballat furious. They made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and cause confusion. The Jews prayed for God to guard them and protect them. *** The people became discouraged and complained about all the rubble left to be removed. They felt the weight of the work and now an imminent attack. Nehemiah placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall and stationed the people to guard the workers. He encouraged the people reminding them that their God was great and glorious and he would fight for them and protect them. They had nothing to fear. *** It was the enemies who were frustrated becuase the Jews had learned about their wicked plans of attack and had fortified themselves. The Jews continued to build with a weapon in one hand and a sword belted to their sides. Since they were so spread out Nehemiah came up with a plan. When they heard the blast of a trumpet, they would all rush to help. *** Nehemiah’s next problem was internally. Some complained that they didn’t have enough food to feed their families They had had to mortgage their fields and borrow money just to pay their taxes. They had to sell their children into slavery just to be able to have enough money to live. This made Nehemiah very angry. He rebuked them for charging interest on loans made to fellow Jews and enslaving them. He told them that they should walk in the fear of the Lord so that they wouldn’t be mocked by all the other nations like before. He commanded that they pay back the interest they had taken from their fellow countrymen. They agreed to do this. *** We are coming to a time when all the money we have paid to the banks as interest for houses and cars will be given back to us because it was unconstitutional for the banks to do this. Mark my words… this is coming! *** In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he was answering their questions. They had asked if they should let their young men marry in the middle of the crisis they were in. Paul said that he thought it would be better for them not to marry and concentrate on the battle. Theirs was a spiritual and political one. He was just trying to save them from more problems. *** Also, they thought that Jesus was coming back right them and that the end of the world was coming. Paul wanted them to concentrate on the mission of saving the world of their sins. He wanted their undivided attention on the Lord’s work. He didn’t want them weighed down with worldly issues for the time being. He did add that marrying would not be a sin and that if a widow remarried, then her new husband must love the Lord. *** Lord, thank you that you are a righteous and just judge. Thank you that your justice is coming to America and the rest of the world. Fight for us as you did long ago for Israel. Fight for Israel also and deliver them from their enemies.