Over the past few weeks, our focus has been on Short Prayers That Will Change Your Life. We looked at these short prayers:

o "Lord, teach me to pray." It is the request Jesus delights to answer.
o "Lord, help me!" From Peter we learned that short prayers pierce heaven.
o "Lord, change me!" We looked at seven dangerous prayers that God will first change us - "Lord, bless me . . . search me . . . break me . . . stretch me . . . lead me . . . fill me . . . use me!" It's not my sister, not my brother, but it's me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.
o "Lord, what do you want me to do?" From Paul we learned that we are called to a God-given destiny. We are saved to serve.
o "Lord, show me your glory!" From Moses we echoed his cry to know God more intimately.
o Today we look at Nehemiah and his prayer, "Lord, give me strength!"

This is a prayer that every Christian has prayed at one time or another. Nehemiah captured this prayer. When wearied with multiple challenges and personal opposition in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah prayed, "Now strengthen my hands." How do you pray when facing the pressures of life?

You may have never had a day like Chippie the parakeet, but we all face pressures in life. Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage singing, the next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over. His problem began when his owner decided to clean his cage with a vacuum. She stuck the nozzle in to suck up the seeds and feathers in the bottom of the cage. Then the phone rang. Instinctively she turned to pick it up. She barely said hello when - sswwwwwppppp! Chippie got sucked in. She gasped, let the phone drop, and snapped off the vacuum. With her heart in her mouth, she unzipped the bag.

There was Chippie - alive, but stunned - covered with heavy black dust. She grabbed him and rushed to the bathtub, turned on the faucet full blast, and held Chippie under a torrent of ice-cold water, power-washing him clean. So she did what any compassionate pet owner would do: she snatched up the hair dryer and blasted the wet, shivering little bird with hot air. . . . Chippie doesn't sing much anymore.

You probably cannot identify with the stress of Chippie the parakeet, but if you've ever faced an overwhelming task or felt inadequate to meet a challenge, you can identify with Nehemiah. When the Jews were exiled to Babylon, Nehemiah became the cupbearer to the king in the Persian palace. Then through divine providence, the Persian king granted him permission to return to his homeland and rebuild the shattered walls of Jerusalem. But Nehemiah struggled with issues still with us today - motivation, fatigue, criticism. Nevertheless, because of his deep spirituality and down-to-earth action, he shows us how to tackle God's difficult assignments and survive both opposition and apathy. We want to look at one slice of his journey in Nehemiah 6. Here he faced three enormous pressures, and he made three very discerning responses. In the center of this chapter is his prayer for strength. Let's look now at Nehemiah's story and see how relevant he is to our story.


Pressure #1. How to Handle a Subtle Distraction - An Intent to Harm You.
Nehemiah 6:1_2 When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it__though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates__ [2] Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono." But they were scheming to harm me;

The wall around the city of Jerusalem had been finished, but the gates had not been set up yet. They normally covered the gates with metal to prevent them from being burned in case of a siege. They were at a critical juncture. When they were almost ready to cut the ribbon and celebrate, the enemy attacked. How true to life! Just when you get close to the finish line, something threatens you to quit.

Here was the threat. Sanballat and Geshem sent Nehemiah an invitation, clever but deadly. In effect, they were saying, "You know, Nehemiah, we've had our differences in the past. Now let's be friends. You've accomplished the impossible - rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem. We're neighbors. Let's get together. Let's put our disagreements behind us. Come on up to Ono for a summit conference. We'll resolve our differences and establish peace together."

John Huss, a Bohemian Reformer, and William Tyndale, an English Reformer, both had experiences similar to Nehemiah's, but with tragic ends. Huss was invited to attend the Council of Constance in 1414 to answer charges against him. The emperor promised him safe conduct both ways. In less than a month, however, they seized and threw him in a dungeon. He was later condemned by the Council and burned at the stake in the year 1415. Tyndale, the English Bible translator, was living in exile in Belgium when he was invited to have lunch with a supposed friend. It turned out to be a trap. Tyndale was arrested and several months later, in 1535, was strangled and burned.

This personal invitation for a truce sounded so neighborly and big-hearted. But Nehemiah had the intuition of a leader, a heavenly sixth sense. He smelled something rotten. "I won't dare go. There's something wrong. That trip of twenty-five miles is about a day's journey. They might kidnap me or murder me. Or they might attack the city if I'm not here. Besides, if I leave here, the work won't get done." This subtle distraction had a hidden agenda - an intent to harm him. What did he do? What should we do?

1st Response. Be Single-Minded and Stick Firmly with Your God-Given Goal.
Nehemiah 6:3-4 so I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?" [4] Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.

Those people tried to distract Nehemiah from his God-given goal, to get him off track. But Nehemiah had a single-minded focus and he stuck to it. There's a difference between being available and being a puppet. He had learned to say no and here he had to say no four times! With a sense of diplomacy, he didn't openly question their motives. They had opportunity to prove that their motives were sincere, if they really wanted to make peace. But they only repeated the same message four times! So they got the same refusal four times. Only in the fifth message, as we will soon see, did they reveal their true motivation.

You might not face physical harm, but you may be distracted by something that could harm your reputation. You could be distracted by something that could delay an important project. Here is an important life principle: The good is always the enemy of the best! The good is always the enemy of the best! Focus entirely on your God-given goal. Ignore lesser things until that goal is completed. Be single-minded. Don't spread yourself too thin. Don't be distracted by time wasters. Whatever God has called you to do, do it with all your might. Beware of being sidetracked into fruitless side issues. Stay on track for the mission the Lord has given to you. Say to yourself and others, "I am doing an important project and I can't get into that." Abraham Lincoln said, "You can have anything you want - if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose." Be single-minded and stick firmly with your God-given goal. Nehemiah then faced . . .


Pressure #2. How to Handle a Malicious Rumor - A Lie Others Will Believe.
Nehemiah 6:5_7 Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter [6] in which was written: "It is reported among the nations__and Geshem says it is true__that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king [7] and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: 'There is a king in Judah!' Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us confer together."

Official correspondence of the day was written on papyrus or leather parchment, tied and sealed with clay. This "unsealed letter" was clearly meant as an open or public letter that others would read. Everyone who handled the letter would read it. This letter contained a charge of treason. This whole idea of conferring together was under the false pretense that they had Nehemiah's well-being at heart and they wanted to protect him.

But the false rumor of treason would spread. Even if someone later proved the charge was untrue, it would be enough to question Nehemiah's motives, slander his integrity, and undermine his influence. People often believe the worst about others! Recently we've heard scandals about Catholic priests. I wonder if some of those are false accusations. If so, the falsely accused are lumped with those who are guilty of sexual sins and they may never be able to clear their names. Note these Three Realities about Rumors:

1. A source is never declared - "It is reported among the nations" (6). But the source is never mentioned. Have you ever heard the words, "They say that. . . ." And when you ask who "they" are, it's either very vague or very small like one or two people.
2. Exaggeration and inaccuracies are noticeable - "you and the Jews are plotting to revolt . . . you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you" (6-7). Interwoven with a true statement about rebuilding the walls are these false statements. If a rumor were 100% false, no one would believe it. But because there is some truth mixed in with some false statements, without all the facts, it is difficult to sort out. The truth was that, yes, they were rebuilding the walls. But these other allegations stuck out at least to those who knew the facts. Some commentators further suggest that a misguided preacher may have said some things about Nehemiah that are taken out of context and distorted. In any event, these enemies twisted the truth to serve their own ends.
3. They are designed to hurt - "Now this report will get back to the king" (7). Other people were going to believe this lie, even people in leadership! Four times in two verses the word "you" is used, three times cutting like a knife. "You are plotting a revolt, you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you." Can you feel the verbal dagger they plunged into Nehemiah? Ouch!

Before we listen to potential dirt, we can save ourselves a lot of grief by asking these five questions. Before You Listen to a Rumor, Ask:

1. What is your reason for telling me this?
2. Where did you get your information?
3. Have you gone directly to the source?
4. Have you personally checked out all the facts?
5. Can I quote you if I check this out?

Winston Churchill was attending an official ceremony in London. Two men behind him recognized him and began to whisper behind his back. One said, "They say Churchill's quite senile now." The other replied, "Yes, they say he's doing England more harm than good." The first man continued, "They say he should step aside and leave the running of this government to younger, more dynamic people." Churchill turned around and in a loud voice said, "They also say he's quite deaf."

What are we to do when people start rumors about us? Slander us? Falsely accuse us? How can you handle a malicious rumor - a lie others will believe? What did Nehemiah do?


2nd Response. Calmly Deny What Is False and Pray for God's Strengthening.
Nehemiah 6:8-9 I sent him this reply: "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head." [9] They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed." But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands."

If you're ever the target of gossip, look carefully at verse 8. Nehemiah calmly denied these false accusations and said, "It's not true." Then he put the blame where it belonged, "These are things you have come up with in your head, and they are wrong." He refused to bow to this pressure.

Outwardly, Nehemiah was unwavering and steadfast. Inwardly, he realized that his grip on the leadership was hammered a heavy blow. This malicious and false rumor hurt. It is impossible for any person not to be hurt by slander or rumor or gossip. It doesn't matter how strong you are, how thick your skin, cutting remarks really hurt.

They tell the story of a peasant who slandered a friend. On discovering that what he had said was untrue, he went to the village pastor for help. The pastor told him to take a bag of feathers and to place one feather on every doorstep in the community. This he did, and returned to the pastor, announcing that he had fulfilled the punishment for his actions. But the pastor sternly ordered him to take his bag and pick up every feather he had dropped. When the man replied that by this time the wind had blown the feathers away and he could not recover them, the pastor reminded him that words are like feathers. Once they are dropped, and that easily, it is impossible to get them back.

In that story we are warned against our own careless words. We also realize, when slandered, that our ultimate recourse is to pray. Nehemiah's prayer was simple, definite, and sufficient. "Now strengthen my hands." He denied the charge and committed the whole matter over to the Lord. He relied on God's strength and continued with his work. He did not try to justify himself. He did not worry about what others said. He did not retaliate.

By taking his problems to the Lord in prayer and leaving everything in God's hands, he preserved his own emotional and spiritual stability. He was then able to continue with the construction and let the Lord exonerate him. If he had not done this, he would have worried about his problems until they finally got the better of him. How do you handle a malicious rumor? Calmly deny what is false and pray for God's strengthening. Nehemiah faced a futher pressure . . .


Pressure #3. How to Handle a Threatening Intimidation - A Trick to Paralyze You with Fear.
Nehemiah 6:10 One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, "Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you__by night they are coming to kill you."

Why was Shemaiah "shut in at his home"? This was apparently part of a complicated plot by Shemaiah, Tobiah, and Sanballat to trap Nehemiah. Shemeaiah pretended to be hiding from danger in his house. If Shemaiah was in danger, so was Nehemiah. We can imagine him bolting the door, glancing secretly out the windows before warning Nehemiah with supposed prophetic authority that they were both in danger and they should flee to the temple. Posing as a friend, Shemaiah is trying to intimidate Nehemiah with fear by saying, "Run for your life!" To frighten him with a threat: "Do this, or else!" It was Adolf Hitler who said, "The one means that wins the easiest victory over reason: terror and force."

What is clear is that Shemaiah wanted to frighten Nehemiah and lure him into the "temple," a word that refers specifically to the Holy Place. If Nehemiah was threatened by assassination, he could flee to the altar outside the temple proper, which was known as a place of refuge. But the Holy Place was a place God permitted only the priests to enter. And, if Nehemiah followed Shemaiah, then he would have admitted fear, disobeyed God, desecrated the temple, discredited his leadership, alienated the priests, and demoralized the people. This was a temptation to hide in fear of threats on his life.

So how did Nehemiah know this so-called prophet was not from God? First, God would never tell you to "run" when you are completing a project he had given you to do. Second, God would never tell you to do something contrary to his Word. How to should you handle a threatening intimidation - a trick to paralyze you with fear? How did Nehemiah?


3rd Response. Stand Your Ground in Doing Right and Refuse to Yield to Intimidation.
Nehemiah 6:11-14 But I said, "Should a man like me run away? Or should one like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!" [12] I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. [13] He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me. [14] Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me.

Nehemiah rejected this scheme in two ways. First, as the governor he was responsible for the protection of his people. "Should a man like me run away?" He had to stay at his post. If he displayed cowardice, he would betray his fellow Israelites. The Israelites would say, "Did you hear where Nehemiah is spending time recently? He's up at the temple with some false prophet."

Second, Nehemiah knew the truth of God's Word. It was forbidden to enter the Holy Place under the penalty of death. "Or should one like me go into the temple to save his life?" Shaken by the whole treacherous plot, he prayed again, this time that God would deal with his foes. Nehemiah rested his case with God and left it there.

By the way, what would be the sin of being intimidated? Being intimidated is not a sin, but yielding to intimidation produces sin. Nehemiah was saying, "Before God, I can't give in."

Many years ago, a godly man started a small mission work in northern Ireland. Almost immediately the members of the two churches in the town opposed him, most of whom were worldly and self_centered people. But he was convinced that God had called him to the task of reaching the unsaved families in that community. So he persisted in his work. The children's meetings were well_attended and many boys and girls accepted Christ. Then some unchurched adults started coming to services and were converted. As the work progressed, the opposition increased, but the man didn't fight back, no matter how unfairly they treated him. A little boy, hearing someone remark about this, said, "Oh, he doesn't fight, he just tells people about Jesus."

He did what Nehemiah did when facing threatening intimidation and the trick to paralyze him with fear. The same we should do. Stand your ground in doing right and refuse to yield to intimidation. Then see what happens?


Result. Mission Accomplished - Celebrate God's Miracle!
Nehemiah 6:15_16 So the wall was completed on the twenty_fifth of Elul, in fifty_two days. [16] When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self_confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.

The completion of the walls in such a short time was nothing short of a miracle. Neighboring nations recognized this unmistakable act of God as a sign that the Jews, far from being rejected, had God's special favor. The wall had been completed in only 52 days! - a wall that had lain in ruins for almost 100 years! While the enemy blasts, God builds!

Potential enemies realized that they would have to deal with more than Judah's wall. They would have to deal with Judah's God. They may also have feared some sort of retaliation since they had been so antagonistic toward Judah. Nehemiah and all of Israel could celebrate God's miracle - mission accomplished!

How often do you ask God for help when under pressure? Nehemiah consistently responded to threats by relying on God. At the center of Nehemiah's pressures in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem is his prayer, "Now strengthen my hands." You might not be in identical circumstances, but you can still identify with his short prayer. When you're facing mounting pressures, you can pray, Lord, give me strength! When you don't know which way to turn, you can pray, Lord, give me strength! When your physical and emotional and spiritual resources are exhausted, you can pray, Lord, give me strength! When you and I pray, Lord, give me strength! we are saying with Nehemiah:

o Fortify my spiritual energy.
o Reinforce my mental resolve.
o Bolster my emotional stability.
o Toughen my moral courage.
o Deepen my social relationships.
o Quicken my physical ability.

Lord, give me strength! Nehemiah wanted God's work to continue and prosper. He was happy to leave his own reputation and future in the hands of the One to whom he had committed his life. Isaiah the prophet wrote:

Isaiah 40:31 (KJV) But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

In "The Parable of Tomorrow," Ruth Gibbs Zwall describes how the Lord Jesus renews our strength as we wait upon him.

"I looked at the mountain.
'It is too hard, Lord.'
I said; 'I cannot climb.'
'Take My hand,' He whispered;
'I will be your strength.'

I saw the road.
'It is too long, Lord,'
I said; 'so rough and long.'
'Take My love,' He answered;
'I will guard your feet.'

I looked at the sky.
'The sun is gone,' I said;
'Already it grows dark.'
'Take the lantern of My Word,'
He whispered; 'that will be light enough.'

We climbed. The road was narrow and steep,
But the way was bright.

And when the thorns reached out,
They found His hand before they touched my own.
And when my path grew rough,
I knew it was His love
That kept my feet from stumbling.

Then I grew very tired.
'I can go no farther, Lord,'
I said. He answered, 'Night is gone.
Look up, My child.'
I looked and it was dawn.

Green valleys stretched below.
'I can go on alone now,'
I said - and then I saw the marks.

'Lord, Thou are wounded.
Thy hands are bleeding.
Thy feet are bruised.
Was it for me?'
He whispered, 'I did it gladly.'

Then I fell at His feet.
'Lord, lead me on,' I cried.
'No road too long, no valley too deep,
If Thou art with me.'
We walk together now and shall forever!"

As we celebrate Communion this morning, put your hand in the nail-pierced hand. Walk with Jesus. Let him renew your strength. Pray this short prayer that will change your life - Lord, give me strength!