“OUR GOD WILL FIGHT FOR US”
(Nehemiah 1:1-3:32)
“And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.” – Nehemiah 4:8-9
As the Jews worked to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem the enemies that surrounded them were not happy. They had exploited Jerusalem’s weakness for their own profit for decades – the city could not become too strong, so their enemies continued to besiege them. But the larger issue is spiritual. The story isn’t just about walls and gates. It’s about the unity of God’s people. It’s about Jerusalem displaying the glory of God to the nations
The same pattern has been repeated generation after generation. Whenever God’s people rise to build His kingdom, the enemy rises to stop the work.
Sanballat and Tobiah began with ridicule – “What are these feeble Jews doing? … If a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” (vv. 2–3). Their mockery contained painful truth — the people were weak, their materials poor. Next came threats of ambush from every side (vv. 7–8), and discouragement from neighbors who whispered, “You are too tired; you can’t finish” (v. 10).
Satan uses the same tactics today. He studies each of us for weak spots. Fear, pride, lust, ease. Nehemiah needed his own countermeasures. What do we learn from Nehemiah when the Devil comes against us?
Nehemiah leads with prayer. When insulted, he prays. When threatened, he prays. Prayer is how we draw our strength.
Next they post a guard. Builders carry bricks in one hand and swords in the other. Families station themselves at vulnerable points, trumpets ready to call for help. Believers must stay alert. “Be sober-minded; be watchful, your adversary the devil prowls” (1 Pet. 5:8). Guard the weak places — marriage, thought life, hidden pride, neglected spiritual habits — before the enemy exploits them.
Finally, they keep working. “So we built the wall…for the people had a mind to work.” Again and again Nehemiah reports, “we returned to the wall, each to his work” (v. 15). The enemy’s aim was to halt the mission; perseverance defeated him.
We need to have our eyes opened to see that we live in a war zone – not typically fighting spiritual battles on a global scale, but rather in the small, ordinary moments. And in those moments we need to remember that the victory does not depend on our own strength – “Our God will fight for us” (Neh. 4:20b).
Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You that You are building Your church and that the gates of hell cannot prevail. Help me to stay on the wall — praying without ceasing, guarding my heart, and persevering when mocked, threatened, or weary. Expose any gaps where the enemy could enter, and strengthen me to rebuild what is broken for Your glory. May my life, and our church, display Your greatness and bring many into Your kingdom. Amen.
About our Author
John A Pra was born and raised in Queens, NY and has lived almost all of his life in the metropolitan area. After graduating from Bible college (now University of Valley Forge) he entered into full-time pastoral ministry. John and his wife, Diana, have been living in Carlstadt since 1990, pastoring Cornerstone Church and now at Transformation Life Church since 2022.
John and Diana have been married for 39 years and have three children and one granddaughter (who owns them). Besides loving time spent with family, he enjoys sports, reading, travel, and the golf course.
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