Difficulties Overcome

Notes

1. When God's people "have a mind to work" and go forward trusting in the Lord, the work of God always prospers.

2. At every advance step in the work of God, Satan has been alarmed. He sees divine agencies at work preparing the way, and he raises up his agents to prevent the accomplishment of the work if possible. The same opposition shown at the building of the walls of Jerusalem will always be seen in connection with the work of God. The same spirit of animosity manifested by the Ammonites, the Horonites, and the Arabians will always appear when God's work is going forward. These three nationalities were represented in Jerusalem, under the names of Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem.

3. In Neh. 4:8, 9, is revealed the reason why we often meet with such miserable defeats after great victories. When the enemy sees a great victory gained, he becomes angry and gathers his forces to hinder the work. If we always do as Nehemiah did, pray and watch day and night, we shall escape the snares of Satan and go from victory to victory.

4. Judah thought the laborers were overworked and were weak, and there was much rubbish. The reason for this was that he was in communication with the enemy and not true to God and His work. One who is compromising to-day with the enemies of God's work, thus betraying it, will see difficulties in the way and will hinder rather than hasten the Lord's work.

5. God has regard for the man or woman who in a time of crisis will sacrifice every comfort and even life itself to carry forward the work of the Lord. "The life that will be preserved is the life that is freely given in service to God and man."