Welcome to the Daily Blade.

The Word of God is described as the sword of the spirit, the primary spiritual weapon in the Christian's armor against the forces of evil.

Your hosts are Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson, and they stand ready to equip men for the fight.

Let's sharpen up.

All right, let's get right into the text here. We're going to be in

Nehemiah 2, starting in verse 9. Then I came to the governors of the province beyond the river and gave

them the king's letters. Now, the king had sent with me offices of the army and horsemen. But when

Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them

greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.

So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days.

Then I arose in the night and I and a few men with me.

And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem.

There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode.

I went out by night by the valley gate to the dragon spring and to the dung gate, and I inspected

the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down, and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.

Then I went on to the fountain gate and to the king's pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. Then I went up in the fountain gate into the king's pool, but there was no room for the animal

that was under me to pass. Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall,

and I turned back and entered by the valley gate, and so returned. And the officials did not

know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests,

the nobles, the officials, and the rest who

were to do the work. Then I said to them, you see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies

in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem that we may no longer

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