You're listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast supported by Harvest Partners.

For more ways to deepen and challenge your spiritual walk,

enroll in Pastor Greg's free online courses, sign up at harvest.org.

Whenever you're doing the will of God, you're going to face opposition.

When we're walking with the Lord and working for the Lord, we might expect smooth sailing.

Today on a new beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie says not necessarily.

Whenever God's people say let's rise and build, the devil and his people will say,

let's rise and oppose. You might say, well, Greg, I'm never faced opposition and I never get tested.

Then you're worthless because the devil isn't wasting this time on you.

Wait, lifters know that if there's no pain, there's no gain.

If you're lifting weights that are easy and effortless, you're not helping yourself.

But if there's resistance, if it's tough going, that's a good sign.

Today on a new beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie says the same applies to our work for the Lord.

We may face resistance, we may face opposition from the enemy.

That's not the time to run and hide, not the time to give up.

We learn from Nehemiah. That means it's time to buckle down.

Nehemiah, in many ways, is a book about leadership.

We're all called to be leaders in some way, shape or form.

So let's learn from the leadership example of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah 2, starting at verse 1.

Early the following spring and the month of Nissan during the 20th year of King

Artexerxes ring, I was serving the king as wine.

...