I have really been looking forward to the book of Nehemiah. I know I said that about Ezra,

and I said that about First and Second Chronicles and First and Second Kings and First and Second Samuel,

but no, this book in particular has really been used of God in my life over the years in a powerful way.

And for a number of reasons, chief of which is that it's been a great source of encouragement

during those times when discouragement sets in.

I'll be even more specific. During the building project, when we were building out this church, there were many times where I just had my Bible open to Nehemi and I was in the fetal position on the floor, just crying out to God. Oh oh God, what have we gotten ourselves into?

Lord, you built this wall through Nehemiah in 52 days.

I'm just saying two years, can we just get this thing done?

But there was just so much that God used in and through the book of Nehemiah in my life personally.

And Nehemiah, to me, is a great example of how that God enables us and really empowers us to keep our hands to the plow in spite of and even in light of the enemy's relentless spiritual attack,

as we're going to see here tonight, as God's people set their foot to do God's work, the enemy is right there proportionately so. I love what Alan Redpath

said. He said there is no winning without warfare. There is no opportunity without opposition.

There is no victory without vigilance.

For whenever the people of God say, let us arise and build, Satan says, let me arise and oppose.

We've talked about this in the past, how that we should never really worry when we're attacked by the enemy.

That means we're doing something right, right?

The time that we should be concerned is when the enemy leaves us alone.

Because if you really think about it, that must mean that we pose no threat to the powers of darkness.

See, Satan is not all knowing, but what Satan does know is that, and I think about the Proverbs, it says the prostitute hunts and targets the precious life.

In other words, the enemy will always seek and sort of single out and target the one whom God has a call on their life. Why? Because

they pose a potential threat to the kingdom of darkness. Whenever we set our foot to do anything

that God has called us do, we can be rest assured that the enemy is going to be right there

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