3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? Nehemiah 6:3
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Cor 10:5
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And i sent messengers unto them
3 Key Notes
- Nehemiah’s posture teaches us that we will never focus on the level we should if everything has access to us!
There are spiritual entities who thrive on and feed off on the energy & life-force of men.
When we’re not sober-minded 1 pe 5:8, every ‘stray’ thought and imagination can become a bait of the prowling ones to pluck our fruits (of peace, joy, self-worth etc) and render us fruitless.
Psalm 80:12
Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?
An unguarded heart is a open field for ploughing by the enemy sowing tares that bear fruits which ultimately bring us out of alignment with Truth. - Nehemiah’s posture reminds us that you are a temple of the living God! Access to you is costly! Not everything/everyone should have free access to your mind/heart.
All invitations (Even God’s) carry an element of transactionality! The invitation ‘COME LET US’ is always a precursor for something to be given or something to be taken away. Nehemiah’s query in vs 3 of chapter 6: “why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?” is a worthy template for emulation.
In pausing to query every legitimate thought that knocks on your mind/heart “whats your origin?” “what fruit are you seeking to produce?”: You are able to take thoughts into captivity from the very onset as they present themselves in the theatre of our minds/hearts.
The work of the guard on your heart Prov 4:23 is to query everything that seeks to gain access! - Nehemiah’s Strategy teaches us: Don’t present yourself to everything – send messengers!
The importance of intentionality in response cannot be overstated.
The first response to the emotive trigger knocking on the door of your heart is a Query!
The second response to send is The Word of God that takes the thought captive!
We don’t just present ourselves as cadavers for any thought to slice us up unchallenged, rather starting from sober-mindedness we query every thought & feeling that seeks access and enslave it by the word of God (It is written) when it becomes clear it has no positive fruit to bear on the work set before us.
Handling Emotions in the Context of Nehemiah
A disciple is not to be an ‘unfeeling’ ‘untouched’ robot. Even Christ our high-priest is described in Heb 4:15 as such: ‘For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.‘
We must feel. Jesus wept! But most critically his report card would always read: ‘Yet without Sin“
Like we’ve been taught, feelings are witnesses not judges! Having feelings is not evil, Our emotions/feelings are there to serve us not rule over us! Emotions can testify to what is going on inside of us, but they don’t get to have the final say on what is true!! If you automatically trust every feeling that rises in your heart and languish in it, you will in no time fall under deceit! Jer 17:9
If we are to effectively manage them and not be ruled by them, we should naturally feel them – but:
(1) confront them with what the word of God already says about us/the situation.
(ii) surrender them as they arise to the altar of the Lord for His refining fire to process!.
The longer we languish in the depth of un-stewarded emotions, the greater the probability we end up in the valley of full of dry bones.
Jesus wept at Lazarus’ grave. Then He stood up and raised Lazarus to life!
Many people are still sprawled out weeping for what was lost! mission forfeited!, purpose abandoned! But yet hope remaineth in God to those who Arise!
Selah
The Revealed Word 