As followers of Christ, we should also expect opposition. Jesus understands—He faced relentless ridicule. “He saved others; he cannot save himself.” (Mark 15:31) The crowds laughed. The soldiers spit. Satan sneered. But Jesus didn’t quit—He pressed on to win our salvation. So when people mock your obedience or belittle your faith, remember this: you’re walking the same road your Savior walked. And He’s walking with you.

In our church, we are working through Ezra and Nehemiah’s books. In both books, we see the presence of opposition to God’s work and those who participate in it. This reminds us of an easily forgotten truth: Wherever God is at work, the devil is there, too. This has been true since the beginning of time. Shortly after God created Adam and Eve, the serpent deceived them. As a result, God cursed the serpent, Eve, and Adam. But within that curse came a promise:

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)

This judgment pointed forward to Jesus Christ—“the seed of the woman”—who would one day crush the head of the serpent. Jesus delivered the death blow at the cross and secured victory through His resurrection.

But between the curse and the cross, spiritual warfare rages. The devil opposes God’s plan, even as he tried to prevent the coming and work of Christ at every turn. So it’s no surprise to find constant opposition throughout the Bible—including in the book of Nehemiah.

Key Idea in Nehemiah 4: God’s work involves both offensive progress and defensive resistance.

And here’s the gospel thread: God does not just fight with us—He fights for us. Ultimately, Christ is the One who wins the battle. This theme runs from Genesis to Revelation. One of the enemy’s favorite tactics is discouragement, often delivered through other people.

In Ezra 4, Satan used deception, confusion, and intimidation to stall the people from rebuilding the temple. And, in Nehemiah 4, he stirs up fresh opposition as God’s people rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

In Ezra 3, we see a beautiful scene of unity: priests, rulers, craftsmen—even daughters—joined to build the wall and its gates. Everyone had a role. Their faithfulness testified that there were no little people and no little tasks in God’s kingdom. In just 52 days, they completed the work.

Read More