Striving Together
Chapter Two: Striving Together
(a) SURVEYING THE CONDITIONS
Before Nehemiah started building the broken wall, he went around to see how they were broken down and how the gates were consumed with fire. Before we rebuild the house of God, first, we must find out the cause of barrenness.
These days in many places we find believers and Christian leaders praying for revival and awakening among God’s people, without being sufficiently concerned to know the cause for their barrenness. Only by using some customary phrases in prayers such as “ we have sinned” and so on, we cannot see God working in the midst of His people. They think that they have achieved their objective by praying and forgetting all about it. Just as a patient cannot be cured if goes to the doctor and does nothing more than simply announcing to him that he is not well, these believers also cannot expect revival without going beyond praying about it and doing nothing more. Unless the patient tells the doctor the details of his troubles the doctor cannot examine him, or diagnose his disease and give him the right treatment. The condition of the walls of Jerusalem was due to the sins of the children of Israel. This had not been faced frankly. For many years God out of His love went on warning them through His prophets, but they continue to disobey God with rude indifference to His warnings. After giving them a sufficient chance, God sent Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and destroyed their city, broke down the walls and burnt the gates.
These days also we can find similar situations; there is barrenness among believers, because they insist on following man made customs, practices, rituals and ceremonies rather than obeying His word. They fail to diagnose this as the root of the trouble.
When a man wants to build a strong building first of all he has to lay strong foundation. In the spiritual sense we see that our Lord also had said that if we build our house upon a rock it will not fall by the wind, storm or floods. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is our rock. We have to build upon Him who is the rock; that our procedure for building had to be according to His teachings, His instructions, His heavenly will, His heavenly plan, His heavenly wisdom and heavenly power. In Eph. 2:20 we read “ And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone”. That is how we believers have to build a spiritual house on a strong spiritual foundation. Many people forget this first law and try to build God’s house on sand, on things, which have no support from God. That is why we see everything is falling into pieces, God is giving us a very solemn warning in Heb 12:26, that He is going to shake all that is of man-made origin and practice, manmade denominations and so on. Hence whatever we do it had to be based on God’s word, if we want our work to bear fruit and withstand the test of opposing forces.
(b) FACING THE CONDITIONS
When Nehemiah found the condition of the city in a very sorrowful state he informed others also (vs.17). Many came forward to help when the work began. He also told them that God’s hand was upon him (vs.18). Even these days we need men like Nehemiah about whom people should be able to say, “Truly God’s hand is upon this man”. When people saw that God’s hand was upon Nehemiah they also joined in the work of God. But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite and Geshem he Arabian heard about it they laughed, and scorned and despised them. Thus we find that when we want take any share in the work of God, we are bound to be ridiculed and opposed by the enemies of God. That is the first weapon, which the devil uses to discourage and frighten us. During Nehemiah’s time these three were the most influential men of the city. We come across men like Sanballat and Tobiah in every country who powerfully oppose the work of God. Such people very successfully hinder us from following the Lord if we do not pray sufficiently for God’s strength. If we take up any work for Him they only make fun of us to discourage us. Nehemiah overcame all these obstacles through prayer. He did not take notice of their railing, but kept his mind fixed on God. That is why he was able to say with great confidence, “ The God of heaven will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build ”(vs.20). Those who are not born again and are worldly-minded appear to be very clever but they have no part in the work of God because they have not been called by Him. Many people obey God, but when difficulties come they place more trust in seeking the favor of rich people rather than trusting in God. God’s people should not depend on ungodly and worldly people under any circumstances. By the help of prayer and complete obedience to God we can very definitely defeat the enemy, who tries to obstruct and frighten us when we take a bold stand for the work of God. Thus by depending upon God through prayer Nehemiah not only withstood the opposition of the enemy but defeated him also.
We have seen from God’s word how our spiritual barrenness can be overcome only by being obedient to God’s word. The broken walls of Jerusalem and the burnt gates point to the present deteriorated condition of God’s people in the whole world.
God sent many prophets to warn the children of Israel. But they did not take heed or obey God’s word fully, but kept on rebelling against him until He had to punish them. According to His warning before hand He made king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon capture Jerusalem and take all the people away as captives. The walls of Jerusalem were broken down and the gates were burnt. God told them through His prophets that after seventy years He would bring them back to Jerusalem and that is what He did. Then they rebuilt the broken walls and the burnt gates thus becoming coworkers with God. In the same way we who are believers also become co-workers with the Lord Jesus Christ as soon as God reconciles us to Himself through our Lord Jesus Christ, just as he did in the case of the children of Israel after seventy years of captivity.
Among the many names given to us as believers, one is “Laborers together with God”(1 Cor 3:9). The same is found in 2 Cor.6: 1 “We then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain”. If God had so desired he could have used other people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem or He could have used the same king Cyrus to send his armies with materials to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem or God could have used the king Artaxerxes and his men to rebuild it in a very short time. But He did none of that because He wanted to reserve that privilege and responsibility exclusively for God’s people. Only those who are truly born again and have received the gift of eternal life have this privilege to take part in building God’s house.
However we are not saved to build a denomination or a group. We are called by His name to build God’s habitation, God’s dwelling place, a heavenly house. According to Eph.2: 22, we are brought together as believers to become God’s everlasting habitation, God’s temple. This temple is not made of bricks, stones, mud or wood. It is an everlasting spiritual habitation, and the privilege and honor in building it is miles out of the reach of the worldly people. This privilege is not even given to angels, but it is given exclusively to those who are purchased by the precious blood our Lord Jesus Christ.
(a) OVERCOMING THE CONDITIONS
1.Taking strength in the Lord:
After Nehemiah had come to Jerusalem and seen the conditions of the broken walls and the burnt gates of the city he went and told other people also about it and got for rebuilding. Nehemiah knew that it was God who sent him there and that he would open the way for His work. Hence he had faith that God would help him without fail. He unhesitatingly went ahead and divided the work among the people in such a way that all could take part in the difficult task. The walls of Jerusalem were very thick and high and required workers who were well experienced and well trained. The walls were now in such a bad condition that it was a very difficult task to rebuild them. In the same way when we see the barren condition of the people today and begin to consider how we can make the condition of the people better, it may appear altogether impossible. So many people discouragingly say, “We should not be bothered about the condition of the people. After all we are not living in the days of Apostles”. Others think that they should go on and work according to the times. But God is not happy about such a condition of His people. If we are willing to follow Him, He will give you extra strength and grace. We should not forget that with all our human limitations and handicaps God can wonderfully use us if we are willing to trust and obey Him.
2.Willingness to work:
Nehemiah divided the whole wall into different sections according to divine order. No one complained or refused that he should be given a particular corner or portion of the wall according to his liking. Some people like to select work according to their fancy and say they can do only some particular job and not other jobs. For instance during the Holy Convocations some people say that they can only wash vessels and cannot do other jobs. We find even among God’s servants many who want to serve God according to their own likings and thus refuse to fit into God’s plan and order. For example if they have many children they want to be in a place where there are good schools, nice houses to live and so on. They are not happy to go wherever God sends them. They want to remain where their wives want them. Some wives can steer their husband’s minds very easily. Someone reminded a wife that the husband is the head of the house. To this she replied she believed that the husband is the head, but that she was the neck, which turns the head. This is not according to God’s word. That is why we read that Nehemiah divided the whole work according to God’s guidance, among the people whether they are rich or poor, young or old. He did not pay any attention to any other consideration except God’s guidance. We know that God’s order and plan are always the best. If there are any difficulties He Himself will give us the strength to overcome them; if there are any obstacles He Himself will remove them and if there are any impossibilities He Himself make them into possibilities. If there are any needs He Himself will supply them. All the people whole-heartedly got busy and went on building the section of the walls that was allotted to them. They went on working joyfully and faithfully. None of them murmured or said, “I can not do this wok”. For example we see in Neh.3: 3 that every job undertaken by them was thoroughly done by them.
This is a great secret for believer’s life. Whatever we do we should do all things heartily as unto Him (Col.3: 23). As believers of the Lord Jesus Christ whatever job is given unto us at home or outside we should not fail to do it heartily.
In a certain hospital there was a nurse who was a believer and she was very conscientious in her work. After some time she was put on duty in a new ward, and there also, as usual she began to attend to her duties heartily and thoroughly, and kept everything in the ward perfectly and clean. On seeing this one patient questioned her as to who was coming to inspect the ward. She replied “No one”. The patient continued to ask her, why then was she working so hard. She remarked that the nurse who had worked in that ward prior to her coming had not been so faithful and thorough in her duties. To this the nurse replied that she was not working to please any human being, but to please only the Lord Jesus Christ who was her Savior.
We must learn to willingly accept any kind of job, which the Lord may entrust to us. When I gave myself for the Lord’s service in the year 1932, I promised the Lord that I would make no choice regarding the type of work, food, climatic conditions or anything else and that I was prepared to go wherever He would send me. I believed that He would not leave me alone and that was sufficient for me. He goes before us, behind us, and with us and gives us strength for any kind of work, which we may undertake to complete, as long as it is according to His perfect will and plan.
In the rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, among those who came to help Nehemiah there were some who were not qualified as carpenters or masons, but they accepted the work only because it was from God. As a result of it God Himself gave them skill and knowledge that were necessary for this work. On the other hand there were some who did not do the work heartily. We can see from Nehemiah 3:5, although the noble did not actually refuse to work, yet they did not work heartily.
During our Holy Convocation gatherings when we ask for volunteers to attend to various jobs, some came forward to work very happily for the first few days, but as the days go by they lose interest forgetting the fact that we should take our full share in any work which is entrusted to us in the House of God.
3.Joy in sharing the work:
In the third chapter of this book of Nehemiah, we find that every one was given some important task to be done irrespective of their status, whether they were priests, nobles, merchants or goldsmiths (vs.8, 31,32). Although Shallum the son of Halohesh was the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem (vs.12) yet he and his daughters came forward to do their share of the work. The High Priest Eliaship and his brethren took a leading part in the work of the Lord (vs.1).
These days we find among servants of God, that most of them do not want to take up any strenuous or hard work, they expect special consideration and regard to be shown to them as if they are in some way superior to different from others. We all should take some share in the work of God no matter who you are and from what background we come. The lesson we have to learn her is willingness to serve Him and remain in divine order in the house of God we cannot make our own choices but we have to do only God’s will, His command and His plan should be our aim. If the people had not obeyed Nehemiah, the walls of Jerusalem would not have been built. Because of their obedience to his leadership in spite of the enemies they move ahead working till they had finally completed the work. This became possible for Nehemiah only as the people did not bother him with requests for special concession or considerations to be given to them.
The Lord Jesus is our heavenly Nehemiah. He has the perfect plan for building the New Jerusalem. If we all follow God’s order and plan in His house, and remain under the headship of our Lord Jesus Christ and do everything as unto Him, then only we will have the honor to see life flowing through us to different parts of the world as we go about toiling as His co-laborers. The Lord keeps a record of what we are doing and hoe we are doing it. Let us learn to use the secret of taking part whole-heartedly in God’s work according to His plan and order. Then we will be surprised to notice how God will supply extra strength, grace and wisdom for whatever work we are undertaking to do. We will also enjoy spiritual oneness and love among ourselves (John 13:35).
4.Praying the enemies away:
We have already seen how the broken walls and the burnt gates of Jerusalem speak of the barren lives of many of God’s people all over the world. We have also seen how this was the result of the rebellion and sin of the children of Israel. Even these says, we can see much bareness among God’s people on account of their sin and disobedience to God. But the God of grace always used a remnant to bring new life among His people so that they may enjoy His salvation fully. God used Nehemiah and his co-workers to build the broken walls and the burnt gates of Jerusalem. Those who wanted to obey God and become a part of this remnant, had to be prepared for any kind of opposition, ridicule or mockery, just as Nehemiah and his helpers had to face and overcome much opposition and persecution. Sanballat was the chief mocker and persecutor (4:1). He had another companion by name Tobiah (vs.3). These men Sanballat and Tobiah were most powerful and influential men of the place. We as God’s servants will also face opposition from the powerful and influential people, the so-called Christian leaders.
In the year 1941 we faced opposition from the leading men of Different denominations in the city of Madras, Sanballat and Tobiah could have used their high position to the advantage of the building the wall of Jerusalem but on the contrary they utilized their privileged position to hinder God’s work and become enemies to His servants. Paul says in Phil.2: 21, “For all seek their own”. At the very beginning of the Lord’s work in Madras He warned us and taught us how to face such type of opposition. So before we moved into “Jehova –Shamma” in Madras a few of us were burdened to pray all night. We knew before hand, that we would have to face much persecution from the enemy. At the same time we knew that we prayed with perseverance we would not be able to stand the opposition. So we decided to go to a nearby hill in a place called Pallavaram to spend the whole night in prayer. We are about 25 to 30 in number. When we went there, we found on the hill many old tombs and the place was full of scorpions and centipedes, after spending some time with whole night in prayer. These scorpions and centipedes were attracted by the bright Petromax lights, which we had taken with us. We went on killing them as we saw them approaching. It was an unusual experience, because on the one and we were praying and on the other hand we were killing the scorpions and the centipedes. Early in the morning we could see the sun rising on the city of Madras. Then the Lord spoke to us in a clear and open way that we would have to face such bitter opposition and persecution from the people that it would be as painful and poisonous as the sting of the scorpions and centipedes. The Lord also encouraged us saying not to be afraid of them because even though these people may try to harm us, they would not be able to succeed, for as we were able to overcome the scorpions and the centipedes so we will also be able to overcome those who will persecute and oppose us. What the Lord spoke through the scorpions and the centipedes turned out to be true as we experienced in the years that followed. So our going to prayer perseveringly proved a great help and encouragement.
We cannot overcome the enemy by our own wisdom, cleverness, talents, gifts or by our own strength and power. Now we can testify that the Lord has faithfully kept His promise during the past 31 years. The more the people tried to oppose the work of God the more we were blessed. First of all, they used weapons of mockery and ridicule as we notice in verse 1.These are very common weapons which the enemy used to hinder the work of God. The devil often uses the leading people for this purpose, hoping that mocking and ridicule from the leading men will prove more effective to harm God’s work.
Sanballat and Tobiah did only hold important position in Jerusalem, but they also had plenty of money. They were so proud of their position, land, authority and money that they did not fear ridiculing those who wanted to obey and serve God. We have seen same types of things happening during the past years. Those who are in charge schools, hospitals and other institutions and were having much money were intoxicated with power in their high positions. They began to ridicule those who wanted to testify in the waters of Baptism. Saying, “Who will bury you? Who will marry you? Who will give you jobs? Who will feed you?” and so on. The devil has used the same weapon through he ages against God’s servants who wanted to obey and serve Him. But we thank and praise God for our strong and effective weapon of prayer, which is all-powerful to defeat the enemy. If we want to obey God fully we must also be prepared for facing all kinds of mockery and persecution. When Nehemiah and his helpers were attacked by the enemy they began to pray. The more they were attacked by the enemy, the more did they pray. Similarly we were not discouraged by all the attacks of the enemy, but we went on praying and seeking God’s help. We have found by experience that the people who mocked us in the beginning are now begging us to come and help them, pray for them, or have gospel campaigns in their places. If we patiently bear all the mocking, in due time the Lord will help us and make us channels of blessing to those who earlier mocked us. Our duty is just to remain true to the heavenly vision and go on praying.
In verse 6 we read that they had a mind to work with oneness and unity. They progressed onward in the work as God kept showing them how to proceed. In some cases we find the enemy bringing contentions and strife among the believers to hinder the work of God. In order to maintain oneness in the spirit among ourselves we should pray much.
When Sanballat and Tobiah could not could not stop the work of God through mockery and reviling, they became all the more angry and began to use force. Then they began to conspire to fight against Nehemiah and his colleagues. They thought that by threatening and force they would be able to stop God’s work. We also have gone through similar experience during the past many years. But also have the same weapon that is prayer to defeat the enemy (vs.9). That is why we were burdened to start “all night prayer” and other times of prayer in the assembly through travailing and persevering prayer, we were able to defeat the enemy.
The enemy can raise bitter opposition against God’s people and God’s servants. It is only by travailing and persevering prayer that we can very certainly defeat the attack of the enemy. We can see the Lord Jesus Himself praying for Simon Peter in Luke 22:31,32. “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may swift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren”.
5.Removing the rubbish:
Neh.4: 10, because the walls were burnt, there was much rubbish lying here and there. So to have a strong wall built they had to remove all the rubbish first. This rubbish speaks of man-made customs, traditions and practices, if we want God’s work to be strong we must remove al such rubbish (Mark 7:1-13).
In many places we have seen the heads of denominational churches ignoring God’s word and clinging to man made customs, rituals and practices, which they have received from their predecessors, and not from the Word of God.
One day ten such men who appeared to be respectable and God fearing, came to me and said very politely that they quite appreciated what the Lord was doing through our meetings, but had two things against me. One was: Why was I giving second Baptism? And the other: Why we were having separate Sunday meetings while they were having their own Sunday service. I told them to kindly show me one verse or even a half a verse from the Bible where babies were baptized and also to explain to me the meaning of the word Baptism. To this one of the leading pastors how their very godly forefathers Baptized babies for many centuries, and asked me whether they could be wrong. I told them that my grand father also was very God fearing and good man and I asked them whether I should obey the Bible or my grand father’s words. They said they did not come prepared to answer any questions. So I requested them to kindly fix the day, the place and the time and invite any number of Pastors but I myself would come alone. But I put one condition that they all should bring their Bibles along so that whatever they had to say may be substantiated from the scriptures. They all agreed, fixed the place, the date and the time and promised to come. But till today they have not turned up.
Regarding the worship meeting I told them that we do not make any members and we do not collect any subscriptions, we do not go here and there inviting people to come to our meetings or attract them with some material gains like giving some milk powder. But when people come of their own accord with a desire to worship the Lord in His House, we cannot stop them. I further told them that we have a right to worship God in a way He has shown from the Bible, from which it is clear that He has forgiven our sins and has washed us in His precious Blood. I asked them to tell me whether I spoke against the Bible in any meeting.
Generally our worship meetings go on for quite a long time. One Sunday, one of the leading pastor came to our worship meeting at about one o’clock in the afternoon. Since our service went on for a long time, he went outside for few times, came back and sat in the meeting. Afterwards he told me how he came with many questions and how the Lord spoke to him and answered all his questions one by one, during the worship service. He even invited us for a gospel campaign in his place and promised to make all the arrangements.
God calls from His people some to be pastors, some to be evangelists and some other to be preachers and so on. When He calls them He also appoints them and prepare them. We have seen in some assemblies how those who are ambitious for position in the Church brought so much rubbish in the form of divisions, parties and strife. Unless this rubbish is removed God’s work cannot be established according to the word of God and fulfillment of His heavenly plan.
Nehemiah 4:19, “The work is great and large and we are separated upon the wall one far from another”. When the work of the Lord increases we cannot come together for fellowship as often as we would like to. This brings weakness in the assembly. This weakness gives room for the rubbish of indifference towards each other. To eliminate this difficulty we need to make an extra effort to come together for fellowship. The Holy Convocation gatherings and special meetings are arranged from time to time to help us to come together for fellowship and thus tide over the difficulty of times of separation.