Day 5 - 21 Days of Prayer Devotional

21 Days of Prayer DAY 5 - Nehemiah 6:9 9 They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination. CONSIDER THE CONTEXT The city had been destroyed. The great walls were in shambles and the few inhabitants left were open to attack from the roaming bands out to take what they could by power and might. Up comes a man, Nehemiah, who gets a vision of rebuilding the walls to the great city. But the task ahead way overshadowed the workers available. When the work began on the city walls people far and wide mocked those who dared to undertake such an ambitious task. Nothing is worse than the cancerous spread of negativity through the people. Before the work had barely begun, Nehemiah recognized that defeat could come just by the attitude of the people. So Nehemiah prayed for the strength of their hands. CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS In yesterday's prayer we took a look at the fact that the Battle is the Lord's. This was the same in the case in Nehemiah's time as well. The difference was that what Nehemiah felt from the Lord required a scattered, defeated and dismayed people to come together for a task greater than themselves. They would have to join together and apply themselves in the natural for what God was doing in the spiritual realm. The Battle being the Lord's doesn't mean that there won't be hard work or discouraging attitudes from people on the outside. Because this is the case, we too need to be pray that our hands will be strengthened for the job ahead. CONSIDER THE PRAYER Lord I can hear the murmurs of the people surrounding me and surrounding Coastline now... "It just can't be done." "They have bitten off too much and will fail." These words are discouraging and often make me want to give up before I even begin. Today God, I want to lean on the truth of your scripture. "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Lord, strengthen my hands. Lord strengthen the hands of the leaders at Coastline. Lord strengthen the hands of the people in my Life Group. Lord strengthen the hands of all who would come and step into an active part of seeing your Kingdom ushered into my community through me and my Church. Thank you today for the strength you have given me. Amen.