This account of Nehemiah from the Bible has always encouraged me. Here is a man in captivity who asked for permission from King Artaxerxes to leave that captivity and go rebuild the city of Jerusalem in Judah where his ancestors were buried. The King agreed to all of his requests and gave him royal support.
When he got to his city in ruins, Nehemiah was continually confronted by messengers with false accusations and schemes by the Horonites, the Ammonites and surrounding nations.
Here’s one of their false accusations:
"It is reported among the nations that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports”.(Neh. 2:6)
(Go ahead and read all of Nehemiah 2)
Have you ever been confronted or intimidated by someone for wanting to do something that God told you to do?
Well...
Here is Nehemiah’s response to the harassment or “fake news” about what he was doing:
"Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind."
For all of them were [trying] to frighten us, thinking, "They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done. But now, [O God,] strengthen my hands”. (Neh. 2:8-9)
Don’t let yourself be discouraged by the naysayers that would try to steal your vision or undermine your calling.
Rather, be encouraged by this and pray boldly as Nehemiah prayed, “But now [O God] strengthen my hands”.
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