Nehemiah 4

Nehemiah	Christian families
The Old Testament book by Nehemiah tells about the struggles Israel (God's people) faced when trying to rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem which had been demolished by the Babylonians: "...when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews: '...What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? ... Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?' "Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, 'Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.' "'Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity!' ... So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. "Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.... "I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” "And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work. So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me. "Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” Nehemiah 4:1-20
1. They "prayed ... and posted guard day and night." Nehemiah 4:9	"Put on the full armor of God.... Be alert and always keep on praying." Ephesians 6:11-18
2.They stationed families to stand guard together. 4:13	As a family, teach and discuss truth, help each other resist deception.
3. They carried their weapons continually. 4:13, 16-18	Know God's Word - your spiritual weapon.
4. At the sound of the trumpet, they joined together. 4:20	Christian families - stand, pray, and fight deception together.