WEBVTT 00:00:03.891 --> 00:00:04.613 Well, my name is Scott. 00:00:04.613 --> 00:00:08.929 I'm one of the pastors here, blessed to continue this series in the book of Nehemiah. 00:00:08.929 --> 00:00:11.509 But I first want to talk about a movie. 00:00:11.509 --> 00:00:16.510 In 2019, there was a movie that was titled Midway. 00:00:16.510 --> 00:00:21.893 It was released to theaters and it was an epic movie about the Battle of Midway. 00:00:21.893 --> 00:00:30.789 A lot of you probably have recognized that movie, or there was a movie back in, I think, 76, called Midway as well. 00:00:30.789 --> 00:00:34.984 I know for some of you that's like ancient history. 00:00:34.984 --> 00:00:38.412 Neil was in his 60s, I think, when that movie came out. 00:00:38.412 --> 00:00:42.965 Sorry, you're right there, I just didn't. 00:00:44.408 --> 00:00:47.293 Anyways, it's a powerful movie because it's a true story. 00:00:47.293 --> 00:00:55.774 It's about the pivotal battle in the Pacific between the Empire of Japan and, of course, the United States. 00:00:55.774 --> 00:01:11.391 It happened about six months after Pearl Harbor and there's a scene in the movie that's really poignant and as far as accuracy, I don't know necessarily how accurate it is, but the scene is poignant because of the lesson it had. 00:01:11.391 --> 00:01:25.487 They're doing the Japanese have a, they basically have a group of naval leaders surrounding a large map and they're doing war games, and war games back then was to develop a strategy and then to have you play it out. 00:01:25.487 --> 00:01:30.611 Right, you play it out, but you have to make certain assumptions about how the enemy is going to respond, right? 00:01:30.611 --> 00:01:47.435 So there's a senior commander that is he's, of course, playing the part of the Japanese Navy, and then there's some junior commanders that are there and Admiral Nagumo walks into the scene and they're arguing and he said what's going on here? 00:01:47.435 --> 00:01:57.706 And the senior commander says they're not following the plan and, of course, you know, the younger officer's got his head down like this. 00:01:57.706 --> 00:02:00.391 And Nagumo says what's going on? 00:02:00.391 --> 00:02:10.050 And he said well, we know that the American fleet, we're going to lure the American fleet from Pearl Harbor and they're going to come to Midway. 00:02:10.050 --> 00:02:14.288 So we know which way they're going to be and we're going to set a trap for them, we're going to destroy them. 00:02:14.288 --> 00:02:19.728 But he has them coming from the other side of the island and that's not in the plan. 00:02:19.728 --> 00:02:26.469 And Nagumo says he looks at them both and he says to the young officer follow the plan. 00:02:26.469 --> 00:02:40.365 Well, ironically, the young officer had it right, because the whole Japanese plan and strategy was based upon the fact that the American fleet was going to come from Pearl. 00:02:40.365 --> 00:02:58.270 What they didn't know was that the intelligence, the US intelligence, had deciphered some of the plans and the messages that the Japanese had been sending and they knew that there was a trap being set for them at Midway. 00:02:58.270 --> 00:02:59.033 So what did they do? 00:02:59.033 --> 00:03:08.449 They went around the other side of the island and they defeated, of course, the Navy Well, pretty much defeated the Japanese Navy. 00:03:08.449 --> 00:03:13.206 It was an amazing thing, but the Americans knew what the plans are. 00:03:13.206 --> 00:03:16.729 They knew what the plans were and they planned accordingly. 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:21.919 Well, we are in, as you've heard, a book of Nehemiah. 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:29.733 We're going through a sermon series and we've heard five great messages, really great messages, and I thank Neil for the message last week. 00:03:29.733 --> 00:03:35.229 This has been so insightful and I don't know about you, but I'm just gaining a lot of respect from Nehemiah. 00:03:35.229 --> 00:03:43.042 This is a man of God and, as we've been going through this and, by the way, if you've missed any of these sermons, listen to them online. 00:03:43.042 --> 00:03:49.312 We don't put them there just to keep our tech team busy, because they all tie in and they all flow together. 00:03:49.913 --> 00:03:52.223 But today we're in Nehemiah, chapter 6. 00:03:52.223 --> 00:04:12.633 And we're going to see in Nehemiah 6, there's four tactics that Nehemiah's enemies used to come after him, and I've titled this sermon the Enemy's Playbook because, just like what the Americans did to the Japanese Navy in understanding their tactics and understanding their plans. 00:04:12.633 --> 00:04:16.716 We have to understand the plans of the enemy as he comes after us. 00:04:16.716 --> 00:04:18.237 Is it closer? 00:04:18.237 --> 00:04:20.545 Can you hear me now? 00:04:20.545 --> 00:04:24.928 Which way Down up Closer? 00:04:24.928 --> 00:04:31.721 How's that? 00:04:31.721 --> 00:04:32.983 I'm sorry, you can hear. 00:04:32.983 --> 00:04:33.545 I'll speak louder. 00:04:33.545 --> 00:04:34.427 I'll speak louder too. 00:04:34.427 --> 00:04:47.274 Anyways, there's four tactics that he talks about, and I've really put them into four different keywords Subtlety, frequency, integrity and anxiety. 00:04:47.274 --> 00:04:54.944 The acronym is SIFIA, totally meaningless. 00:04:54.944 --> 00:04:55.708 I did that for Mark. 00:04:55.708 --> 00:04:58.927 Okay, let's read chapter six. 00:04:58.927 --> 00:05:03.269 So chapter six, nehemiah, verse one. 00:05:03.860 --> 00:05:20.548 Now, when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem, the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it, although up to that time I had not yet set up the doors and the gates, sanballat and Geshem sent to me saying Come and let us meet together. 00:05:20.548 --> 00:05:22.084 I shouldn't do that. 00:05:22.084 --> 00:05:27.149 I just kind of view them having a weaselly little voice, though. 00:05:27.149 --> 00:05:35.067 Come and let us meet together in Hecophrium in the plain of Ono. 00:05:35.067 --> 00:05:42.812 But they intended to do me harm, and I sent messengers to them saying I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. 00:05:42.812 --> 00:05:46.401 Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you? 00:05:46.401 --> 00:05:51.761 And they sent to me four times in this way and I answered them in the same manner. 00:05:53.086 --> 00:05:57.901 In the same way, sanballat, for the fifth time, sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 00:05:57.901 --> 00:06:03.411 In it was written, quote it is reported among the nations that Geshem also says it. 00:06:03.411 --> 00:06:09.007 So Geshem apparently had some clout that you and the Jews intend to rebel. 00:06:09.007 --> 00:06:25.377 That is why you are building the wall and, according to these reports, you wish to become their king, and you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, quote there is a king in Judah and now the king, referring to Artaxerxes, will hear of these reports. 00:06:25.377 --> 00:06:28.165 So now come, let us take counsel together. 00:06:28.165 --> 00:06:35.928 Then I sent to him saying no such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind. 00:06:35.928 --> 00:06:41.747 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking their hands will drop from the work and it will not be done. 00:06:41.747 --> 00:06:44.473 But now, o God, strengthen my hands. 00:06:44.473 --> 00:06:47.862 Work and it will not be done. 00:06:47.862 --> 00:06:48.644 But now, oh God, strengthen my hands. 00:06:48.663 --> 00:06:55.872 Now, when I went to the house of Shemaiah, the son of Deliah, the son of Mehethebel, who was confined to his home, he said let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. 00:06:55.872 --> 00:06:58.922 Let us close the door of the temple, for they're coming to kill you. 00:06:58.922 --> 00:07:01.185 They're coming to kill you by night. 00:07:01.185 --> 00:07:03.228 I don't know if that's significant. 00:07:03.228 --> 00:07:06.031 I wouldn't want to be killed by day or night, but apparently. 00:07:06.031 --> 00:07:10.543 But I said to them, verse 11, should such a man as I run away? 00:07:10.543 --> 00:07:19.029 If men of God said that more often? 00:07:19.029 --> 00:07:27.908 And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? 00:07:27.908 --> 00:07:29.952 I will not go in. 00:07:31.420 --> 00:07:40.656 And I understood that God and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him For this purpose. 00:07:40.656 --> 00:07:48.314 He was hired that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. 00:07:48.314 --> 00:07:59.132 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, o God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noedia and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid. 00:07:59.132 --> 00:08:01.141 Verse 15,. 00:08:01.141 --> 00:08:20.141 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, in 52 days, and when all of our enemies heard it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God, verse 17,. 00:08:20.141 --> 00:08:40.729 Moreover, in those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them, for many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shekiniah, the son of Arah and the son of Jehoiachin, taken the daughter of Meshulalem and the son of Berechiah as his wife. 00:08:40.729 --> 00:08:43.269 If I pronounced any of those wrong, I don't care. 00:08:43.269 --> 00:08:49.913 Also, they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. 00:08:49.913 --> 00:08:52.484 And Tobias sent letters to make me afraid. 00:08:53.525 --> 00:08:56.493 Father, as we come before you, we thank you for this amazing book. 00:08:56.493 --> 00:09:00.749 And we thank you, father, for Nehemiah, your servant. 00:09:00.749 --> 00:09:10.868 We thank you for how he prayed to you, how he heard from you and how he followed through on the task that you gave him, in spite of all the opposition. 00:09:10.868 --> 00:09:26.650 And, Father, today, as we look at the tactics of the enemy, I pray that every one of us would be stirred, lord, that we would be made aware of, more aware of the tactics the enemy is trying to do to get us to sin and to fall away and to lose our purpose. 00:09:26.650 --> 00:09:30.450 So I pray that you would open all of our minds and hearts to this truth. 00:09:30.450 --> 00:09:33.589 In Jesus' name, I pray Amen. 00:09:33.589 --> 00:09:37.726 So that's the whole chapter. 00:09:38.229 --> 00:09:39.451 Let's get into these tactics. 00:09:39.451 --> 00:09:43.350 We'll start with the very first one, which is literally found in the first two verses. 00:09:43.350 --> 00:09:44.782 Let's read them again Now. 00:09:44.782 --> 00:10:03.188 When Sambel Tobiah and Geshem the Arab I came up with an acronym for these guys, stg, but it sounded too bad, so I think I'll just call them the bad guys Heard that we had built, I had built the wall, and there was no breach left. 00:10:03.188 --> 00:10:06.389 And, by the way, when it says no breach left, there was no main holes left. 00:10:06.389 --> 00:10:09.149 They were still going up, but they hadn't yet hung the doors. 00:10:09.149 --> 00:10:10.546 I mean, they were really close here, right? 00:10:10.546 --> 00:10:19.366 Sanballat and Geshem sent me saying come and let us meet together at Hecophrium and the plain of Ono, and they intended to do me harm. 00:10:20.120 --> 00:10:24.631 Now what we have here is a change of tactic. 00:10:24.631 --> 00:10:27.908 Do you remember what they were doing up to this point? 00:10:27.908 --> 00:10:30.885 Direct, direct. 00:10:30.885 --> 00:10:32.605 They were mocking him. 00:10:32.605 --> 00:10:37.711 They were stirring up people to come against the people that were building. 00:10:37.711 --> 00:10:39.885 Remember what the builders had on? 00:10:39.885 --> 00:10:43.027 Each of them had on their hip A sword right. 00:10:43.027 --> 00:10:45.928 So they had a very direct attack towards him. 00:10:45.928 --> 00:10:47.342 But they've changed the technique. 00:10:47.342 --> 00:10:54.585 They've changed the tactic here, and that tactic is they're now coming at him in a subtle way. 00:10:54.585 --> 00:11:00.942 A subtle way, and that is the first playbook, or the enemy's playbook. 00:11:00.942 --> 00:11:04.773 The first tactic, and that is Satan, will come at us subtly. 00:11:04.773 --> 00:11:08.125 The enemy's playbook, the first tactic and that is Satan, will come at us subtly. 00:11:08.144 --> 00:11:12.371 Nehemiah, by the way, he didn't buy in, he didn't play ball with this. 00:11:12.371 --> 00:11:20.442 It says in verse three, and I love this, and I sent messengers to them. 00:11:20.442 --> 00:11:21.003 They sent messengers to me. 00:11:21.003 --> 00:11:25.070 I sent messengers back to them saying I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. 00:11:25.070 --> 00:11:30.365 Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you Now? 00:11:30.365 --> 00:11:32.229 It might sound simple to you. 00:11:32.229 --> 00:11:35.861 Well, of course, nehemiah is not going to fall for that trick. 00:11:35.861 --> 00:11:37.667 He doesn't like these guys. 00:11:37.667 --> 00:11:38.629 He knows what they're up to. 00:11:38.690 --> 00:11:44.230 But you got to put yourself in Nehemiah's situation and understand that this was a real temptation. 00:11:44.230 --> 00:11:45.873 You want to know why? 00:11:45.873 --> 00:11:46.822 Well, just think about it. 00:11:46.822 --> 00:11:52.562 He'd been building the wall for a while now and, as Neil pointed out, there had been troubles. 00:11:52.562 --> 00:11:55.428 There was great sacrifice. 00:11:55.428 --> 00:12:00.566 The people that were doing the work, their families, were having trouble getting food right. 00:12:00.566 --> 00:12:05.648 This was a real tempting offer to him, because he could have convinced himself. 00:12:05.648 --> 00:12:08.846 Well, maybe, maybe they really do want to talk. 00:12:08.846 --> 00:12:11.613 Maybe I can convince them to get on our side. 00:12:11.613 --> 00:12:21.169 There was a lot of stress he was under and he could have convinced himself that, okay, maybe this is a change, maybe these guys are really changed. 00:12:21.169 --> 00:12:24.445 But he didn't fall for that tactic. 00:12:24.445 --> 00:12:33.720 He assessed that they were just lying and they were just trying another angle because he says, but they intended me to do me harm. 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:34.962 They intended to do me harm. 00:12:34.962 --> 00:12:45.389 He saw through what they were doing and I love the fact that he addressed it with a very, very simple truth. 00:12:45.389 --> 00:12:50.892 He was doing a great work and he wasn't going to stop without a good reason. 00:12:52.500 --> 00:12:54.489 Now, what's the application for us? 00:12:54.489 --> 00:13:04.428 Listen, most of us can see Satan coming a mile away and, by the way, don't flatter yourself, satan is not omnipresent, he's not omniscient. 00:13:04.428 --> 00:13:07.980 Don't flatter yourself. 00:13:07.980 --> 00:13:09.024 Satan is not omnipresent, he's not omniscient. 00:13:09.024 --> 00:13:11.269 He's probably got we got enemies coming at us, but there might not be Satan himself. 00:13:11.269 --> 00:13:16.868 Okay, but they're going to come after us and we can see a head-on attack a mile away. 00:13:16.868 --> 00:13:23.086 Right, we can see those temptations coming at us and we can identify that right up front. 00:13:23.788 --> 00:13:25.432 It's the subtle ones we have trouble with. 00:13:25.432 --> 00:13:41.240 The subtle ones we have trouble with, I mean I keep thinking about from the perspective of how do we respond when somebody comes at us with a temptation that really, is it really sin or is it not sin? 00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:48.053 And we know that Satan will disguise himself as an angel of light. 00:13:48.053 --> 00:13:57.188 In fact, in my next scripture here, 2 Corinthians 11, 13 through 15, and we have a lot of quotes from Paul today, by the way, because Paul is addressing false prophets. 00:13:57.188 --> 00:14:04.466 But look at what he says, for such men are false prophets, deceitful workmen disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 00:14:04.466 --> 00:14:08.292 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 00:14:08.292 --> 00:14:14.668 So it is no surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as the servants of righteousness. 00:14:14.668 --> 00:14:17.921 Their end will correspond to their deeds. 00:14:19.783 --> 00:14:26.075 I think sometimes we can convince ourselves that a subtle attack really isn't an attack. 00:14:26.075 --> 00:14:32.124 And you notice, I said convince ourselves when you are under. 00:14:32.124 --> 00:14:41.370 And again, go back to what Nehemiah was going through Incredible, stressful situation, a lot of, and the pressure of leadership would have been huge on him. 00:14:41.370 --> 00:14:47.467 It would have been easy for him to convince himself yeah, maybe they really want to talk about this. 00:14:47.467 --> 00:14:49.527 Maybe they really want to help us out. 00:14:49.527 --> 00:14:50.683 Maybe they're on our side. 00:14:50.683 --> 00:14:51.807 I don't think so. 00:14:51.807 --> 00:14:55.908 I think about, I think it's really funny. 00:14:56.019 --> 00:14:57.547 I was thinking when I was putting this together. 00:14:57.547 --> 00:15:06.648 I was thinking about young people and the temptations that the youth have, because I remember the same temptations hey, come to this party or come stay the night. 00:15:06.648 --> 00:15:08.485 Well, what's going to happen? 00:15:08.485 --> 00:15:13.142 Well, it's just going to be a bunch of us girls and my parents will be there and we're just going to watch a movie. 00:15:13.142 --> 00:15:15.606 Okay, good, you tell that to your parents. 00:15:15.606 --> 00:15:16.708 You show up. 00:15:16.708 --> 00:15:23.621 It's not just a bunch of girls, there's boys and, by the way, there's no parents around, right. 00:15:23.621 --> 00:15:26.687 But you can convince yourself, because you want to go, that that's the right thing. 00:15:26.687 --> 00:15:28.850 But maybe you need to know the history of these people. 00:15:28.850 --> 00:15:30.894 Is this something they've done before? 00:15:32.054 --> 00:15:35.937 I've even thought about sometimes the temptation to say is it really wrong? 00:15:35.937 --> 00:15:37.725 Is it really wrong? 00:15:37.725 --> 00:15:52.033 You know, when you buy a used car I'm going to step on toes when you buy a used car and you go to the tag office and they look at you and say what did you pay for this car? 00:15:52.033 --> 00:15:57.916 And you say what did you pay for this car? 00:15:57.916 --> 00:16:04.005 And you say what A lot of people have told me and I've felt the same way hey, they've taxed this car two or three times. 00:16:04.005 --> 00:16:04.748 I'm the third owner. 00:16:04.748 --> 00:16:05.551 Why do they have to get it? 00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:06.945 But you know what the reality is. 00:16:06.945 --> 00:16:09.268 Is my integrity worth a couple hundred bucks? 00:16:09.268 --> 00:16:12.186 He watches that. 00:16:12.186 --> 00:16:13.986 We can justify that. 00:16:13.986 --> 00:16:19.325 Because we don't agree with something, we can say it's okay, but it's not, it's not. 00:16:19.966 --> 00:16:30.894 These are the subtle temptations, because see if Satan can get you to make an exception of your integrity for that, then he's going to look for ways to step it up. 00:16:30.894 --> 00:16:35.052 And step it up, because the enemy is never happy. 00:16:35.052 --> 00:16:39.162 He's always trying to drag you further and further into sin. 00:16:39.162 --> 00:16:45.933 Amen, he's trying to do that and this is one of his most effective ways. 00:16:45.933 --> 00:16:47.465 It's the subtle sin. 00:16:47.465 --> 00:16:49.374 We can see the enemy when it's coming up front. 00:16:49.374 --> 00:16:54.125 We can't see him when they're hiding in trees, and that's what he tries to do. 00:16:55.187 --> 00:16:58.234 And, by the way, how do we avoid falling for subtle temptations? 00:16:58.234 --> 00:17:03.067 Well, first off, you have to do what Nehemiah did Focus on truth. 00:17:03.067 --> 00:17:10.353 Focus on truth, and that may mean that if you feel an area is gray, fall back to black and white. 00:17:10.353 --> 00:17:12.163 You know black and white. 00:17:12.163 --> 00:17:17.887 Sometimes that phrase gets a real knock, but not in this context. 00:17:17.887 --> 00:17:26.071 You stand on what you know is truth and if it's in question, then just stay and stand in what you know. 00:17:26.071 --> 00:17:35.007 Focus on the source of the temptation, right If it's a person or an organization or whatever it is. 00:17:35.007 --> 00:17:39.984 Look at that and say well, wait a second, is this a godly thing? 00:17:39.984 --> 00:17:42.990 Think through the consequences. 00:17:42.990 --> 00:17:46.263 Oh, my word, if I had done this more often. 00:17:46.263 --> 00:17:55.711 Think through the consequences of that decision and, by the way, ask trusted friends, godly people, to give you their honest opinions. 00:17:55.711 --> 00:17:58.686 And don't play with fire, brethren. 00:17:58.686 --> 00:18:01.224 Don't play with fire. 00:18:01.224 --> 00:18:04.868 Okay, let's go to the next one, in verse 4,. 00:18:06.241 --> 00:18:16.984 And they sent to me four times in this way and I answered them in the same manner Period, frequency, frequency. 00:18:16.984 --> 00:18:24.788 Just because Nehemiah didn't fall for the first messenger, they kept sending messenger after messenger after messenger. 00:18:24.788 --> 00:18:27.300 Four times they came at him with this same thing. 00:18:27.300 --> 00:18:31.892 And you know I have to laugh, because have you ever heard that phrase? 00:18:31.892 --> 00:18:37.952 The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again, expecting a different result. 00:18:37.952 --> 00:18:40.246 That's what these guys were doing. 00:18:40.246 --> 00:18:42.607 They kept coming at him, coming at him, coming at him. 00:18:42.607 --> 00:18:46.190 But, brethren, if you think about it, it's actually pretty strategic. 00:18:46.190 --> 00:18:52.029 It's very strategic what they were doing, because, again, remember what I told about the pressures that he was under. 00:18:52.029 --> 00:19:00.127 He thought maybe maybe he will finally give in, maybe he'll see how sincere we are. 00:19:00.127 --> 00:19:03.547 Not that we really want to talk to him. 00:19:03.547 --> 00:19:05.046 We really want to get together. 00:19:05.046 --> 00:19:07.906 We want to work this stuff out. 00:19:09.971 --> 00:19:14.749 Frequency the application is pretty evident. 00:19:14.749 --> 00:19:20.791 How many of you have ever had the same temptation come at you more than once? 00:19:20.791 --> 00:19:22.325 You can all put your hands up. 00:19:22.325 --> 00:19:23.248 You'll make me feel a lot better. 00:19:23.248 --> 00:19:26.208 For those who haven't, we don't like you. 00:19:26.208 --> 00:19:32.742 He'll do that. 00:19:32.742 --> 00:19:36.893 Every one of us have experienced that, especially if he has do that. 00:19:36.893 --> 00:19:44.065 Every one of us have experienced that, especially if he has a told and if he made you fall once, he's going to come at you again and again and again, and he will not give up. 00:19:44.065 --> 00:19:45.746 Because what has he got to lose? 00:19:45.746 --> 00:19:48.185 What's he got to lose? 00:19:48.185 --> 00:19:56.484 How many times have you cried out Lord, please free me from this temptation, free me from this. 00:19:56.484 --> 00:20:01.266 It's so hard to resist and God hears that. 00:20:01.266 --> 00:20:11.067 But you know, scripture tells us that we can fight those temptations, no matter how many times they come. 00:20:12.580 --> 00:20:18.510 And as I was preparing this message, I came across 1 Corinthians 10, verse 13. 00:20:18.510 --> 00:20:23.390 I read this scripture many times, but I just began to really unpack it. 00:20:23.390 --> 00:20:27.967 Paul says no temptation has overtaken you. 00:20:27.967 --> 00:20:29.269 That is not common to man. 00:20:29.269 --> 00:20:30.292 First sentence stop. 00:20:30.292 --> 00:20:32.261 Do you realize? 00:20:32.261 --> 00:20:36.790 In any temptation that's come at, you has already been experienced by someone else. 00:20:36.790 --> 00:20:41.750 Okay, what that means is you're not alone, right. 00:20:41.750 --> 00:20:49.612 Then look what he says next God is faithful, he is. 00:20:49.612 --> 00:20:52.670 He then states a truth God's faithful. 00:20:52.670 --> 00:20:55.287 We're just talking about temptation. 00:20:55.287 --> 00:20:56.686 You're not alone. 00:20:56.686 --> 00:20:58.195 God's faithful, we're just talking about temptation. 00:20:58.195 --> 00:20:58.557 You're not alone. 00:20:58.557 --> 00:21:02.567 God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability. 00:21:02.567 --> 00:21:04.913 Wait what? 00:21:04.913 --> 00:21:07.760 No, he was exaggerating there, wasn't he? 00:21:07.760 --> 00:21:10.045 No, he's not. 00:21:10.925 --> 00:21:16.674 You know, one of the challenges I see sometimes is that people will become victims. 00:21:16.674 --> 00:21:21.548 They're like well, you know, I was there, I had to Come on. 00:21:21.548 --> 00:21:24.726 Everybody does this, everybody gives in once in a while. 00:21:24.726 --> 00:21:29.545 Nope, god just simply told you right here. 00:21:29.545 --> 00:21:30.669 In truth, this is truth. 00:21:30.669 --> 00:21:32.861 You stand on that. 00:21:32.861 --> 00:21:33.844 There's no temptation. 00:21:33.844 --> 00:21:37.271 That he won't give you the ability to resist. 00:21:37.271 --> 00:21:42.892 And he says but with a temptation, he will also provide a way of escape. 00:21:42.892 --> 00:21:45.905 When you escape from something, what are you doing? 00:21:45.905 --> 00:21:48.171 You're moving away from it. 00:21:48.171 --> 00:21:51.384 Right, when you're escaping, that's what he was doing. 00:21:51.384 --> 00:21:57.114 He's saying you can get away from this, you can move away. 00:21:57.114 --> 00:22:04.342 And sometimes, by the way, and especially for men. 00:22:04.342 --> 00:22:06.205 Sometimes we're just like I'm going to stand and I'm going to fight this temptation. 00:22:06.226 --> 00:22:14.790 You know, paul the same one that wrote this says in two other places get out, flee, smallest sin of the Bible, flee fornication. 00:22:14.790 --> 00:22:14.971 Right? 00:22:14.971 --> 00:22:21.854 Nobody got that. 00:22:21.854 --> 00:22:22.696 I don't think anybody got that. 00:22:22.696 --> 00:22:28.097 Sometimes we don't need to stand, we need to just leave. 00:22:28.097 --> 00:22:28.539 Leave the situation. 00:22:28.539 --> 00:22:30.570 I've had to do that before, especially in business. 00:22:30.570 --> 00:22:41.589 Sometimes you go to conferences or whatever, and you know there's a cocktail hour or whatever and boy, people are starting to say things, talk, things, a lot of drinks, I'll just leave, I'm tired, guys, I've got to go, I'll leave. 00:22:41.589 --> 00:22:42.760 Why? 00:22:42.760 --> 00:22:44.508 Because in the past I didn't leave. 00:22:44.508 --> 00:22:47.202 That was the old Scott. 00:22:47.202 --> 00:22:50.372 I don't want to fall into the old Scott, so I'm just gone. 00:22:50.372 --> 00:23:03.141 And somebody said well, you're not hobnobbing with the big wigs anymore, I don't care, I don't care. 00:23:03.141 --> 00:23:06.767 I'd rather please the Lord, my God, I'd rather please him than make some executive think I'm cool, it's okay to leave. 00:23:07.828 --> 00:23:11.173 Okay, tactic number three, verses five through seven. 00:23:11.173 --> 00:23:16.442 In the same way, sam Ballard, for the fifth time, sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 00:23:16.442 --> 00:23:17.805 We got to change tactic. 00:23:17.805 --> 00:23:19.609 Right, this is a change tactic. 00:23:19.609 --> 00:23:20.271 Now look what he says. 00:23:20.271 --> 00:23:25.911 In it was written this it is reported on the nations, and Geshem also says it. 00:23:25.911 --> 00:23:37.549 I love the fact that Sanballat he really thought Geshem was a big weight I mean, geshem says this too that you and the Jews intend to rebel. 00:23:37.549 --> 00:23:40.528 By the way, they'd already accused him of this way back in chapter two. 00:23:40.528 --> 00:23:52.468 Right, that's why you're building the wall and, according to these reports, you wish to become the king and you have also set up prophets for claim concerning you in Jerusalem. 00:23:52.468 --> 00:23:59.828 So basically what he's saying if you can get the spiritual group, you can get prophets saying that you're the king. 00:23:59.828 --> 00:24:08.781 Now you're getting extra support from the people, right, and you're getting them to proclaim there is a king in Judah, and now the king will hear of these reports. 00:24:08.781 --> 00:24:10.022 Now we're talking Artaxerxes. 00:24:10.022 --> 00:24:13.047 So now come, let us take counsel together. 00:24:15.691 --> 00:24:20.215 In this passage we see the third tactic, and that is integrity. 00:24:20.215 --> 00:24:24.490 They were now going against his integrity. 00:24:24.490 --> 00:24:32.153 If you haven't figured it out, nehemiah is a man of God, a powerful man of God. 00:24:32.153 --> 00:24:45.987 I love the way Kelly opened the series up and he talked about the prayer of Nehemiah, powerful prayer, and he came out of that time of prayer with a clear focus on what he was supposed to do. 00:24:45.987 --> 00:24:49.122 He then singularly focused. 00:24:49.122 --> 00:24:50.085 He was strategic. 00:24:50.085 --> 00:24:51.961 I preached on that, about the fact he had a plan. 00:24:51.961 --> 00:24:52.703 He went forward. 00:24:52.703 --> 00:24:54.059 He's carrying that out. 00:24:54.059 --> 00:24:56.442 He's overcoming obstacles. 00:24:56.442 --> 00:24:58.015 Last week, again all these obstacles. 00:24:58.015 --> 00:25:02.926 This man was a fair and just leader and he had a singular purpose. 00:25:02.926 --> 00:25:06.644 And now they're attacking his character. 00:25:06.644 --> 00:25:11.726 Before they were attacking his action, building the wall. 00:25:11.726 --> 00:25:13.782 Now they're attacking his character. 00:25:17.797 --> 00:25:18.499 You think about it. 00:25:18.499 --> 00:25:19.723 What if? 00:25:19.723 --> 00:25:27.248 What if Nehemiah had done what so many of us would do Get defensive? 00:25:27.248 --> 00:25:30.759 Wait a second, that's all a bunch of lies. 00:25:30.759 --> 00:25:31.902 Come on, you know. 00:25:31.902 --> 00:25:32.604 Come on, let's talk. 00:25:32.604 --> 00:25:33.105 Let's talk. 00:25:33.105 --> 00:25:36.184 I'll tell you how good I, I'll tell you why everything you said is wrong. 00:25:36.184 --> 00:25:37.480 And let's get into a battle. 00:25:37.480 --> 00:25:39.260 Let's get into a battle. 00:25:40.335 --> 00:25:41.617 What if Nehemiah had done that? 00:25:41.617 --> 00:25:45.566 What if Nehemiah said hey, you clowns, come over here. 00:25:45.566 --> 00:25:54.768 I'm going to meet you in Ono and we're going to talk this through, because I am not that person. 00:25:54.768 --> 00:25:56.134 He would have left the wall. 00:25:56.134 --> 00:25:59.819 The people at the wall would have been leadership lists, right. 00:25:59.819 --> 00:26:01.023 The enemies would have saw a chink in the armor. 00:26:01.023 --> 00:26:03.049 They may have started to attack and he would have lost his focus. 00:26:03.049 --> 00:26:04.195 And you want to know why? 00:26:04.195 --> 00:26:10.641 This might hurt a little bit Because he was focusing on himself, focusing on himself. 00:26:15.277 --> 00:26:17.002 But how did Nehemiah respond? 00:26:17.002 --> 00:26:20.237 Then? 00:26:20.237 --> 00:26:27.064 I sent to him saying no such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind. 00:26:27.064 --> 00:26:34.825 You probably should have said you're out of your mind, but he was sort of said him, for they all wanted to frighten us, thinking their hands will drop from the work and it will be done. 00:26:34.825 --> 00:26:36.538 But now God strengthened my hands. 00:26:36.538 --> 00:26:37.844 He did three simple things. 00:26:37.844 --> 00:26:41.855 He first identified that the accusation was a lie. 00:26:41.855 --> 00:26:44.019 It's a lie. 00:26:44.019 --> 00:26:51.102 Secondly, he identified what the motive behind the lie was which, by the way, we don't always know, but it's there. 00:26:51.102 --> 00:26:56.840 And then he resolved not to fall into their distraction trap and he kept doing what God called him to do. 00:26:56.840 --> 00:27:06.548 He called it out, but you will notice there was a period at the end of that and it over, and he continued back to do his work. 00:27:09.895 --> 00:27:10.619 How about us? 00:27:10.619 --> 00:27:14.484 Have you ever had somebody call your integrity into question? 00:27:14.484 --> 00:27:24.560 If you're a Christian and you haven't, then I think you probably need to look in the mirror, because that's going to happen. 00:27:24.560 --> 00:27:26.518 People are going to come against us. 00:27:26.518 --> 00:27:29.282 That's just going to happen. 00:27:29.282 --> 00:27:33.438 The enemy uses evil people to come against us, and they will sometime. 00:27:33.438 --> 00:27:34.240 And you might have this. 00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:44.056 You might have somebody in your family that is just attacks you because of your beliefs right and besmirches your name to other people in the family. 00:27:44.056 --> 00:27:46.423 That can happen, you know. 00:27:46.423 --> 00:27:52.345 The saddest part is when God uses people in this room to tear down other people. 00:27:52.345 --> 00:27:57.398 That happens and it's sad, but the enemy knows. 00:27:57.398 --> 00:27:59.384 Hey, the elder is. 00:27:59.384 --> 00:28:08.209 One of the biggest things that we were always protective of is the unity in the body, because that can happen really easily. 00:28:08.209 --> 00:28:12.520 You know you're talking to somebody and something well, did you hear about this person? 00:28:12.520 --> 00:28:18.708 Pretty soon, somebody's integrity is being called into question and it's sad. 00:28:18.708 --> 00:28:27.021 But the thing is we have to keep our focus, like Nehemiah did, when we come under that kind of attack. 00:28:30.115 --> 00:28:32.098 Philippians 2, 14 through 17,. 00:28:32.098 --> 00:28:35.346 Do all things without grumbling and disputing. 00:28:35.346 --> 00:28:36.268 And then verse 15,. 00:28:36.268 --> 00:28:56.346 I love this that you may be blameless and innocent children of God, without blemish, in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ, I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 00:28:56.346 --> 00:28:59.619 Who defends you. 00:28:59.619 --> 00:29:02.778 Who defends you? 00:29:02.778 --> 00:29:05.726 God? 00:29:05.726 --> 00:29:12.895 God, who defends you? 00:29:12.895 --> 00:29:19.255 God, and I'm not saying that you shouldn't look at an accusation when it comes against you or if someone attacks your character, is there any truth to it, then you need to own that. 00:29:19.255 --> 00:29:24.282 We always need to own that and apologize or repent or do whatever we have to do. 00:29:24.282 --> 00:29:29.691 But if it's a lie, call it a lie and then move on. 00:29:29.691 --> 00:29:34.143 There is nothing more sad. 00:29:34.143 --> 00:29:35.546 There's lots of things more sad. 00:29:35.546 --> 00:29:36.327 This is very sad. 00:29:37.496 --> 00:29:54.065 When you're on Facebook or some forum and you see Christians ripping each other to threads over stupid stuff, you think you're honoring God because you're proving your point. 00:29:54.065 --> 00:29:58.703 Has anybody in this room ever won an argument online? 00:29:58.703 --> 00:30:02.559 Anybody, you don't. 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:08.288 And, by the way, you might be able to influence somebody a little bit, but the reality is you're be able to influence somebody a little bit, but the reality is you're doing way more harm than good. 00:30:08.288 --> 00:30:15.881 And I fell into this trap early on, when social media first came out, and then I realized this is stupid. 00:30:15.881 --> 00:30:20.429 I was causing division and it was sad. 00:30:20.429 --> 00:30:20.935 I was spent. 00:30:20.996 --> 00:30:25.089 And here's the thing when you spend all this time trying to argue your point, here's the thing. 00:30:25.089 --> 00:30:28.278 When you spend all this time trying to argue your point, you lose sight of God. 00:30:28.278 --> 00:30:30.423 You lose sight of the fact that he is God. 00:30:30.423 --> 00:30:36.438 He's the one you should focus on, and you're now focused solely on yourself. 00:30:36.438 --> 00:30:41.046 And it's a selfish thing, brethren, and I'm guilty, I've done this before too. 00:30:41.046 --> 00:30:43.130 That's what Satan wants you to do. 00:30:43.130 --> 00:30:49.029 He wants to get you thinking about yourself. 00:30:49.029 --> 00:30:50.657 Let's not fall into that trap. 00:30:50.857 --> 00:30:54.545 When our integrity gets challenged, identify that it's a challenge. 00:30:54.545 --> 00:31:00.980 Identify if there's any truth, own it and if not, move forward. 00:31:00.980 --> 00:31:13.631 I will tell you that there's times, as pastors, you have to correct or you have to deal with the situation, and it's not always good, and I've had in my 20, almost 20 years of pastoring. 00:31:13.631 --> 00:31:16.118 I've had people that didn't like what I had to say. 00:31:16.118 --> 00:31:26.699 I haven't handled everything perfectly, but when you tell someone truth and then they don't agree with it, and then you start telling everybody about what kind of a jerk you are, you know what. 00:31:26.699 --> 00:31:28.702 You just got to stand on your character. 00:31:28.702 --> 00:31:37.268 If anybody attacks one of your pastors, you got to ask yourself first what do I know about these people, what do I know about these men? 00:31:37.268 --> 00:31:46.807 And, by the way, any of you should do that If someone comes out to me and says something like you know I got to pick on somebody. 00:31:46.807 --> 00:31:49.190 Do you want to be picked on? 00:31:49.190 --> 00:31:51.303 Yeah, chad Range is a jerk. 00:31:53.836 --> 00:32:02.109 I saw Chad at the local bar drinking like a fish and dancing on the table and eating nachos. 00:32:02.109 --> 00:32:06.779 Well, I know Chad's character. 00:32:06.779 --> 00:32:08.726 I also know he wouldn't spend that kind of money. 00:32:08.726 --> 00:32:15.160 You put your hand up, man. 00:32:15.160 --> 00:32:23.365 You put your hand up, stand on what you know about that person and don't believe it. 00:32:23.365 --> 00:32:27.060 And, by the way, there's a time when you can look at someone and say why are you telling me this? 00:32:27.060 --> 00:32:28.904 Why are you? 00:32:28.904 --> 00:32:29.685 What are you trying to do? 00:32:29.685 --> 00:32:32.336 Divide the body up, call the cops on. 00:32:32.336 --> 00:32:37.669 Okay, the last one. 00:32:37.669 --> 00:32:38.811 I know we're going late. 00:32:38.811 --> 00:32:39.432 How much time? 00:32:39.432 --> 00:32:40.015 Oh, I'm out of time. 00:32:40.015 --> 00:32:41.698 Shoot, sorry, all right. 00:32:42.179 --> 00:32:43.842