Page 32 - May 2015 Catalyst

true enemies to Your faith: Part 2 By Bonita Britt | Continued From Page 13
If receiving the promises of God were easy, don’t you think everyone would be respond- ing to Him? Of course, it’s a battle Paul called it “fighting the good fight of faith.”
Wouldn’t you want to enter the promised land of God’s best, if so, you must be watch- ful? Peter says it best, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1Peter 5:8). Both Nehemiah and Is- rael responded to the threats of the Sanballat with same kind of vigilance. (Nehemiah 4:9)
I can see two essential points 1) They prayed to God, which prayer and time spent with God are vital to f ighting the good f ight of faith. It recharges our spiritual batteries and strengthens us for battle. Prayer is the cata- lyst,theactivatorofpowerforus. Jesussaid, “...men ought always to pray and not to faint” (Luke 18:1)
Prayer is communicating directly to the Fa- ther. This kind of power comes from the heart. It’s a heart-felt communication with the Father. Nehemiah had it. When the enemy came in like a f lood, God set up stan- dards against it.
The second most essential point is 2) Stay- ing vigilant day and night. They didn’t give themselves a vacation. Don’t let “discour- agement” derail your faith. Keep your faith strong and intact to fulfill your divine pur- pose. Know that if you’re moving toward true prosperity, “opposition is going to come.” Keep your mind on Jesus and what He says,
“These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace; in the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)
Jesus won ALL the battles for us, so all we have to do is line up with the Word and stand on it. Let our life be like Jesus.
This illustrates how Satan will try to discour- age us. As soon as we declare a stand of faith, we can be sure he’s going to send someone to ridicule you and call you a fool. If you ever told a family member, a friend or someone you’re just talking to that you believe God for a heal- ing, f inancial breakthrough or a promotion, they make look at you strange or say, “you must be kidding.” “You need to come back to reality. If you have had faith all this time and you’re still dealing with the same thing, then why hasn’t it happen for you yet?”
Just like Sanaballat and his friends, some will probably laugh at you. This could be de- signed by the enemy to discourse you. It cer- tainly would have been easy for Nehemiah to get discouraged. Did he? Read the response to Sanaballat: “Then answered I them, and said unto them, the God of heaven, He will prosper us; therefore, we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.”
(Nehemiah 2:20)
How did Nehemiah respond to ridicule? He made a bold confession of faith and trust in God. Notice Nehemiah didn’t succumb to discouragement through his persecution.
He surely didn’t let the laughter of others (un- believers)movehimoffhisstandoffaith. We
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