A Word for Builders & Pioneers: Don't allow the enemy to control the conversation.
“Don’t allow the enemy to control the conversation.”
This phrase has been ringing loud and clear in my spirit this week.
This is a really important revelation for those called to build and pioneer in this hour. Whether you are pioneering something regional or breaking generational patterns in your family and establishing a legacy of wholeness and kingdom momentum in your household, the posture is the same: advancement. And the enemy doesn’t like that.
Since the enemy hates the advancement of the kingdom, one of the key ways he tries to stop us from building is by attempting to hijack the narrative or way we perceive the story we’re living out.
This is what he did in the Garden. (Genesis 3:1-7)
Think about it. He tried to convince Eve to eat the only forbidden fruit in the entire garden so that she would “be like God” when she was made in the image of God from the beginning. (Genesis 1:28) He convinced her to violate relationship to vie for something that she already had based on the false premise that God was holding out on her. That didn’t go well.
This is what the enemy tried with Nehemiah. We’ll explore that below.
And this is what He tried to do to Jesus. (Matthew 4:1-11)
Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and nights. Satan came to Jesus in his most vulnerable hour, and he tried to control the conversation, saying, “IF you are the son of God, turn this stone into bread.”
This was right after Jesus had come up out of the water (being baptized by John) and God had boomed from heaven, “This is my beloved son, in whom I'm well pleased.”
Jesus went into the wilderness already having the declaration of his sonship, and yet the devil came and tried to change the conversation and say, “IF you are the son of God, turn this stone into bread. IF you want the kingdoms of this world, bow down to me and I'll give them to you.”
Jesus answered this challenge by speaking the Word. When we speak the Word of God, we take back the narrative the enemy tries so hard to twist. This is why Ephesians 6 refers to the Word of God as the sword of the Spirit.
Here are 4 key ways Nehemiah’s enemies tried to stop him. See if you recognize some of these in your own life. (Nehemiah 3-6)
Accusation (Nehemiah 2:18-20)
This can sound like:
“Who do you think you are?”
“You could never do that!”
“You’re disqualified based on your past mistakes/failures. You’re a fraud.”
In Nehemiah’s case, he was accused of something that wasn’t true. Being accused of something untrue can cause anyone to feel defensive or misunderstood. The temptation can be to spend a heap of energy trying to defend oneself or prove they’re right. If you’ve caused someone pain or offense, go make it right as far as it depends on you (Matthew 18:15-20, Romans 12:18) but don’t let your energy become wrapped up in managing how others see you.
The enemy can also try to bring accusation to areas of your life based on sin, whether it be confessed and repented of or not.
Here’s how to walk in victory:
Seek first the kingdom and His righteousness.
Practice intimate friendship with the Holy Spirit and a steady diet of the Word of God.
Quickly repent when God highlights sin or mindsets that don’t align with His truth. (1 John 1:9, Romans 12:1-2)
Stand in the righteousness of Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
Guard your heart from unforgiveness and offense. Practice honor and integrity in your relationships and communication even if you don’t agree with the person.
Revelation 12:10-11 TPT is an another powerful text that speaks to accusation and the triumph of God’s people through the blood of Jesus, His testimony and lives fully yielded to Him.
“Then I heard a triumphant voice in heaven proclaiming, ‘Now salvation and power are set in place, and the kingdom reign of our God and the ruling authority of his Anointed One are established. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who relentlessly accused them day and night before our God has now been defeated – cast out once and for all! They conquered him completely through the blood of the Lamb and the powerful word of his testimony. They triumphed because they did not love and cling to their own lives, even when faced with death.”
Mockery and doubt (Nehemiah 4:1-3)
This may sound like:
“What you’re trying to do is impossible.”
“You’re a joke and you’re going to embarrass yourself when your efforts fail.”
“Go ahead and try. It’s all going to FALL APART.”
This tactic will try to play on the fear of man. If the fear of man doesn’t work, he’ll try to convince you that you’re not able to do the task at hand. Good news! God didn’t call you to do something you could do on your own! The dreams of God can’t be accomplished through self-effort. This is cause to rejoice! This is where His divine power comes in!
Overcome this tactic:
Through the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord makes the fear of man irrelevant and releases wisdom to walk out the vision.
Declare the word!
Take practical steps toward what God has said.
Here are some scriptures for your arsenal.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10
“With God, nothing is impossible!” Luke 1:37
“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.” Psalm 127:1
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.” 2 Corinthians 4:7
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” 2 Corinthians 9:8
Intimidation (Nehemiah 4:7-8)
Efforts to intimidate you may sound like:
“You’re going to be alone.”
“You have a target on your back.”
“Just stop now before something horrible happens.”
(Also all the worst-case scenarios)
Here are some lessons from Nehemiah in how he responded to the threats of his enemies.
He prayed and then reminded the people that God was their defender and that it was His hand who would cause them to triumph.
Nehemiah provoked the people to think generationally. Their families and future generations would be affected by how they chose to respond to the enemy’s threats.
Nehemiah stationed watchman and encouraged the people to be both watchmen and builders. (They continued building with a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other.)
The enemy wants us to SHUT DOWN but God is teaching us to steward the wisdom of God as effective watchman and to stay engaged with the building according to the Lord’s leading.
Distraction (Nehemiah 6:1-4)
Distraction is an especially tricky one in Western culture. This may look like:
Getting swept up in what “everyone else is doing.”
Getting drawn into a hole of endless research, task management, time wasters and entertainment so you can’t advance the vision.
Any of this sound familiar?
I know I’ve experienced every single one of these this week.
I want to encourage you today to take a look around your life. What are the things that are burning in your heart that you feel like God has put in your hands?
Whether that thing looks big or small to you, God is training us in this hour to live from a posture of advancement.
Jesus said that he modeled what He did and the manner in which He did it based on what He saw the Father doing. (John 5:19) This is the posture of advancement.
There is a grace being released in our lives to be able to hear what God is doing and, and to be able to partner with Him in such a way that we don’t allow the enemy to set the pace.
Also, pay attention to ways the enemy will try to pressure you and try to make you feel like you have to HURRY or make decisions from a frantic place. A frantic place is a fearful place, but there is a footing that comes in finding the wisdom and pace for our next right steps in the presence of God, in the word of God, in the revelation that he gives.
And here's the beautiful thing. When God gives you revelation about what he's calling you to do and about next steps, it's not just intellectual information or a map to grab a hold of and run with. Rather within the revelation that he gives 1) it's an invitation to constant relationship. It's an invitation to radical dependency upon him (which our flesh doesn’t like because we love to be independent), but He's showing us how to abide in Him. 2) Secondly, in that revelation and wisdom is also the grace to be able to walk that thing out one step at a time.
We are living in an amazing time of history. We bless you to walk intimately with the Holy Spirit as He empowers you to steward the vision He’s placed on the inside of you!