04/11/2018
MESSAGE PREACHED TODAY 4TH NOVEMBER, 2018 DURING THE ANOINTING AND COVENANT SERVICE HELD AT FOUNTAIN OF HOPE MINISTRIES INC, NO. 5 NUNG UDOSEN STREET, UYO. AKWA IBOM STATE.
MINISTERED BY: PST. OFONIME JAMES
SERVICE TOPIC: BEWARE OF SANBALLAT AND TOBIAH
Brethren, a new beginning is always a decision making time, it is a time to take into account past times, and what you intend to do in the future. brethren, the time is now for us to sit up and take a decision with God, in times like this, we should not panic because God has been doing and will continue to do, but there are always challenges ranging from hindrances to distractions, don't allow what will distract you in the course of your journey.
Nehemiah 2:1-10 says:
1. And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that w**e was before him, and I took up the w**e and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.
2. So the king said to me, "Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart." Then I was very much afraid.
3. I said to the king, " Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?"
4. Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
5. I said to the king, "If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it."
6. Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, "How long will your journey be, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time.
7. And I said to the king, "If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah,
8. and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go." And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.
9. Then I came to the governors of the provinces beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.
10. When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobias the Ammonite official heard about it, it was very displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel.
Brethren, who are these Sanballat and Tobias, by spiritual definition are enemies of progress, accusers of well-doers, opposers of good works. They are influential and wealthy and they expect everyone to say yes to them whether they are right or wrong, they are men in position of authority, they are always against anything that will advance the good cause. I call them plan killers and detractors.
When Nehemiah was in the house of the King, he got worried when he heard about the state of his city, and requested to be granted the opportunity to go and rebuild his father's house. He was of pure intentions, filled with goodness and sincerity, the nakedness of his fathers' sepulcher disturbed him until he could proffer solutions to it, he was able to get the king's permission and start the journey, men when coming to the city, instead of the noble men welcoming him, they started attacking and opposing him right from the start.
Enemies of progress will rather remain where they are than allow development to enter where they are, they are furious with progress, and if they find out they cannot get to you alone, they form liaisons with likeminded individuals to plot against you. Nehemiah 2:19 says "But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard it, they mocked us and despised us and said, "What is this thing you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?"
Brethren, Sanballats and Tobiahs are not just in the bible, they are here today, in your place of work, homes and even in the church, they are those who anytime anything good is about to be done, scatter it, when they hear about your promotion oppose it. we are in a new era, are you a Nehemiah or a Sanballat and Tobiah? which company are you?
These Sanballats are there to distract you, they monitor every progress you make and every step you take, they beef up their attacks to lie in wait for you, but I say to you, no matter their number, every Sanballat and Tobiah fighting against you will not succeed, my God will oppose them.( Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the 2 repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry.) Nehemiah 4:7.
Nehemiah 6:1-7 says:
1. Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates,
2. then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono." But they were planning to harm me.
3. So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?"
4. They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way.
5. Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand.
6. In it was written, "It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, 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.
Brethren, when they attack you and discover that you are doing more exploits, they will call you to make friends with you, don't be deceived. I decree that every strategy committed to pulling you will be frustrated. You shall be as wise as the serpent. If you are a child of God who is ready to listen to every distraction, you will fall, receive wisdom and the spirit of discernment.
When Sanballat and Tobiah are around you, when all their plots and strategies fail:
1. They will mock you. Nehemiah 4:1 says " Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews."
2.They will criticize you. Nehemiah 4:2 says " He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?"
3. They will condemn your work. Nehemiah 4:3 says "Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, "Even what they are building — if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!"
4. They will conspire against you. Nehemiah 4:8 says "All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it."
5. They seek to harm you. Nehemiah 6:2 says " then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono." But they were planning to harm me."
In all of these, you have a part to play:
1.Continue your good works. Galatians 6:9
2. Pray more Nehemiah 4:9; 1Thessalonians 5:17 : You have a part to play, let God know why He should spare your life, and why He should back you up.
3. Secure yourself appropriately Nehemiah
4:13-14: Look for security, arm yourselves like Nehemiah
THIS MESSAGE WAS BROUGHT TO YOU COURTESY OF FOUNTAIN MEDIA, WORSHIP WITH US EVERY SUNDAY AND WEDNESDAY BY 8AM AT FOUNTAIN OF HOPE MINISTRIES, NO. 5 NUNG UDOSEN STREET, OFF NEW INTERNATIONAL STADIUM WAY, UYO.
