The work of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem was fraught with difficulties. It started well, with many people enthusiastically dedicating themselves to the project. However, things did not proceed smoothly and they soon faced resistance, first from external sources, then from within. The enemy was cunning, offering what sounded like considerations for our well-being, but were in fact traps. What were their schemes? They told Nehemiah that the enemy wanted to kill him, suggesting they should meet in the temple and lock the doors. For many, this would be a difficult decision. But Nehemiah was well-versed in Scripture, knowing that the temple was not a place to flee for safety, and that ordinary people could not enter it freely. He likely remembered the fate of King Uzziah after entering the temple, and so he did not fall for the trap. Brothers and sisters, being well-versed in the Word of God is the most important weapon in exposing the enemy's schemes. Chapter 4 details the external resistance and Nehemiah's response.

Questions for reflection:

• What was Nehemiah's initial reaction to the obstruction? What is our usual reaction to obstruction?

• What methods did Nehemiah employ when facing the attacks of the devil?

• Have you ever been mocked, ridiculed or insulted? What was your reaction at the time? Would you, like Nehemiah, choose to be strong and courageous, entrusting the problems you face to God? Think about how this applies to you.

In the process of building God's glorious church, we will face the hindrance of the devil

I believe today that if you want to serve God and build God's glorious church, it certainly will not be smooth sailing. I have found it very interesting that we built a church without any glory in the early days, in 2008. When the brothers and sisters in our church believed and were baptised, no one in their families objected. The devil knew that the baptism or the belief would not affect him in any way. If it does not affect the devil, he will not hinder you. But if we turn to today, what do we see? Almost every person who believes is in for a fierce battle. A person believes, a person is baptised, and then you see a fierce battle.

The brothers and sisters in our church will find a very strange phenomenon: when they first communicate with their families, it is as if they are from two different worlds. In the past, we also believed, and the previous churches also believed, but we seemed to be in the same world as our families. But now, we also believe, but we are in two different worlds with our families. What exactly has happened? The thing is that you are really going to build God's glorious church. The devil knows it, God knows it, and you yourself know it. Next, you will definitely face the hindrance of the devil. I think this chapter is actually about building God's glorious church in the midst of battle, building walls in the midst of battle. Half the people are waiting there with knives and guns to resist the enemy, and half the people are working there. One hand with a knife and one hand with a tool, that is a portrayal of building God's glorious church.

Today, we will focus on such a topic, and share from this place the schemes of the devil. The few schemes of the devil to attack the church, or the few schemes to attack you, are very, very clearly reflected here. Today, a person wants to believe in the Lord, for example, some of us have just believed in the Lord, and you will definitely face all kinds of hindrances. Some people say, Believing in the Lord should be a smooth thing, right? No, believing in the Lord is not a smooth thing at all. If you think that believing in the Lord is a smooth thing, then there is a problem, it should not be a glorious church. That is to say, in the church, you will definitely face all kinds of challenges from the spiritual world, but God has destined you to be victorious. As long as you rise up and fight, God will surely make the work of your hands successful, and not only will he make you successful, but he will also glorify you.

So when we read the Old Testament, we often relate it to the spiritual attacks and hindrances we face today in building God's glorious church. If something is hindering you, attacking you, or making it a little difficult to walk, you should be on the right track. Because these hindrances are just testing your faith. Your faith must be tested to shine like gold that has been refined by fire, which is God's wonderful work. I tell you, the devil has become God's servant to sift out the faithless and sift out the faithful. If you are a person of faith, the devil will not hinder you; if you are a person without faith, the devil will stop you with just one block. Those with faith and those without faith are immediately sifted out. What happens after the sifting? After being sifted out, some become God's treasures, and some become trash, sent to the incinerator, which is hell.

Know the devil's schemes

The first scheme of the devil: ridicule

Regarding the attacks of the devil, we must have a faith that is not afraid of death, and a faith that is not afraid of death is true faith. So today we must know for sure, we must know the devil's schemes.

But when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was angry and greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are? Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, said, What they are building—even a fox could climb up and break it down! (Nehemiah 4:1-3)

I tell you, you will definitely face one thing, that is, someone will ridicule you, this ridicule is released from the devil's world. In fact, this voice was often heard when our church first started to turn around in 2011: What can you feeble people do? In fact, it is by making a choice inside, if you really have faith in God, you will persevere, you really have to persevere. What else will these people say? What they are building—even a fox could climb up and break it down! (Nehemiah 4:3) But Nehemiah and his people didn't take such words seriously at all. If you don't hear such words, your faith that has not been tested is probably not of much use.

Let's go back to Genesis, you need to know that Abraham's process of trusting in God was definitely not smooth sailing. If you believe in the Lord expecting to be smooth sailing, you are wrong. Of course, when we talk about testimonies, we sometimes describe such a state, wow! Very good, very good. Indeed, it is very good, because God makes you victorious. The life of a Christian is a life full of thrills and no danger. The situation at the time was actually a very hopeless situation. When you walk past this hopeless situation, you will see how God uses you, it is so wonderful. If you can overcome it, one by one, all because of your faith, your inner faith and the word testified by the precious blood shed by Jesus.

According to the saying in Revelation, if you can overcome, it is all because of your inner faith that is not afraid of death that you can overcome. If the devil enemy scares you a little, a few words, and you retreat, such faith will not be precious in the eyes of God. Brothers and sisters, we must have this kind of faith. Later, I found many places in the Bible that mention the faith that is not afraid of death, that is the true faith. The faith that is not afraid of death is the true faith. If you are afraid of this and afraid of that, worried about this and worried about that, that faith is basically not a very useful faith. The devil says, with such faith, even a fox jumping on your shoulder, you will fall down. Don't say a fox, even a chicken bumping into you, you will fall down.

Today we really need to have that kind of faith that is willing to go all out. I often test the faith inside me. Once I have that kind of faith that is willing to go all out, let me die, I can't die anyway, because whether I die or not is in God's power. The voice inside me that makes me weak, Look at how you can live like this, how can you walk like this? As long as I have this kind of faith inside me that is willing to go all out, there is no failure. So what did Nehemiah and his people say? They said:

Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of exile. Do not cover up their guilt or let their sins be blotted out from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders. (Nehemiah 4:4-5)

The second scheme of the devil: disturbance

Facing the attacks of the devil, first pray to God, and second, be vigilant and alert. What next? After overcoming it, the city wall was repaired to half. After the city wall was repaired to half, the devil came again. What did those people come to do again?

They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. (Nehemiah 4:8)

The devil enemy will start to freak out. This freaking out is when they see that these city walls have been built to half, they will plot to attack Jerusalem and stir up trouble in the city. So when we start to overcome the first step, you will find that the devil will create disturbance in your inside. But in the process of creating disturbance, as long as our brothers and sisters can pray to our God, and then we must be earnestly vigilant and alert. First pray to God, and second, be vigilant and alert.

When we were doing the healing and deliverance course, we forbade the brothers and sisters from praying for the one being delivered with their eyes closed. Once I was kneeling here to pray, a sister was possessed by a very evil spirit, because she had practiced yoga to a very, very high level, and then the other brothers and sisters were around here. I was praying at a position more than one meter away from her. As a result, when she was being delivered, she rushed up, very fast, and scratched me. The other brothers and sisters went up to stop her. It would be troublesome if everyone prayed with their eyes closed.

So brothers and sisters, we need to know today that there are some lessons we really need to learn. Don't think that you can pray to God and then close your eyes here when healing and delivering. Closing your eyes will not give you more faith, closing your eyes is not a necessary action. Prayers that are heard by God do not necessarily have to be with eyes closed, nor do they necessarily have to be with hands clasped, nor do they necessarily have to bow their heads and mumble, no need. Start to be alert, look in all directions and listen in all directions, you say can you concentrate? That is war, that is no joke, stirring up trouble in the city. Brothers and sisters, you will definitely find that the devil's enemy attacks the church is too common.

The third scheme of the devil: releasing voices that discourage people

Don't think that it is what the Jews said, that word is from people. It is the devil releasing an idea through these people.

Meanwhile, the people of Judah said, The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall. Also our enemies said, Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and stop the work. (Nehemiah 4:10-11)

What is needed at this time? What is needed at this time is a strong leader. A strong leader is one who still stands when everyone else is down on their knees, that is a leader. If you are leading and pastoring a small group, and the whole group is talking negatively, but you still persevere and pass on faith, what will the devil enemy say at this time? The enemy said, Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and stop the work. (Nehemiah 4:11) The devil will release this kind of information that he wants to destroy you.

I often hear this kind of talk. I often hear the devil say to me when I am doing healing and deliverance, I will kill you, I will kill you! But if you want to kill me, you may not be able to kill me. When I hear this kind of talk from him, the devil is about to be driven out. So later the devil is not very willing to say this kind of talk anymore, because we often deal with each other, and he also knows who I am. But there are still some devils that have not been dealt with, and they will often say this kind of talk, I will kill you, I will kill you! But in this whole process of healing and deliverance, I find it quite interesting.

Once, a sister among us brought a friend who practiced judo and other projects. He was a sumo wrestler, very big, more than 100 kilograms. His back of the head, top of the head, and back were all covered with knife scars. He was the kind of person who mixed in the underworld, very scary. That day he came to me and said, Oh, I can't do it anymore, I can't do it anymore! Please help me, please help me! I started to let him sit down and pray for him. When I was praying, his two big iron palms were twenty centimeters away from me, about to strangle me. Thank the Lord, do you ask me if I am afraid? I am also afraid. If he really strangles me, not to mention anything else, he will crush me to death just by pressing me under his body. Later, after the ghost was driven out, he returned to normal, and I asked him, What were you doing with those two hands of yours gesturing in front of me? He said, The ghost inside me wanted to strangle you through my hands.

After hearing these words, I said, Fortunately, God is really God. I said, Why didn't you strangle? He said, A great force blocked my hands. Later, I often experienced such things again and again. Do you say that I am still afraid? I am not afraid. At that time, I was not afraid of tigers when I first came out of the mountains, I didn't know that doing that was dangerous, and I didn't know how to be afraid. But now if you want me to face a sumo wrestler alone, I will find someone to help me to help him get delivered together. I think that sometimes it really creates an environment where you are alone, and you don't have to worry, because our God is really a God who makes us victorious. Then because of this reason, this kind of information is constantly released in the middle of the Jews, and the Jews hear such news every day.

We can imagine that the psychological warfare is like this: on the opposite side of Kinmen, a large loudspeaker is erected. The sound of that loudspeaker travels one hundred kilometers, and the whole of Kinmen hears the propaganda offensive all day long. The loudspeaker shouts every day, Surrender, surrender! The spiritual warfare is the same, so everyone must know that no matter what lies the devil releases, everyone should not worry, should not be afraid. As a result, the Jews came to Nehemiah ten times, wanting to send people to protect them. Then Nehemiah did something. He stationed the people behind the wall at the lower places, at the open places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles and officials and the rest of the people, Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes. (Nehemiah 4:14)

Have a strong and courageous heart, fight for your family

Today you will often hear me say: Start fighting for your family, bind the dark forces behind your family! I am not trying to scare you. If there are still people in your family who particularly love the world, the devil will definitely control you through them. Do not think that those people are here to love you; those people want your life. The demon inside them, the one that has controlled your family generation after generation, the devil that has come to your generation, is the one that is going to deal with you. If you want to ask who killed my father, my mother, my grandmother, my grandfather? It is the power behind your family that controls them. Moreover, these demons are very hateful. After killing them, they pretend to appear in your dreams, asking you to burn paper money and things like that.

If you actually do those things, those demons will legally enter your life and then corrupt you. Never think that if you do not fight, your wife, children, siblings, and property can be protected. You cannot protect them! Because your opponent is the devil. No matter how much property you have, there are examples everywhere of untold wealth turning into nothing in the blink of an eye. So today you must arise for your family and become warriors of battle. Because our God cannot work through the fear within us. If we are not afraid of these things, if we are strong and courageous in our hearts, and arise to fight, then God is a great and awesome God.

If you ask why God does not fight for me? Because you have fear in your heart, you do not have that faith, and God cannot use you. What will happen then? The devil and the enemy will know what we are thinking. Do not think that the devil is stupid. Although the devil is very stupid, it certainly knows what you are thinking. If you are strong and courageous in your heart, it knows it. If you are weak in your heart, it also knows it. You must know that the devil looks for the softest target. The devil will not come to me because it cannot pinch me. It knows what is in me, because there is no fear in me. So I encourage brothers and sisters to start equipping yourselves with a strong and courageous heart, and the devil will know it. Then they will not come, because they also know that God will destroy their plans.

Do you want the devil and the enemy to give up before you do? Nehemiah was such a person. What Nehemiah did was to make the devil give up first, not Nehemiah. Even the Jews, those people often came to Nehemiah to undermine Nehemiah's faith, but Nehemiah's faith remained strong there. In this generation, you must know for sure that if there is a David in this generation, a prosperous nation of Israel will be built. If there is a strong and courageous person in this generation, God will be able to build a strong army. If there is no such person in this generation, no matter how many Jews there are, it will be useless.

So I encourage the brothers and sisters in our church, may everyone be as strong as Nehemiah. Never be a weak person. If you are weak, whom else will the devil pinch if not you? I will tell you something very real. One of our sisters, because she grew up with her aunt, had a deep relationship with her aunt. On the day her aunt died, the demons that came out of her aunt jumped on her, even though they were tens of thousands of miles apart, one in Singapore and one in China. Those demons jumped on that sister, and then we prayed for her in this room. It was truly terrifying and a fierce battle, but finally the demon was driven away.

If our brothers and sisters do not recognize the work of these dark forces, do not think you can escape it. You may say I do not have time to believe in the Lord, I have time to make money; I do not have time to believe in the Lord, I have time to work; I do not have time to believe in the Lord, I only have time to be busy. What can you protect? You cannot protect anything. Your family, the past generations, how they were taken captive by the devil, will also happen to you. Do you understand? If you do not rise up to fight, you cannot protect your property. What will you use to protect it? So today we see that many powerful people cannot protect their own property. Do not think that you can protect yourself. Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain (Proverbs 127:1). Today, if you have God in your life, God will surely bless you, surely protect your property, and surely protect your wife and children.

Equip yourself with spiritual weapons at all times, fight while building God's glorious church

What we need today is such a person, and God also takes care of such a person. Then the devil will give up first.

From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. And the man who sounded the trumpet was stationed near me. (Nehemiah 4:16-18)

This is how Nehemiah arranged it. Do not think that a church that does not fight can get anything. A church that does not fight can live in a perfunctory manner, but when the devil attacks you, you will be helpless. So the people who built the wall, because of one Nehemiah, the whole people of Judah, became warriors in building the wall in Jerusalem.

So do not think that you can be a peaceful and joyful Christian without fighting, do not think that you can be a Christian who lives a peaceful life without fighting. You must rise up, you must build God's glorious church, fight while building God's glorious church, build while fighting. Whether in God's kingdom or in the devil's kingdom, God will surely make our name great. Anyone in the spiritual realm who hears our name will have their hearts melt, because we are a fighting people, God's mighty army. What will be the result?

Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us! (Nehemiah 4:19-20)

Today, brothers and sisters who are far away must know for sure that you must report what you have experienced to the church in a timely manner. Wherever the devil is, there the trumpet will sound; wherever the trumpet sounds, we will gather together there. Together in God's spiritual world, fighting with you. No matter where we are, we will fight together, we will surely win, and our God will surely fight for us. At this time, the whole people of Judah had never been so diligent, and they lived in Jerusalem all night long. There, the guards did not take off their clothes, and they carried weapons even when they went out to fetch water, always on the alert. This is a revelation to us today: If you want to build God's glorious church, it must be through fighting. Even when you go out to fetch water, you must wear spiritual weapons. Therefore, as written in Ephesians, we must put on the full armor of God and fight against the evil forces in the dark world. Amen!