We pray, we receive direction from God, we take action and step out in obedience to God's direction. Wouldn't that be great if this was how the story ended? But this is rarely so. Once we step out, the attacks will come. They are varied and come in many ways. Though Satan and his army are ready to pounce on us and thwart us from our God directed action, God is ready and willing to see us through. The question is what do we choose to focus on, our circumstances or our God? Satan tempts us and attacks us, but God allows these trials to strengthen our walk and our reliance on Him.

Nehemiah stepped out in action along with the people of Jerusalem. When he did so, the attacks came fast and furious. It began with mocking, as we read in Nehemiah 4:1, "But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews." We are warned of the same thing as we move towards end times in 2 Peter 3:4, "knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, " Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." When the mental attack failed to stop Nehemiah we see them turn up the heat as we read in Nehemiah 4:7-8, "When Sanballat,...heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion." But we see Nehemiah's response in 4:9, "Nevertheless we made our prayer to God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night." As the threat intensified we read his encouragement in 4:14, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses." In Nehemiah 5, he deals with attacks coming from within the walls of Jerusalem at the hands of the leaders. When Sanballat and others realized their previous attacks failed, they resorted to lying about Nehemiah and attempting to destroy his reputation in chapter 6.

The trials in our lives will indeed come. We can make the mistake of comparing each other's trials to see who has it the worst which accomplishes nothing. Or we can rely on the only thing which does make a difference; Whom we rely on in the midst of our trials. In the well known conclusion at the end of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:24-27, notice that the trials in the form of "the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house" was constant. What varied was what the builder chose as his foundation to build his house: rock or sand. He who heard the sayings of Jesus and acted on them was like the wise builder who built his house on the rock. Likewise, we will face trials of many kinds. This is a constant. Our choice rests on whether or not we will keep our eyes locked onto God in the midst of these trials. As written in James 1:2-3, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." Satan and others mean it for bad, but God will use it for good. Lastly, when attacked, allow no bitterness to form, but remember what our Lord and savior said on the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”