Persecution

In the course of our service to God, in whatever we do, there is bound to be persecution, or even insults, especially from our enemy, satan. Here is what Nehemiah went through with his people...

"When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall,
he became angry and was 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 at his side, said,
"What they are building—if even a fox climbed up on it,
he would break down their wall of stones!"

Hear us, O our God, for we are despised.
Turn their insults back on their own heads.
Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity.
Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight,
for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.

So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height,
for the people worked with all their heart."
~Nehemiah 4:1-6

Nehemiah stood firm, placed His hope and confidence in God, and prayed continually together with His people. They watched and prayed constantly. They worked with all their heart. They persevered through these insults that were constantly thrown at them. God honored their prayers and the result...

"So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.
When all our enemies heard about this,
all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence,
because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God."
~Nehemiah 6:15-16

Are you facing any persecution or insults in the course of service to God?

Stand firm,
place hope and confidence in God,
watch and pray,
persevere,
work with all your heart,
and await the result