THE ENEMY OF PURPOSE

“But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry.” Nehemiah 4:7 (ESV)

When Nehemiah received his divine mandate to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, he encountered stiff opposition from Sanballat and Tobiah. Sanballat was the then governor of Samaria, a hated outpost in Judea whose inhabitants were deemed outcasts because of intermarrying with non-covenant nations. Sanballat focused his attacks on what the Jews lacked rather than on the actual strength of the opposition.

Dear friend, it is on your way to fulfilling your God-given purpose for your life that you will face the stiffest opposition. Satan does not formulate his attacks on those that are lost but on those that have heard God. In often times, his attacks will take the form of focusing our attention and energies on what we do not have or rather, what we are lacking in resources and strength to accomplish God’s purposes.

Friend, if God called you, He will equip you. If He sent you, He will resource you for the journey. Jesus exhorts us in John that without Him we can do nothing. We are to focus on Him and abide (persevere and remain steadfast) in Him alone for strength and refreshment. He is sufficient for every need. Distraction is the enemy of purpose and the enemy would rather have us focus on the challenges and impossibilities brought about by our inadequacies rather than on He who is All-Capable to replenish us.

Shake off all voices of distraction and focus on the Living and Effective Word of Him who is able to complete whatever He put in your heart to accomplish this season.