GROUP FELLOWSHIP

SUMMER 2001

NEHEMIAH: ‘A PURPOSE-DRIVEN PEOPLE’ - stirred up to serve!

(5) NEHEMIAH 6 - TASK COMPLETED

‘SO THE WALL WAS FINISHED’ (6.15). Great day! Their goal achieved! Great satisfaction! But before that moment arrived they had to survive one last insidious attack and danger.

• THE ATTEMPTED ELIMINATION OF THE LEADER

Realising the progress of the work, the enemy in a desperate attempt to undermine it, targeted the leader, Nehemiah.

• From what you read in this chapter, what exactly was the aim of the enemy for Nehemiah? What do you think they wanted to do to him?
• Why did they target Nehemiah? Why was the removal of him so crucial to their plans?
• What various ploys did they use in their attempt to get at Nehemiah? (Identify the different strategies used. Do any of these words fit: manipulation, distraction, defamation, intimidation, fabrication, assassination)
• What are the favourite strategies that our enemy uses today to achieve the same ends with us?

(Searching personal question! Has the enemy been targeting you, to eliminate you from a key place in service? Were you once a leader in any area of service? What knocked you out??)

• How did Nehemiah succeed in resisting? What considerations and qualities kept him from falling into the enemies’ traps and kept him in the work?

Any lessons?

• THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE WORK 6.1,15-16 (Neh 12)

After the blood, sweat, toil, tears and terror – completion!

• From your studies of Nehemiah to date, what’s your impression of how challenging the work undertaken was?
• Is this true of Christian service in general?
• To whom should we attribute praise for this great achievement?

See Nehemiah 2:12,18,20 ; 4:14,15,20 and 4:6, 21-23.

• What impact do you imagine the successful achievement at last of this great task had on
• the people’s faith and relationship with God?
• Their relationship with one another?

Is it true for us that service for God is a great factor in Christian growth?

• What affect did the work’s accomplishment have
• on the moral of God’s enemies? 6.15-16
• on the morale of God’s people in general? (Chapter 12:27 onwards has the account of their celebration: especially 12.43)

Are these same things always true about the achievement of something for God? What instances can you share from your experience?

(Supposing some individual had opted out of serving because of personal cost – what would he or she have missed out on?)

CONCLUSION: If you’re a leader of a work, be aware that you’re a target. As a group, pray for leaders of the church’s work – and personally seek to keep them in the battle by your encouragement. Pray for eliminated leaders!

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