Spiritual Opposition

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to Yahweh, the God of Israel; then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' [houses], and said to them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as you do; and we sacrifice to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here. (Ezra 4: 1, 2)

 

I want us to appreciate the fact that spiritual opposition does not normally appear with guns. In fact it will many times appear as a useful ally of the cause.

 

This is what we see here.

 

It is of essence, then, to have a very discriminating faculty to be able to distinguish between ally and adversary.

 

It is important to note as you read the book of Ezra that there were Jews who were also forbidden from participating in the building, and that not because they were adversaries. They had simply been careless in preserving their genealogies.  They therefore could not be found when the ministers were being sought.

 

Now let me ask this question

 

If an Israelite who was undeniably Israelite could be stopped from participating in the spiritual pursuit that was the building of the temple, why do we think support should be accepted from people just because they seem to be interested with the ministry we are performing?

 

 Why should we assume that anyone who seems to be interested in what we are doing in God’s name is doing the same because he has our commitment and values?

 

Do you realize that the most portent spiritual powerhouses were emasculated by the woman who attached to them in marriage? Do you not know that Samson was invincible to the Philistines until his heart was ensnared to Delilah when she became his heartbeat like we say?

 

And Samson’s story is repeated in folk stories all over the world to prove that your invincibility is open to a very close friend, someone who can get in and out of your heart at will.

 

The long and short of what I am saying is that we are very poor judges of who is a friend or enemy if we just look on the outside appearances. We must look beyond ourselves to do it.

 

We need God’s standards (Bible) and Spirit to determine between ally and adversary.

 

Passion is a very poor standard to use to judge fidelity to the cause. I dare say that even commitment and loyalty do not rate very high because they are subject to external forces.

 

For example, Samson’s ‘wife’ was fully committed to him and marriage until her people threatened to burn her and her family unless … . The choices then became blurred (the state did the same anyway.) Even Delilah did not just betray him. The external forces became impossible to resist as I suspect that more than money was used to convince her. Or do you not remember that there were men concealed in her house in their intimate moments to ensure she asked the questions right?

 

David went out to meet them, and answered them, If you be come peaceably to me to help me, my heart shall be knit to you; but if [you be come] to betray me to my adversaries, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it. (1Chronicles 12:17)

 

David knew that secret. When people were falling to him from Saul, some even from Saul’s close family, he knew that there was a capacity of some being sent to betray him to the king who was seeking his life. He also knew that it was possible for him to be paranoid and chase people who were genuinely following him. He therefore took the case to God, the Only One who knows the hearts of men, to deal with them.

 

That requires immense faith. But it is the best thing as we allow the One who can see the depths of the heart to sift through our circles. This means another thing.

 

I am completely open to God in all my dealings with Him and the people around me. In other words I am defenseless before God even as I handle whoever seems to be joining my team.

 

But secondly is the fact that I must be submitted enough to God to only depend on Him to set the standards for whoever and whatever would want to join my team. That was the reason some priests and Levites were discontinued from ministry because their status had become compromised by the lack of their names in the genealogy of Israel. As such, being willing or even available is not the standard the spiritual person should use to engage partners.

 

What then happens when the offer for support or partnership is rejected on God’s terms?

 

Many times, the erstwhile friend becomes embittered for that rejection without caring to know the reasons for the same. And it becomes even worse if like the case we have seen in Nehemiah it had some strings attached. How do you feel if after extending your hand for a greeting someone pockets theirs? Or you are rushing to embrace a long lost friend (before the virus) and they shunned you?

 

That is how many times enemies in ministry are made. Sadly, many are pretenders of friendship like the team Nehemiah was dealing with. They will then take up the office of official opposition to everything we may want to do for God or in God’s name.

 

Whatever the case, allowing them to join you in serving God is worse than the active opposition they will offer when you choose to obey God and refuse their ‘assistance’.

 

But do we really have any choice? We must obey God and what He reveals to us through His word.

 

And that is why I will never tire to tell believers that they must be constantly reading their Bibles. It is the only way to be serving God God’s way.

 

In closing I will ask this; are you approved by God to serve Him and His people?