There are rebels everywhere. There are many attacks on our life coming from our enemies. These attacks come in form of threats, plots and schemes, sharp tongues and bitter words, and traps aimed at causing our downfall. However, we need to deal with this situation in a tactful and Godly way. A story in the book of Nehemiah can give us a tangible way and a living example how to down play these evil schemes: Nehemiah, by that time was re-building the wall of Jerusalem. When Sanballat heard that the man of God rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews and Nehemiah‘s enemies stated frighten him and all the workers who were participating in rebuilding the wall in different ways. Nehemiah 6: 1-3: Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it, Sanballat and Geshem sent to me a message saying: “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you? So, are you in Nehemiah’s situation; building some walls left and facing some challenges? As it is expressed in the book of Isaiah 35:3–4: “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, Your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” The situation Nehemiah found himself in happens all the time on the Africa continent and the world in general. We witnessed this in the past and still continue to witness this in the government departments, public offices and families. This spirit has encroached churches whereby you find church leaders are not in “the same atmosphere.” Whether it is in the Pentecostal churches, Anglican, Catholic or Muslim congregations, it is longer at easy. Titus 1:10: says: “For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group.” One of the most insightful quotes about rebellion states: “True rebels hate their own rebellion. They know by experience that it is not a cool and glamorous lifestyle; it takes a courageous fool to say things that have not been said and to do things that have not been done.” ― Criss Jami, Venus in Arms. GOD LOVES YOU. Rev. Gatera is the Senior Pastor, Jesus Messiah Assembly Ministries, Kigali, Rwanda.
