Heroes Secure The Gate | Nehemiah 3:3-6

The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired. And next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baana repaired. And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord. — Nehemiah 3:3-5 SHOUT OUT: David Rose in Atlanta, Georgia. He leads a men's group at NorthPoint Church and invited me to say hello to his group last week. Thanks for taking the initiative and leading men. Two things stood out in this reading. First, they constructed the "beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars." In other words, the doors of the gate were solid and secure. They did this because rebuilding a wall with unsecured entrances would be stupid. Nehemiah wouldn't invest time, effort, and resources to build a wall without completing and securing the gates. This is because sometimes, gates need to be secured to protect those inside. It's the same reason I lock my house at night, or rather, why my wife insists I do. It's a preventative step for protection. The lesson here is that godly leaders pray, plan, lead, and work, but they also think ahead about preserving and protecting their work. They anticipate opposition. So, are you anticipating the opposition, be it opposition at work, at home, or in your family? There is a lot of spiritual opposition today, but are you taking the steps to secure your wife spiritually? To prepare your children spiritually? To protect your own life from spiritual attacks? At some point, a leader must close and secure the gate to protect and preserve the people and families behind it. Second, at the end of the text, we see that the Tekoites participated in the build, but their leaders did not. Commentators have different interpretations of this. One theory is that Tekoa, being in the region ruled by Geshem the Arab, faced pressure from Geshem not to participate. Geshem opposed the Jews' fortification despite the King's permission. He possibly exerted legal pressure on some to abstain. Whatever the case, Nehemiah sees the situation from a different perspective. He notes that the "nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord," perceiving their lack of participation as a matter of misaligned priorities. In other words, they bowed to fear but wouldn't bow to serve the Lord, and this judgment is permanently etched in the Old Testament. The lesson is that sometimes we must contend with religious-political pressure in doing God's work. It might come from national leaders, political parties, corporate mandates, unions, financial backers, religious organizations, educators, or peers. They may exert influence through safety or financial means, and we must choose. We can step into danger and the unknown, risking loss but trusting God's provision or bow to the pressure. But remember: your choice might be etched in God's testament as either hero or zero. Be a hero, not a zero, because godly leaders learn to withstand pressure. So, take a step in that direction today. ASK THIS: In what areas of your life do you need to "secure the gates" like Nehemiah, ensuring that you are not only building and leading effectively but also protecting and preserving what is valuable? How can you apply Nehemiah's wisdom to these areas for stronger spiritual and personal leadership? Reflecting on the Tekoites and their nobles' refusal to work, where in your life might you be facing similar pressures or fears that hinder your service to God? How can you overcome these challenges to align your priorities with God's plan, staying true to your faith even under external pressures or influences? DO THIS: Secure your gates and learn to take a stand. PRAY THIS: Father, grant me the wisdom and courage of Nehemiah to not only build and lead with integrity but also to protect and preserve Your work against opposition. Help me to stand firm in my faith, aligning my actions with Your will, even in the face of challenges and pressures from the world. Amen. PLAY THIS: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus. Check out other all Vince Miller's videos and audios for small groups at: https://beresolute.org/ Get Vince's most widely read resources The Daily Devotional at: https://beresolute.org/mdd Check out more ALL IN products like the one Vince is wearing at: https://beresolute.org/product-category/all-in-hats/ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Vince socially: FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/millervince INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/vinceleemiller LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincemiller TWITTER: https://twitter.com/vinceleemiller