The Wisdom of No | Nehemiah 6:1-4

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 (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, 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?” And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. — Nehemiah 6:1-4 CALL OUT: Nick Carlozzi, from Texas, is a faithful listener and partner with our ministry. Thanks, brother, and may God bless your New Year. Set some big spiritual goals, and this devotional is for you today. Life is full of distractions. But some distractions are more dangerous and devious than others. Sometimes, it is easy to discern the difference, and other times, it is not. For Nehemiah, this dangerous diversion was a distraction that was easy to discern. When three of your known enemies want to meet you at the farthest reaches of your region for a meeting outside of the protection of your people and wall, the decision not to meet is a stern "No." But saying "No" is easy when we have a defined mission and clear purpose. When our mission and purpose are very defined, it's easier to say "No" in diplomatic or direct ways to requests or opportunities, even if they come from influential or persistent sources. So, in this New Year, if you want to crush your goals, you must learn to say "No." Say "No" to things like overeating, drinking, smoking, cursing, and outbursts. But, you will only say "No" if your mission is declared and your purpose is defined. When they are not, you will compromise, cheating yourself from reaching your goals. Nehemiah’s clarity of mission and purpose was remarkable through this book. But it was clear because he publicly declared his mission, which defined his "Yes," making his "No" easier to declare and define. So, if you want to crush your goals this year, it may be time to write out and publicly declare your mission and purpose. You might even find that others will rally around you and support you as well. ASK THIS: Reflect on a time when you faced a distracting situation or offer. How did you respond, and what impact did that decision have on your goals? In light of Nehemiah's story, how might you approach similar situations differently in the future to stay aligned with your defined mission and purpose? Consider your current goals and the mission you feel called to. Are there any habits or influences in your life that act as distractions, pulling you away from these objectives? Discuss how you can apply Nehemiah’s principle of saying "No" to these distractions to strengthen your commitment to your goals and mission. DO THIS: Declare and define your mission and purpose and start saying "No." PRAY THIS: Father, grant me the wisdom to discern distractions and the strength to say "No" when they threaten my purpose and goals. Help me to stay focused on the mission You have set before me, drawing inspiration from Nehemiah's unwavering dedication to Your work. Amen. PLAY THIS: God of Purpose. 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