Guard Your Character | Nehemiah 6:12-14

And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid. — Nehemiah 6:12-14 CALL OUT: Kevin Van Horn, who works with Faith-Based Security Network in Michigan. I love this organization. FBSN is a network of security and law enforcement professionals dedicated to continuously improving the security of faith-based organizations like ours. Thank you all for your service. One way to intentionally build discernment is to put the things we hear to the test. Nehemiah didn't blindly accept what Shemaiah said just because he was a Jewish native claiming to be a prophet. Instead, he tested what he said against God's Word. Then he traced the false prophecy back to Sanballat and Tobiah and other false prophets in the community that were paid off to entrap Nehemiah in sin and thus compromise his character. This happens all the time. Sometimes, the enemy attacks by paying off people within the ranks to sabotage a person's character. This is happening right now on both sides during the current election cycle. It even happened to Jesus for a measly 30 silver pieces. But this is how devious the enemy will be in our personal lives. If our enemy believes they cannot outright attack us, they will come hard for our character. And this is precisely why a believer and leader needs to be above reproach. So, let me implore you today. If you are a believer and leader today, give more attention to your character and stop falling for these attacks. ASK THIS: Reflect on a time when you felt your character or integrity was subtly undermined or attacked, similar to Nehemiah’s experience. How did you respond to this challenge, and what lessons did you learn about discernment and standing firm in your faith? As a leader in your community or faith, discuss the importance of being above reproach and the challenges that come with it. How can you, like Nehemiah, strengthen your ability to discern truth from deception, especially when faced with attacks on your character? What practical steps can you take to safeguard your integrity in leadership? DO THIS: Protect and guard your character. PRAY THIS: Father, grant me the discernment of Nehemiah to see through deceit and the strength to uphold my integrity in the face of challenges. Help me to trust in Your truth and guidance, that I may stand firm in character and faith, honoring You in all I do. Amen. PLAY THIS: Taste and See. 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