"And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, 'Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes'" (Neh 4:14).
"And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, 'The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us'" (Neh 4:19-20).
It’s not hard to convince Christians that this world is dark and difficult. We experience this truth daily—in the trials of our lives and in watching the world seemingly unravel.
No, we are well aware of the hardships. What we so often need is to be reminded that there is more than hardship, there is also hope and help. As Nehemiah led the people of God against fearful opposition, he anchored them in who their God is and how God intended them to unite in the battles they faced.
Remember today, who your God is! Jesus Christ, the King of kings and somehow also the friend of sinners! He is the one who conquered Satan, sin, death and this world.
As Jesus saves sinners, he unites them to himself and brings us into the family of God. Each of us now has a divinely designed role to play in the body of Christ, that is, his church.
Many Christians wake up each day and face this dark world without these truths. Their hope burns low as their hearts drift from the truth of who their God is. They struggle alone against a darkness that is too great for any individual. Christian, it’s not meant to be like this.
You are not meant to fight alone. Above all, we have a God who fights for us. Remember him, trust in him. As you remember him, you will always have hope. Christ is the hope that the darkness cannot extinguish.
As you remember Christ your hope, remember also Christ’s people. He wants you to be near his people so that you can receive their help and so that you can help them. When you are weak, they are meant to rally to your side. When they are weak, you are meant to rally to their side.
Today you may need to let someone know you are struggling. A simple prayer request can get things started… Let a brother or sister know that you need prayer. You don’t have to give all the details, but beginning to be open is an amazing and necessary start.
Today, you may need to come alongside someone who is struggling. I can assure you, at any given time in the church, someone you know is struggling. Again, it can start out so simple. Reach out to a few people in your life and ask, “How can I be praying for you today?” As people respond, be sure you do actually pray for them. Then follow up later and see how things are going.
None of this is fancy, but this is how the church works—The people of God depending on God and coming alongside one another.
Today Christ has hope for us. Today Christ has help for us. May the hope and help of the Lord be richly yours today!
This article was originally published at https://www.dayspringreno.com/blog/youre-not-meant-to-fight-alone on October 12, 2023.
Jason Ching (MA, Westminster Seminary California) is a pastor at Dayspring Church in Reno, NV. He is husband to Naomi and father of three.
Note: The views expressed in this article are that of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of other contributors on this site.