How to Remain Determined Against All Odds
Shared on January 26, 2025
Introduction
Whoever tells you that success comes easy is someone who has told you a lie. We know that in whatever success we try to build, we are going to be met with great adversity. How do you deal with adversity? So, I want to share a message today focusing on remaining determined in the face of adversity.
Nehemiah’s Desire
So, as I began to think over this message and consider who from scripture I could use as an example of determination, my heart settled on one person. Nehemiah was a man of great focus and great determination. Nehemiah wouldn’t let anything or anyone stop him from achieving. So, I hope that you open your heart today and then do your best to imitate Nehemiah’s determination.
Nehemiah’s desire to rebuild and restore
Nehemiah desired to help rebuild and restore the wall of Jerusalem. You see, Nehemiah was one of the Jews who was still in Babylon after two groups had returned from exile to Jerusalem. (The Jews had spent 70 years living in exile in Babylon after the Babylons conquered Jerusalem.)
While he was in Babylon, Nehemiah had received that those who had returned to Jerusalem were living in distress and reproach (disgrace) (Neh. 1:3). You see, after the Babylonians had conquered Jerusalem and carried away the people, Jerusalem was left in desolation. So, those first groups that had returned from exile, returned to a rubble of mess.
In Ezra 3-6, we are shown that it took 20 years for the temple to be rebuilt and restored. Nehemiah was told that the wall, after all those years, was still broken down and its gates were still charred. Hearing this news caused a fire to burn in Nehemiah as he desired to go back home and lead an effort to help restore Jerusalem.
A prayer for success
Now, I want you to note the very first thing Nehemiah did in his desire. In Nehemiah 1:4, we are told that Nehemiah fasted and prayed to the Lord.
As we should know, the very first step that you should always take in your plan for success is to go to God in prayer. Yes, no matter your plans, whether you think you’re capable of achieving by your own strength or not, you should pray to the Lord. You see, God is the one who sets forth and establishes the pathway to success.
As the proverb states, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps (Prov. 16:9).” Should we not go to the Lord, the proverb also tells us that there’s a way that seems right to a man but its end is destruction (Prov. 14:12). Personally, I much rather achieve success rather than achieve nothing at all. So, let us always be prayerful when it comes to building success.
Nehemiah Faces Adversity
After Nehemiah prayed to the Lord, he began to move down the pathway to carrying out his plan.
In order to return to Jerusalem and his people, Nehemiah needed to get clearance from the Persian king, Artaxerxes (Neh. 2:5). Now, this could have been a worrying moment for Nehemiah because the Persian king could have said no. However, Nehemiah tells us that it pleased the king to send him home to his people to lead the efforts of rebuilding and restoring.
What may seem like moments to worry for us, shouldn’t be so, especially when we have prayed to God over the matter. Again, when we pray to God about the desire of our heart, we should know that God will ordain our success. The Lord has promised to give us the desire of our heart should we ask (John 15:7-8).
As Nehemiah passed through the region, visiting governors, we will see that adversity began to stir up against him. In Nehemiah 2:10, we are introduced to a man named Sanballat. Scripture tells us that Sanballat was “deeply disturbed” that Nehemiah sought the well-being of the children of Israel.
What is amazing about this is that adversity had begun to stir against Nehemiah before Nehemiah had ever lifted a hand to build and restore! Adversity does not wait, does it? As we know from our journey, adversity will waste no time trying to hinder and impede our efforts to succeed.
Why Do We Face Adversity?
The thought of adversity being stirred up against us, even after we have prayed to God, may cause some of us to ask a familiar question. Some of us may begin to wonder: Why does the Lord allow us to face adversity even though we have prayed to Him? Some of us may wonder: Why does God allow bad things to happen to us, His children?
Paul preached that the Lord determines the times and the boundaries of man (Acts 17:26-28). Paul preached that the Lord does this so that man will seek Him and grope from Him. Lastly, Paul preached that it is in God that we live (move) and have our being, but personally, I have found that this is something man seemingly forget! We forget that we live and have our being because of God!
How do we forget the Lord? As I said recently, we often forget God in our self-righteousness. You see, many of us believe that we, ourselves, have blessed ourselves. Some of us believe that we put food on the table because of our hard labor, not the Lord. Some of us believe that we put the roof over our heads, the clothing on our backs, and the shoes on our feet, not the Lord.
In response to the self-righteousness that can form in the heart of man, the Lord permits life to happen. There’s nothing happening in the world today that God is not aware of – both good and bad.
Adversity humbles us! Not only does adversity humble us, but adversity trains us – it teaches and strengthens the child of God. You see, in adversity, the child of God should be drawing closer to God! In adversity, the child of God should be leaning on the Lord to help bring us through!
How to Navigate Constant Adversity
So, when Nehemiah and others began their work, scripture shows us that adversity approached them.
When they try to discourage you
In Nehemiah 2:19, we will see that Sanballat and his crew came and laughed at the effort of Nehemiah and the Jews. Nehemiah tells us that the Sanballat and his crew despised them! Sanballat and his crew questioned, “What is this thing you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?”
Let’s be clear about this: By asking those questions and laughing, Sanaballat was trying to discourage Nehemiah and those doing the work. Nehemiah already had the permission of the king. Even more importantly, Nehemiah’s work had also been ordained by the Lord! Who was Sanballat to even question their work?
Adversity has no say over what you do. Adversity will seek to discourage you by telling you what is or is not possible. Adversity will seek to discourage you be telling you what you can and cannot do. Should you ever listen to those who try to tell you what you can and cannot do? Should you ever listen to those who try to tell you what is or isn’t possible?
Never let someone tell you what you can and cannot do! What say do they have? Never let someone tell you what is or isn’t possible! What say do they have?
You see, it is when you begin to believe that something is impossible that it becomes impossible. It is when you begin to believe that you cannot do something that you will sit down and not accomplish. Let us always remember that Jesus taught us that all things are possible to those who believe (Mark 9:23).
Now, I want you to note how Nehemiah responded to the words of Sanballat. In Nehemiah 2:20, Nehemiah answered, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us”. Nehemiah didn’t need man’s thoughts or permission for the task he sat out to accomplish. The reason why he didn’t need such was because Nehemiah knew that God had already established the pathway to success!
When adversity tries to discourage you from moving to success, you must remain confident in the Lord! Yes, you must know and be confident that the Lord has established your path! How will you know that God has established your path? The Holy Spirit will fill you up with that confidence! The Holy Spirit is our comforter and our biggest supporter!
Remain prayerful at all times
When we look at Nehemiah 4:1-3, it becomes clear that Nehemiah and the workers had not let Sanballat’s attempt to discourage them get to them. So, adversity once again came to Nehemiah and this time adversity came in furious and very indignant.
I imagine all of us know this – adversity just doesn’t go away. Adversity always comes back and each time adversity comes back it seems to come back in more and more anger. How do you navigate the constant barrage of adversity that you can face?
In Nehemiah 4:4, we’ll see that Nehemiah, once again, cried out to God. Have you noticed that each time adversity came along the way Nehemiah kept turning to God? God was Nehemiah’s strength! I hope you’re learning that in the day of your adversity, God should be your strength!
Nehemiah prayed, “Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity.” Nehemiah prayed to God about His adversaries. Nehemiah prayed for the Lord to deal with his adversaries.
Now, I must say that Nehemaih’s prayer in this moment is a prayer that we shouldn’t make today. Sure, we should pray for the Lord to help us in our adversity but we don’t have to pray for God’s vengeance. Nehemiah’s prayer was a prayer under the law but we live under grace today.
Under grace, Jesus taught us to pray for those that hate us, despise us, use us, and even those that persecute us. Jesus sought for what is healthy for the soul and for us to make that our focus and our prayer. When we pray, we should remember that the Lord is with us! We should always pray for the Lord to uplift us in our day of affliction.
Choose to remain determined
After Nehemiah finished praying, Nehemiah told us that he and the people built the wall. In Nehemiah 4:6, he wrote, “So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.”
Something we must understand is that we get to choose how we respond in times of adversity. We can choose to give in to our haters and sling mud back and forth with them. We can choose to give up in the face of adversity as well. What comes from giving in to adversity or giving up?
Does success come our way when we give in to adversity or give up? Absolutely not. Therefore, remaining determined is a mindset one must have in the day of adversity. Some will choose to remain determined but others will give in or give up to adversity.
In Nehemiah 4:10-12, we’ll see that some of the people began to give in and give up. Those of Judah began to worry that the strength of the laborers was failing. They began to doubt they could build the wall because there was too much rubbish. They had heard the rumblings of the adversaries and they went to Nehemiah ten times about the threats the adversaries were making.
In my key verse, Nehemiah tells us that he looked, and arose and said to the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight…”
14 And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”
KEY VERSE – NEHEMIAH 4:14 NKJV
Fear and doubt, should you choose to permit them to be, can be your greatest adversaries. Yes, fear and doubt are great adversaries to success. God, however, has not given us a spirit of fear, but rather, He has given us a spirit to know that all things are possible (2 Tim. 1:7).
Today, we must choose not to let adversity get the best of us – it is a mindset – a choice! The determined mind can overcome any and all adversity, both internal and external. So, every time you are met with adversity, I encourage you today to choose not to let adversity get the best of you. Turn to the Lord, lean on Him, and move with confidence. You do these things and I assure you that success will come your way.
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