The War Cry

Have you ever been asked to build a project that seemed nearly impossible? Nehemiah was asked by God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem that had burnt and fallen into a pile of rubble, but the people were afraid… and the enemies of the project were plenteous. But God had asked him to proceed in faith… and he did.

“Hear us our God, for we are despised. Turn back their insults on their own heads,” was their prayer. And the presence of God was with them, and “Everyone worked with all their heart (Nehemiah 4:4-6).”

But evil doesn’t rest when the will of God is being put into action. The enemy shouted to the builders, “Before you know it or see us, we will kill them and end their work!” Nehemiah stationed warriors all along the wall, night and day, leaving no weak spots. He urged the people to “Not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes” (Nehemiah 4:14).

“So they worked with a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other” (Nehemiah 4:17).

Friends, our best weapon in raising our families, in serving God, and in defending our Christian principles, is the Word of God and standing on His promises. We must be faithful in prayer; and we cannot put our weapon down… not for five minutes. When we are weary we must remember that this battle is only ours to win if we stay diligent and close to God. The command to “Fight for your families,” is a war cry for the next generation. Work hard! Pray harder! And trust God for victory. The future depends on it.

(Devotional by Cheryl Hall-Laos)