BATTLE READY: A GOOD DEFENSE

We have talked a lot the last few weeks about courage and fear, and one of the things we've talked about during this time is the complete lack of fear we all have for being struck with Nerf darts. Un-less someone fires at you and point blank range, Nerf darts don't hurt. Darts fired from 30,20, or e  en 10 feet away tap us and bounce off us like nothing. There's no pain involved when you're being bombarded with Nerf darts, so players are much more fearless then they would be facing off against paintballs. 

Of course, that doesn't mean you WANT to be shot with Nerf darts! on the contrary. The whole point of a Nerf battle is to hit other people with the darts while avoiding being hit yourself. That's wy Nerf Battle veterans look for places they can hide and protect themselves from being hit while scoring as many hits as they can. Trees and wood piles become parts of fortifications. Garbage can lids become shields. Smart, savvy players will use and do whatever it takes to keep from being hit by Nerf darts so they can hold out as long as possible.

Sometimes in life we feel like we're under siege. Our plans that we made start to fall apart. Things we set out to do for God come up against unexpected obstacles. People we didn't expect to oppose us suddenly stand in the way of our plans. Do we give uP? or do we hunker down and keep going? 

God wants us to keep going. He will help us to defend our positions, giving us the courage to fight on. God's servant Nehemiah embodied theis determination when he traveled to the fallen city of Jerusalem to rebuild its walls. When people threatened to bring construction to a halt, Nehemiah fortified his defenses so the work of God could continue. 

READ NEHEMIAH 4:1-18

Many years earlier, the Babylonian army had conquered the once great city of Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem were being punished for turning away from God, but God had promised that one day, He would restore their City. Nehemiah was part of the plan. God led Nehemiah from a comfortable position in a palace far away back to the ruins of the might city to restore her strength.  

There were enemies of the Jews who did not want to see Jerusalem rebuilt, but rather than give up and give in, Nehemiah strengthened their defenses. He had the men working with tools in one hand and swords in the other. He had a plan in place to draw defenders to any part of the wall when and where they were needed. He kept going in the face of adversity. 

Nehemiah refused to give in to the critics. He had a good defense, and he finished the work God gave him to do. If we want to grab victory, we will keep going in the face of trouble just like Nehemiah. 

How do we build up a good defense when we need it most? The first step is one we discussed a few weeks ago. We get on our knees. Nehemiah was a man who prayed. Before he ever asked his master the king to let him return to Jerusalem, he prayed. Before he spoke to the people of Jerusalem, telling them why he had come, he prayed. All throughout the book of Nehemiah, even in the middle of his own narration, Nehemiah prays

Nehemiah placed him and his plans fulling into the hands of God. he trusted that God had a plan for him, and he believed God would not let anything deter those plans.

Nehemiah took steps to defend his people. He armed the men who were doing the work on the wall, He planned shifts so that someone was always watching for and attack. He created an alarm system so the defenders could race into action if needed. But Nehemiah wasn't the only person working to defend Jerusalem. God was with them in ways they could not see. God is more powerful than any weapon and any arm. He had defended His people in miraculous ways before, and Nehemiah and Jerusalem needed His intervention, God would have been there. 

Knowing God was with them gave the people courage. They kept going. They never quit. They trusted they were doing the Lord's work, and they believed wholeheartedly God would have stepped into action if needed. 

God can give us the same courage. If we pray and prepare ourselves for battle, God will defend us. Whenever you face opposition, hunker down and pray. God is our best defense, and if He is with us, nothing can stand against us. 

How can YOU help make this lesson stick with your child?

1. Make this week's lesson real: Build a blanket fort with your kids. As you build, ask your kids how Nehemiah and his people protected themselves while they rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem. 

2. Here are some discussion starters: ~ Why were some people trying to stop Nehemiah from rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem? ~ What did Nehemiah do to keep everyone building? ~ Why didn't Nehemiah give up?

3. Quiz your child on the memory verse: "But no weapon used against you will succeed." Isaiah 54:17a (NIrV) 

52 Week Curriculum: Battle Ready ~ A Good Defense