The Weapons that Deflate Persistence - Part VI
by Dr. John Tetsola

Last month we learned how persistence plays a major role in enabling us to pursue our promises in the midst of impossible odds. Persistence means to continue steadily in pursuit of a course of action in spite of the obstacles. Because of the role that persistence plays in pursuing our promises, the enemy uses key strategies to deflate the strength of our persistence in believing. These strategies can be found in the attack on Nehemiah as he rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem.

But when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and in a great rage, and he ridiculed the Jews. And he said before his brethren and the army of Samaria, What are these feeble Jews doing?
Nehemiah 4:1-2a AMP

(a) The first strategy used to deflate the spirit of persistence in your life is the spirit of ridicule. Ridicule represents words or actions intended to incite shame and humiliation. These words are intended not only to hinder your ability, but to stop your pursuit. The enemy ridiculed Nehemiah and his men by undermining their level of progress, and claiming that they were too feeble to accomplish the task at hand. But Nehemiah never gave up his pursuit of rebuilding the wall. Instead he prayed, “Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their taunts upon their own heads” (Neh. 4:4b). Don’t ever allow the ridicule of the enemy to stop your pursuit in believing. Obtain strength from God in prayer, and stay on the wall.

RESISTANCE AND RUMORS

And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem, to injure and cause confusion and failure in it. But because of them we made our prayer to our God and set a watch against them day and night. Do not be afraid of the enemy; [earnestly] remember the Lord and imprint Him [on your minds]…and [take from Him courage to] fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.
Nehemiah 4:8-9, 14b AMP

(b) The second strategy is the spirit of resistance against your believing and pursuit. Resistance means to form an impediment and to oppose an action in progress. The enemy tries to create an impediment in our path of belief so that there’s a standstill in the manifestation of our dreams. The enemy’s scheme is to make you ponder things like, “If God is in this thing or if God promised this, why do I need to fight so much?” Notice that when the spirit of ridicule didn’t work, Nehemiah’s enemies conspired to fight and cause confusion and failure in what was being done. But this time, not only did Nehemiah pray, but he also set a watch against them day and night. And while the enemy ‘conspired’ to stop the work, Nehemiah ‘inspired’ his men to fight. This helped them to remain persistent in believing for the complete rebuilding of the wall.

(c) The third strategy used to deflate our persistence is the spirit of rumors. Rumors are words spoken without validity and without any known authority of truth. There are three assigned purposes of every rumor released against the believer. The first purpose is to steal the support system that God intended to use to help you accomplish your vision. The second purpose is to cause people to lose faith in you, and in what God has spoken to your heart. The final purpose is to prevent further progress by tainting your character so no one receives from you. Nehemiah’s persistence in prayer and believing enabled him to overcome every ridicule, resistance, or rumor that the enemy could muster up against him, and so must we. Be persistent in believing until you see the manifestation of that which God has spoken to your heart.