Nehemiah 4:7-9 NKJV
Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.
As Nehemiah was overseeing the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, he encountered enemies who despised him because they did not want to see the walls restored. The enemies conspired to attack his team and cause confusion. Nehemiah’s men responded with prayer to God and vigilance. We must stay aware that we have an enemy who hates the idea that we can experience restoration. He comes to steal, kill and destroy and he wants his work to be left alone. When there is restoration, there is an undoing of his efforts. It takes him back to “Square one” when it comes to his plans to destroy us. We must follow the example here in Nehemiah 4. First we go to God in prayer – seeing Him as the Source of our help. Then we must set a watch. There must be diligence to look out for enemy advances and strategies and nip them in the bud. If we are not watchful, we can give place to the devil and play into his hands, falling in traps he sets for us. It is not enough to pray and it is not enough to watch. To see our restoration to completion we must pray and watch, watch and pray.