It All depends on Who You Listen To

It was the spirit of intimidation. The Jews had come back from captivity but what faced them was a broken down wall and the remains of what once had been a powerful city. It had been destroyed because of their sin. Now they were trying to rebuild. Sanballat heard about what they were doing and surrounded them with jeering taunts, "What are these feeble Jews doing?... Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, burned ones at that?" Tobiah the Ammonite joined in the taunt saying, "Yes, what they are building --if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall."(Nehemiah 4:2,3) The intimidation was to break the people and produce the fear of failure.

It was the spirit of conviction. The Jews had gathered together to hear the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. They not only read it clearly, they priest gave it sense and when the people understood they bowed their heads with their faces to the ground. Their heart were grieved because they understood at last the depth of their sin and they began to grieve. When they at last understood what God's word said they were filled with the fear of the Lord. The spirit of conviction broke their hearts and produced a spirit of worship.

The spirit of intimidation verses the spirit of conviction, one produces the fear of failure the other produces the fear of God. With intimidation comes discouragement with conviction comes courage. Intimidation points out my faults and failure. Conviction points me toward God's holiness. Both produce a form of brokenness.

"For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite." (Isaiah 57:15) This is what happened when the people were convicted of their sin and the fear of God fell on them and they bowed to worship. The next verse is a verse of encouragement, "Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."(Nehemiah 8:10) Conviction opens the door to experience repentance  Repentance opens the door for the Savior.

Father, sometimes I hear both the spirit of intimidation and conviction at the same time. Let my fear be the fear of God that brings with it wisdom. Thank you that You dwell with those who have a contrite and lowly spirit. In Your presence their is joy and strength.