Read: Nehemiah4:7-18 

God’s Word is a divine defense against attacks from the Enemy.

上帝的道就是属灵的军装，能抵御仇敌撒但的攻击。

Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. --Ephesians 6:17

拿着圣灵的宝剑，就是上帝的道。-以弗所书6章17节

Under Nehemiah’s supervision, the Israelite workers were rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. When they were nearly half finished, however, they learned that their enemies were plotting  to attack Jerusalem. This news demoralized the already exhausted workers.

以色列人在尼希米的监督下，重新修筑耶路撒冷周围的城墙。但工程进行到一半，他们却得知敌人正计划攻击耶路撒冷。筑墙的人原本就已筋疲力尽，这个消息更是严重打击了他们的士气。

Nehemiah had to do something. First, he prayed and posted numerous guards in strategic places. Then, he armed his workers. “Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked” (Neh. 4:17-18).

尼希米必须采取行动。首先，他向上帝祷告，并派遣许多人看守几处战略地点。接着，他让修筑城墙的人配戴兵器，那些「扛抬材料的，都一手做工，一手拿兵器。修造的人都腰间佩刀修造」（尼希米记4章17-18节）。

We who are building God’s kingdom need to arm ourselves against the attack of our spiritual enemy, Satan. Our protection is the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word. Memorizing Scripture and meditating on it enable us to “take [our]stand against the devil’s schemes” (Eph. 6:11). If we think that working for God doesn’t matter, we should turn to the promise that what we do for Jesus will last for eternity (1 Cor. 3:11-15). If we fear we’ve sinned too greatly for God to use us, we must remember we’ve been forgiven by the power of Jesus’blood (Matt. 26:28). And if we’re worried we might fail if we try to serve God,we can recall that Jesus said we will bear fruit as we abide in Him (John15:5).

我们这些正在建造上帝国度的人，也必须穿戴全副军装，来防御我们属灵的敌人，也就是撒但的攻击。圣灵的宝剑，即是上帝的话语能保护我们，若能背诵并且反复思想，「就能抵挡魔鬼的诡计」（以弗所书6章11节）。倘若我们认为服事上帝并不重要，就应当抓紧这个应许：我们为耶稣所做的工，将持续到永远（哥林多前书3章11-15节）。若我们害怕自己满身罪孽，以致上帝不能使用我们，就当谨记耶稣宝血的能力已使我们得着赦免（马太福音26章28节）。如果我们担心无法事奉上帝，就当思想耶稣说过，若我们住在祂里面，就会多结果子（约翰福音15章5节）。

God’s Word is our divine defense!

上帝的话语，就是我们属灵的军装！

Prayer 祷告：

God, thank You for the Bible. I believe that Your Word is alive and active. Please help me to remember it when I am worried or fearful, when I need encouragement and inspiration.

亲爱的上帝，谢谢祢赐下圣经，因祢的真道活泼长存。在我担心害怕，需要激励时，求祢帮助我牢记祢的话。

Read: Nehemiah4:7-18 

But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry.They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall."Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work."Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us."Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work.From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judahwho were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other,and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. 

整理：于姊妹