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Nate Heitzig: Fear is the alarm bell of the enemy. It's loud, it's scary, it makes you think an attack is imminent, but it doesn't hold the key to your future. Fear is often fiction dressed up like fact. And how true is that? We play this narrative in our mind. We have all these insecurities, these doubts, these fears and this "what if" game. Well, what if this happens? What if this person dies? What if this person leaves me? What if I don't get that promotion? What if I lose my job? What if? What if?

We play this narrative and we play all these lies in our minds and we allow this fiction to become fact, and it cripples us where we stand. But we know that Satan is the father of what? The father of lies. And so we need to know in our mind when we start playing this real tape of lies within our mind that the enemy is trying to get a foothold and he's waging a war against your mind. Don't fall for it. Surprise attacks only work on unarmed hearts.

So arm your heart, arm your mind, because can I just remind you, we are not defeated. Satan wants Christians feeling sad and defeated, blinded to the fact that we have the resurrection power of Jesus Christ alive in us today. And we're not fighting for victory, we're fighting from victory. Jesus Christ is already victorious, the head of the serpent has been stomped upon, and he has no hold in a believer's life.

So stop believing the lies of the enemy and recognize that you are victorious in Christ and arm your heart so when he attacks, you can defend. It's easy to look around the world, to look at the rubble and to feel hopeless. But that's exactly what the enemy wants. The Lord has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, of love, and of a sound mind. And yet some of us spend so much time living in fear that it robs us of our purpose.

So much time being scared of getting canceled, being scared of getting persecuted, but Jesus reminded us in this world you will have tribulation. And if they persecuted me, they're going to persecute you because a servant can't be greater than his master. And so we spend all this time fearing persecution, but you need to understand, you're going to be persecuted. You're going to have tribulation.

But if you know it's coming, you don't need to be scared of it. It's going to come, but fear not, as Jesus said, for I have overcome the world. So don't allow fear to dictate your faith or your steps. You need to expect opposition; don't be owned by it. Now I love that throughout these attacks, Nehemiah doesn't change a single thing that he's doing.

The discouragement of the people, the complaining, the threats from the enemy, it doesn't call him to stop doing the work. It doesn't call him to fall down; it causes him to double down and get more busy. It causes him to plan and to prepare and to keep building, but also pick up a sword and start fighting. Persecution shouldn't drive us from the Lord; it should draw us closer to him. The world wants to make you give in, but instead, let it make you fight harder.

But just know when you start building, when you start working, you will be persecuted. When Daniel was told to stop praying or he'd be thrown into a lion's den, what did he do? He prayed louder. When he was thrown into the lion's den and he was sitting in that pit, what did he do? He prayed. He prayed louder. He didn't let that shut him up. He roared louder than the roaring of the lion. My question for you is: what would it take to make you give in and shut up?

How loud do the lions have to roar to stop you in your tracks? What would it take to persuade you to fall away from following God? What would it take to convince you to stop trusting Jesus? Christian, don't let the roars of the world scare you away from following the true lion. Sure, Satan is a lion going to and fro seeking whom he may devour, but the eyes of the Lord are going to and fro looking for those whom he can show himself strong on their behalf.

And we serve a far greater lion than wimpy Satan. We serve the Lion of the tribe of Judah who goes before us, who fights our battles, who is victorious for us. You have the power of God in your life, and Satan doesn't want you to know it. People attack us as Christians as Bible-thumping bigots. Because we believe God created biological men and women and that can't change, we're labeled as transphobic and intolerant.

Because we believe the words of Jesus when he said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through me," we're called narrow-minded. Because we believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, we're simple-minded. Because we believe that life starts in the womb, we are anti-women and anti-women's rights. Christian, don't let the ridicule, the threats, the fabricated lies, the false accusations, or the intimidation shut you up. What should we do when these things are said about us?

Get louder. We should keep doing what we're doing. Don't get distracted. Don't give in. Give it your all. Keep working, keep building, keep living the Christian life. Don't try to be accepted by the world; change the world. Don't fear being rejected by the world; fear God more than you fear man. Don't blend in with the crowd; get loud and get to work. We don't panic; we prepare. And watchful doesn't mean fearful.

Alert doesn't mean anxious. So don't let fear drive your decisions; let faith decide your direction. And now we see the solution to these issues. Let's look at the first solution, and that is that we need to guard the gaps. Look at verse 13. In verse 13, we read, "Therefore, I position men behind the lower parts of the walls at the openings." Now this is important; we need to understand.

The walls are being rebuilt, but there's certain parts of the wall that are more destroyed than others. There's certain parts that are so destroyed, they're in such a mess that the enemy could easily access the city and attack the people. And so what does Nehemiah do? He puts his strongest men with the best weapons and the best armor at the gaps of the city to protect the workers and to protect the work.

Nehemiah's strategy wasn't to deny the danger; it was to defend against it while continuing the work. So he places guards at the gaps, the vulnerable spots. Now every one of us has gaps. Every one of us has areas of vulnerability: habits, mindsets, sins that we struggle with, relationships that need to be repaired. And you can't just build your dream while ignoring your defense.

You have to be alert to what's broken down even while you're building up, and we have to take responsibility for these broken-down gaps within our lives. Nehemiah doesn't retreat from the threat; he reinforces the wall. Nehemiah also made a very practical defensive plan. Skip ahead to verses 17 to 18. It says, "Those who built on the wall and those who carried burdens loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction and with the other they held a weapon.

Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built." In this verse, we see the two tools that we need if we want to rebuild our city, that is a shovel and a sword. The first tool that we need to use if we want to rebuild our city is our shovel. We need to get to work. This is the practical mentality of rebuilding the city, rebuilding the walls. Now what does it look like to use our shovels to rebuild a city in shambles in 2025? Because we don't have physically broken-down walls like the Israelites did.

Simply this: our city needs to see our love before they'll listen to our message. And this is what using the shovel looks like. We look for ways to actively make an impact for the good of the city that we're in, to rebuild it, to bring peace and prosperity to the city which God has sent us to. We make an impact for good. Hal Donaldson, the founder of Convoy of Hope, said, "The church earns influence through sweat and tears on behalf of the community."

And as Christians, as believers, we should be the hardest workers in our entire city. We should be the best citizens. We should be the first to respond to a need in our city: feeding the homeless, cleaning our parks, serving at food banks, supporting our law enforcement when we see them. When we see a need, we meet a need. You are called to make a difference in this city.

This is why we so believe in the vision of Love Day and Freedom Celebration. When you give and get involved in Love Day, you are picking up your shovel and saying, "I'm not just going to complain about the issues I see, I'm going to work for the betterment of my city." Why? Because I love my city and I love the people that are in it, so I'm going to get busy. Jeremiah 29:7 says, "Work for the peace and the prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile."

Now I love this verse because honestly, it should blow your minds. God didn't just call them to work for the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem. This is when they were sent into exile, into a foreign land with foreign gods, with people who hated them and persecuted them and despised them. And what was God's call to them? It wasn't to overthrow the government, take over the city, and go back to Jerusalem. It was to work for the peace and the prosperity of the place that I sent you into exile.

Here's the premise: God sent you to wherever you're at right now. Wherever you are, God has you there for a reason. And sometimes we can feel like we're in exile. We can look around at our city and say, "I feel like I'm in exile. Look at our neighbors, look at how well they're doing, look at how much money they have, look at their education system, look at their lack of crime. I want to be there."

But God's looking at you and saying, "I sent you to where you are for a purpose. So work for the peace and the prosperity for the place that I've called you to." Even if the city that you're in isn't where you were born or plan on spending the rest of your life, as long as you're here, you're called to be here, so make a difference here. And don't just pray; prepare. No one can honestly pray for change if they're not willing to help bring it.

And a true love for your city and the people in it will lead you to want to make it better. Nehemiah was a man of prayer, but he was also a man willing to do the work. A true love for our city and the people in it won't stop at a feeling we have; it will translate into a work that we do. It not only feels generous, it is generous. It not only desires change, it works for it.

Guest (Male): This is Connect with Skip Heitzig. We'll return to Nate Heitzig's teaching in just a moment. Every day, the generosity of friends like you helps make clear verse-by-verse Bible teaching available to people searching for truth, direction, and hope. And this month, we want to thank you with two powerful resources to help you follow God faithfully, even when life feels uncertain or challenging.

When you give, you'll receive the *Expound Nehemiah* seven-message CD series with digital download, along with Pastor Skip's booklet, *Overcoming an Anxious Mind*. Together, these resources show you how God rebuilds what's broken, strengthens you when you face opposition, and gives you peace even in seasons of pressure and waiting. We'll send both resources as our thanks when you give $50 or more to support Connect with Skip Heitzig.

Call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskip.com/offer. Now let's get back to the teaching of Nate Heitzig.

Nate Heitzig: First John 3:18 says, "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." This should be our motivation in our city, to show our city how much we love it. This is why we call Love Day, Love Day. This is why we called Love Week, Love Week. This is why the T-shirts say, "For the city we love."

Because we're doing these acts of service not just for the sake of it, we're doing it because we love our city and the people in it, and more importantly, we're doing it because God loves them and has a plan and a purpose for their life. And we want to introduce them to the only one who can bring them the peace, the joy, and the purpose that they seek. It's Love Day; we do it because we love them.

You know why this is so important? Because our work is a witness. Our work is a witness. And at Love Day, we're going to have an opportunity to show people how much we love them. And what's going to happen is people are going to experience love and care from people who they didn't do anything for, from people who they didn't give anything to.

And they're going to ask questions to those who are serving like, "Hey, why are you doing this for us? Why are you doing this? What's compelling you to do this?" And we're going to be able to answer: "We're doing this because we love you and Jesus Christ loves you. And he saved my life, and he can save your life." And in that moment, they're going to hear the most powerful Gospel message they might ever hear in their life.

And it's not going to come from a stage; it's not going to come from a pastor; it's going to come from the loving of people and being the hands and the feet of Jesus. A hard worker is one of the best witnesses, but it's not our only witness. And that's why it's important to not just use our shovels; we also need to use our swords. That's the second tool we need to harness.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that we are to be salt and light in the world. Now salt does a couple things. Salt preserves, but salt also stings. And our presence in society should sting people's conscience and wake them up. It should hurt them a little bit. We know that the word of God, the sword of the Spirit, is sharper than any two-edged sword and it cuts into our lives and it reveals the things that need to change and it draws us to repentance.

But that hurts, doesn't it? Anyone in here remember when you first became a believer and you started reading through the scripture and you'd come across those verses that addressed things in your life that you shouldn't have and how painful that was? As you read that verse, you're like, "Ooh, I need to fix that. I need to repent of that. I need to change that." It hurts, doesn't it?

But it's good. It's what brings change. It's what brings repentance. But when this happens, it's going to bring persecution, and it's going to require perseverance. It's one of the reasons why I kind of take it as a badge of honor when I see people who think they're cats telling me that I'm not inclusive enough or that I'm intolerant. Means it's working. The word of God is stinging their conscience.

The light is blinding them in the eyes, and they're responding and lashing out with persecution. It means that it's doing what it's supposed to do. It's waking them up. As Christians, we need to try and stop the spread of corruption around us by our actions. We need to use the word of God to preach the Gospel and see lives changed and transformed. This is how we fight.

We don't fight with the world's weapons. We don't fight with the enemy's tools. God has given us a tool, and he promises that if we use the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, lives will be changed and transformed. And it has nothing to do with you; it has everything to do with the power in this book. And so we boldly proclaim it, trusting that it's going to make a difference and it's going to awaken people to a new life.

In the way that we vote, in what we support, in how we act, in what we say, and letting our opinions be made known, in getting involved in every aspect of life. The world tells Christians to stay in our lane, to hide in our churches, to not get involved in politics. That's exactly why I think it's so important for Christians to get involved in society, because if they don't want us there, that's exactly where we're supposed to be.

So stop giving in to what they want and give it your all. Get more involved. Get louder. Do more. Get involved in places of government. Get involved in places of entertainment. Get involved on school boards. Christians need to be in all these places so that we can through our actions be a preserving agent in society. So Christian, pull out your sword.

Have it with you at all times. Hide the word of God in your heart. Be ready in season and out of season. Start preaching the Gospel and seeking revival because it's the Gospel that changes lives and transforms countries. And if we want to see New Mexico change, revival is the answer. The people must change and the city will follow. And the rubble that we see shouldn't cause us to give up; it should fire us up and cause us to pick up our sword and preach the Gospel even more to those around us.

Don't let the rubble that you see embitter you; let it embolden you. Don't believe that this is your defeat; let it be your rally cry. Don't let this cause you to feel hopeless; let this drive you to where hope is really found in the word of God. Don't let this silence you; let it awaken your lungs and your tongue to preach the Gospel.

You know we've all heard "the best defense is a good offense," and I want to let you know we have the best offense in the universe: the word of God. And you know we as a church, Calvary, for over 40 years have elevated the word of God over everything else. And you've often heard my dad say, you've often heard it said from the pulpit: the word of God does the work of God.

And scripture tells us it pleased God the foolishness of the thing preached. That is to say that it doesn't matter how eloquent you are, it doesn't matter how good you are at winning arguments, how many degrees you have. All you're called to do is open the word of God and preach the truth of it into people's lives and you'll see lives changed because this is where the power is.

So use it. Use it to make an impact. And in these passages, the shovel and the sword, the salt and the light, this is what gives us our game plan for Love Day and Freedom Celebration. So hold the shovel but don't drop the sword. Fight for your family but keep building for the future. Last we see as we close, the number one tool we need if we want to fight the issues of discouragement, despair, and the threats from the enemy is we need some backup on the battlefield.

Look at verse 19. "Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, 'The work is great and extensive.'" I love that Nehemiah said that because they were complaining about how great and extensive and hard the work was. And Nehemiah kind of says, "Yeah, the work is great and extensive. It's a lot of work. It's hard to do. And we're separated far from one another on the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there.'"

Here it is: "Our God will fight for us." Once again, we see Nehemiah get practical and spiritual. He practically creates a communication strategy. "Hey guys, I recognize the work is hard. It's extensive. We got a lot to do. I know there's enemies and we're spread apart and they could attack at any time." So he sets up a communication strategy to rally the people in case of an attack.

But he anchors it all in a reminder for the people. And that reminder is: "Hey, we're going to plan, we're going to prepare, we're going to do what we can, but we're not the only ones fighting. If it's us against them, we're toast. But our God fights for us. And if it's us and God against them, they don't stand a chance." Nehemiah recognizes that you can be fully armed, you can have a great plan, and you can still be outmatched unless you have backup.

So Nehemiah says we've got a plan, we've got weapons, but don't forget who's really fighting. Nehemiah reminds the people that even though they are armed and alert, God is their ultimate defense. Psalm 46:1 says, "God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Exodus 14:14 says, "The Lord will fight for you. You just need to be still."

So yes, work hard. Yes, stay alert. Yes, hold the sword and the shovel and have a plan to defend against the enemy's attacks, but never forget who your defender really is. Nehemiah knew that their greatest weapon wasn't in their hands; it was in their hope. See, it's not just about your hustle; it's about your hope. God's presence is their greatest protection.

So think of it this way as we close: work like it all depends on you. Put in the work, bring your tools, bring your resources, bring your skills and your talents that God has blessed you with. Work for your city and your family like it all depends on you, but pray like it all depends on God. And these two things, when we pair human ability with God's supernatural, divine ability, and we bring God what we have and ask God to use it and then believe that God is going to be the one who brings the victory, that's where courage is formed.

That's where courage comes from. Courage isn't about being fearless; it's about remembering who fights for you. Because when you know who's in your corner, you don't cower in fear; you stand in strength. And real victory doesn't come from your shovel or your sword; it comes from your Savior. That's the secret weapon. That's what makes the enemy terrified when believers get ahold of and understand and grasp.

Fight with grit. Trust with faith. Then show up and watch him show off. The battle is real, but so is your defender. And we need to remind ourselves what Psalm 24:1 says: "The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it." Christian, that means this is God's city. It belongs to him. We're not fighting to reclaim it; we're fighting to rebuild it.

And our God fights for us. He is going ahead of us. He is protecting us, and we're not done yet. So when we see a need, we meet a need. This is our city. It might look to the world like a city in shambles, but that's a lie from the enemy. It's a kingdom city. And if we start viewing it the way God views it, it's going to change our perspective.

If we start viewing it as something valuable that just needs some TLC and restoration, if we start seeing the potential that God sees within our cities, it's going to embolden us and strengthen us to rebuild the walls and to fight the good fight. So don't drop the shovel, don't sheathe the sword. It might feel like too much: too much rubble, too many threats, too many responsibilities. But Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we don't give up." So keep digging, keep defending, keep showing up, because anything worth building will always face opposition. And the only way to finish the wall is to fight through the fatigue. So don't freeze, don't fold. You've been equipped with a shovel and a sword. Let's use them.

Guest (Male): We're so glad you joined us for Connect with Skip Heitzig today, featuring Pastor Skip's son, Nate Heitzig. Before we go, remember your generosity helps share God's word with people all around the world, offering truth, hope, and encouragement where it's needed most.

And this month, we'd love to thank you for your gift of $50 or more by sending you the *Expound Nehemiah* seven-message CD series with digital download, along with Pastor Skip's booklet, *Overcoming an Anxious Mind*. These resources will help you see how God rebuilds what's broken in your life and gives you peace, even in the midst of pressure and uncertainty. Give today at connectwithskip.com/offer or call 800-922-1888. We'll see you next time on Connect with Skip Heitzig.