Purpose Study Bible 357: Build and Battle
As the work of rebuilding the wall continued, so did the opposition:
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 Judah who 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 (Nehemiah 4:16-18).
It's an unfortunate reality that those who serve the Lord will face opposition. We often underestimate this truth, so when intense warfare occurs, we can buckle under the pressure or assume something must be wrong. Yet Nehemiah didn't allow the warfare to distract the people from their work. They learned to build and battle at the same time, with one hand on the work and another on their weapon.
Nehemiah faced human enemies, but the New Testament reminds us that God's people are also involved in a larger spiritual conflict. We read about the intensity of this war in Revelation 12:15-17:
Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
Nehemiah's workers carried literal swords, but ours are spiritual—prayer, God's Word, faith, truth, and obedience. Yet the sword didn't replace the work. Spiritual warfare should enable you to remain at your post, creating, serving, leading, teaching, or doing whatever God has given you to do.
Are you discouraged or intimidated by the opposition as you seek to fulfill your creative purpose? Do you need to be more vigilant, with one hand on the work and another on your sword? Do you recognize that opposition doesn't necessarily mean you're moving in the wrong direction?
The war is real, and you are a part of it whether you like it or not. Therefore, learn to engage in spiritual warfare if you wish to bear fruit and make progress in your pursuit of purpose. Keep your hand to the work, keep your spiritual weapons close, and don't allow opposition to drive you from your place on the wall.