4 | April 2026
One of the greatest challenges that pastors and ministry leaders face is discouragement. In Nehemiah 6, we read about the enemies of God strategically working to hinder and stop the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. As Nehemiah pushed forward in what God had called him to do, the enemy commissioned “professional discouragers” to stop him. The leaders of the opposition were Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem. A.W. Tozer wrote, “The devil is a master of discouragement, and the closer a believer gets to God’s purposes, the harder he will work.” The enemy attempted to stop Nehemiah from doing God’s work in two ways. First, through distraction. In Nehemiah 6:2, they try to get him off the wall. Tried to get him to take his focus off what God had called him to do, and instead focus on something that wasn’t as important. The day-to-day demands of ministry can easily cause us to lose our focus on the mission, and it becomes even more challenging when the enemy is strategically working to distract us. Second, they spread false rumors about Nehemiah. If you’re going to serve God, being slandered, gossiped about, and lied about pretty much comes with the territory. No one likes to be falsely accused, and it not only causes personal hurt but can also be incredibly discouraging. Pastors begin to ask questions like, “Why am I sacrificing and giving of myself for people who are going to lie about me, and don’t trust me at all?” In Nehemiah 6:10-13, the opposition goes so far as to hire Shemaiah, a prophet, to frighten Nehemiah. Their goal is to discourage him, scare him, and simply run him off. It would be nice if these stories were just for Old Testament rebuilding projects, but the reality is the enemy is still using the same tactics to discourage and discredit pastors and ministry leaders today. All of us have dealt with our own Sanballats, Tobiahs, and even the hired Shemiahs. But opposition doesn’t mean we have failed at the work. Actually, it most often means exactly the opposite. The more we step out in faith, taking bold risks for kingdom advancement, the more we get the enemy’s attention and the greater threat we become. You may be fighting professional discouragers right now, but I want to encourage you not to give up. Don’t let them scare you off, intimidate you, or make you doubt your calling. Jesus was routinely slandered and falsely accused, and He was the perfect example of remaining steadfast in doing the Father’s will despite opposition. So, keep pressing on, stay encouraged, and don’t let the enemy cause you to give up. “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” – 1 Corinthians 15:58. President’s Pen Be Steadfast In The Battle Against Discouragement
In Christ, Dave Welsch SCBO President
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