"Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the LORD, the God of Israel, they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers' house and said to them, "Let us build with you..." (Ezra 4:1)
If you were to take a look at the fourth chapter of Ezra you would gain a big picture of the way the adversary works towards those who have decided to make disciples. Disciple Makers are builder of the temple of God, a house not made with hands made up of living stones being built up into a Spiritual House, the Temple of God. Disciple Makers, or better stated, Temple Builders are a threat to the adversary, Satan, who roars about like a lion seeking whom he may devour. His tactics are subtle at first and very sly. His first tactic is compromise, "come on, let me build with you, compromise with a sin here or there, it's no big deal." He is the Father of lies. When one resists the enemy he flees, but it never means the adversary is done!!! In Ezra 4:4-5 it says that the adversary came back and "discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose." When the adversary is resisted, he is forced to change his tactics. The adversary will come next with discouragement. If you resist, he will come with frustration. If you resist he may come back with force. But take courage. Although the people met resistance, God sent his prophets to say to the people "'Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified' says the Lord" (Haggai 1:7).
Are you meeting resistance? Resistance is a good sign that you are on the right track!!! And if you are not meeting resistance, get building! We are on the earth but for a short time. Let us be productive Temple Builders, active Disciple Makers and do the task our Lord has set us to do for His glory!!!
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