Giants or Grasshoppers
Nehemiah 4:10-12

Lesson 11

background notes

doctrinal / teaching point

1. Discouragement and doubt are part of Satan’s strategy to defeat us.

practical application

1. Don’t be defeated by the D-darts of Satan.
   1. Discouragement
   2. Doubt
   3. Despair
   4. Demoralization
2. Remember that the halfway point is critical.

questions

1. What methods had the enemy used thus far to discourage the building of the wall?
2. Nehemiah 4:10 is written in the form of a Hebrew poem. The workers sang it as a dirge as they worked. What was happening at this half-way point?
3. What does fear do to people?
4. From what account in the Bible does the giant/grasshopper mind-set come?
5. What did Nehemiah do to change this frame of reference? How can this defeated attitude be overcome today?
6. List the “D” darts of Satan.

answers

1. Ridicule, scorn, open threat, disruption, and confusion.
2. They had become discouraged, and assumed a defeated attitude because there was still so much work to be done.
3. It causes believers to doubt both themselves and God’s power.
4. From Numbers 13:33, when twelve men were sent by Moses to spy out the strength of the people in the Promised Land. Ten reported that the people of the land were giants, and in comparison the Israelites were like grasshoppers. Joshua and Caleb disagreed, saying that they could conquer the Canaanites because God was on Israel’s side!
5. Nehemiah turned their thoughts to God, and encouraged the builders to continue building by God’s strength, not relying on their own strength. The same method holds true today.
6. 1. Discouragement
   2. Doubt
   3. Despair
   4. Demoralization

discuss/consider

1. God gives us the strength for every job that He calls us to do. Do you believe this, or do you become discouraged along the way, thinking it is too much and too hard to complete? Are you singing a dirge or a psalm as you work for God?
2. Like the two spies giving the minority report, do you really believe that you and God are a majority against the wiles of Satan? Remember, from God’s perspective giants and grasshoppers look the same!

challenge

What kind of rubbish do you need to clear away, so that your spiritual wall-building can continue and be more effective? What are some of the safeguards you can employ to strengthen your spiritual walls?

memorize

• “There is so much rubbish that we are not able to build.” Nehemiah 4:10