WHEN THEY TRY TO CEASE YOUR WORK AND ORDINATION

This was the word of the LORD spoke to me. “Read my word and read it clear. May it enter your ears and it gives you insight and understanding,” says the LORD.

​So, this is what the word of the LORD said at Ezra chapter 4, starting with verse 1. 

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the LORD God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers’ houses, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”
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Now, you must ask yourself. How did these men become aware of Zerubbabel’s building plan? And why did they wait until Zerubbabel had all the materials, resources, and finances needed to THEN want to be a part of the plans of the LORD was doing through Zerubbabel?
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You see, there will be those speculators who will sit back and watch you work hard in your grassroots stage. They will watch you attempt to grow networks with different folks, see your challenges in raising funds, and observe you struggling to promote and market your product or service. They will watch you rise and fall and not lift a finger or a voice to advocate or aid in supporting your efforts or struggles – the infancy and challenging years of your building plans. But the very moment when everything comes together. When you ascertain all the money you need, the fanfare has arrived in all its glory, and all the materials and resources you can dream of have finally come. Then the BOTTOM FEEDERS arrive in their flame of glory, riding their white horse offering to help while declaring we are one and the same – “… we seek your God…,” we too sacrifice to the same GOD.
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how should you respond
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But noticed Zerubbabel’s response to these men – these late arrivals in GOD’s plans through Zerubbabel. “But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel said to them, “You may do nothing with us to build a house for our God; but we alone will build to the LORD God of Israel…” (Ezra 4:3).

You see, most do not want to be a part of your growth and process until you have everything you need to finish the work you were called to do. Yet, they were present the entire time as a speculator only. At least not until they can see your work has definitely not failed. They will not move, advocate, lift a finger, or help to promote you until everything that needs to be done in the grassroots stage has been done. Then they will come running, acting as if they have been supportive cast members all along, while asking to join your building project. Then once you deny them access, they become offended and then make every effort to impede the work you were called to do just as they did in the case of Zerubbabel. The scripture reads “Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose…” (Ezra 4:4-5).

Wow! The deceptive works of man.
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But these men just didn’t stop there. They went as far as writing a letter to the highest office of the law and made unfounded and untruthful accusations against the building work, Zerubbabel, and the land. They made such claims that Zerubbabel’s building project was rebellious and evil. That once his work is done, he will not pay taxes or tributes that are due. What Zerubbabel and his men were doing would be harmful to the king’s provinces and it would lead to a sedition. Then they declared that it would be in the best interest of the king to cease their work because it would benefit no one. 

Access denied
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There is always that group of men and women watching as you are building. And at the most opportunist time, they will come to join your team just in time when all the hard work has been done and your success is guaranteed. Then they will offer to be a part of the plans of the LORD, to help build with you.

But, we must be wise as serpents and yet innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16). We must be faithful and loyal to those who were faithful to the plans of the LORD from the very beginning. Those who endured the grassroots stages with you. Those who remain faithful to you and your cause. Those who were able to see the vision and tap into it when it was nothing but an idea. Those who built with you the very first brick.
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It is important to have no pity or sympathy for those bottom feeders who came late to the building plans. (Compare to Matthew 25). Give no place or voice to them. For they were disloyal to you as well as the building plans of the LORD through you.