Pages from "The Haters Handbook"

[Brenda K Bradley]

The Lord gave me this word last year...I have received so many words of thanks and confirmations that I wanted to share it here!  Be Blessed!

 

Whenever the Lord has something for you to do, one thing you can always count on is “Haters.” Nehemiah had them too. For every person stepping out on the word of God, here are a couple of pages from the Haters Handbook….


Talk About Their Vision

1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, "What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?"

(The Haters are never happy about anything you do. As long as you are in a mess, they are fine. But the minute you began to do better or want better for yourself, here they come.)


Recruit Others To Help You Destroy The Vision

7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry.

(On any given day, Haters, really can’t stand each other. But they will put their differences aside to take down someone else.)


Try To Scare Everyone Who Is Working On The Vision

8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall."11 Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work."

(Be prepared that everyone is not as strong as you are in your vision. Fear will always come to visit something that has never been done before. Send it on it’s way.)


Divide and Conquer...Use People They Know

Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, wherever you turn, they will come and attack us.


Side Note: If these measures are giving you minor results in destroying the work of the Vision, start working on the leader.


Get The Leader To Come Away From The Vision — Don’t Give Up On The First Try!

2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono." 4 Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.


Start Lies and Rumors About The Leader and The Vision

"It is reported among the nations—and Geshem says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king 7 and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: 'There is a king in Judah!' Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us confer together."

(It is amazing what haters will come up with when they put their imaginations to it!)


Finally, Have Someone Ready To Plant The Suggestion Of Quitting/Running Away

10 One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, "Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you."


Throughout the entire process, no matter what was thrown at Nehemiah, he continued to pray to God and KEPT WORKING. We will always have haters, no matter what. Either they can motivate you or get you to stop. It just depends on what you are made of. Remember, the same sun that melts butter, hardens brick.

[Rev. Michelle Mostella]

Awesome & Amen!!!