Fighting For Your Family

“And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” Nehemiah 4:4

Nehemiah 4:13 reminds us of a powerful truth. When we fight for our families, God fights for us. In the twenty-first century, the fiercest attack is on the home. Before there was a nation, before there was a church, and even before there were distinct peoples or races, there was the home. The only thing that came before the home was God Himself. That tells us how significant the home is and why it is the enemy’s number one target.

Today, our families are under siege. We must be spiritually alert and ready to defend what God has given us. For young couples especially, two things must be settled early and firmly. First, you must be fully committed to God. Second, you must be fully committed to your spouse. If there is any slack in your devotion to either, the enemy will find a way in.

In Nehemiah 4, God instructed the people to fight for their wives, sons, daughters, brothers, and homes. That call to action still applies today. But how do we fight in these modern times? We fight with love. Ephesians 5:25 says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” That kind of love is sacrificial. It costs something. It demands humility and the willingness to let go of pride and unforgiveness. 

Holding your family together will cost you something, but it is worth every bit of the fight.

Consider Noah. The Bible says that when he entered the ark, he was the eighth one to go in. That means his wife and six children went in before him. Noah made absolutely sure that every one of his family members was safe. He probably counted them one by one, unwilling to leave a single loved one behind in a land destined for destruction. He did not rely on others to lead his family. He took personal responsibility to ensure they were saved. In the same way, do not leave it up to the preacher, youth pastor, or conference speaker to lead your children to Christ. You are the one called to make sure your family gets on the boat.

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