To frustrate their purpose

Ezra 4:5

And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Whenever the work of God is going forward, there will always be adversaries. The devil and all his comrades and friends would like to cause God’s work to cease. Here, in Judah, after Cyrus the king had given commandment for the Jews to build up Jerusalem and the temple of the Lord, and as work had begun to progress, the enemies of God and His people came along, and began to frustrate their purpose. And we must expect this always to be so. Did not the Apostle Paul in the New Testament say that a great door and effectual was opened unto him, and there are many adversaries? Yes, there are always adversaries! If there are no adversaries, there must not be anything worth opposing! Therefore, my friends, be not disappointed or discouraged if adversaries oppose, for to them it is an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God!

So what shall we do when we are frustrated in our work? What shall we do when the people of the land weaken our hands? What shall we do when others trouble us in building? What shall we do? We shall not cease! Do you know what the mistake here was that was made? It was that, when the accusations went forth against them to the king and the enemies were embolden to stop the work, the people of God submitted to that! They stopped the work! And all of the progress was ceased! Everything that had been accomplished began to decay! And the enemies of God rejoiced! Oh, we must never allow the enemies of God to rejoice! We must go on! We must build in the face of opposition! We must never allow our work to be frustrated to the point of ceasing! There may be times of discouragement and disappointment and disillusionment, but we must not stop! We must continue. We must proceed. We must not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not! My brethren, continue on! The Lord shall be with you!

“Father in Heaven, we know that often our work may be hindered or troubled by those whose mind is to frustrate and impede and destroy all that God is seeking to do. Help us, Lord, not to be affected by them. May we go on faithfully no matter the dissension or opposition. May we work every day without delay and without pause until You return. And may Your work never cease because of the enemy. And these things we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.”