Whenever God wants to get a job done, He chooses a man who is willing. God cannot use a man who is not willing to serve!
The walls of Jerusalem had been ruined, a small remnant had returned, and there was much work that needed to be done. In 536 b.c., Zerubbabel and Joshua had taken 50,000 Jews back and had (by 516 b.c.) rebuilt the Temple. In 457 b.c., there had been a small revival under Ezra, but it was now 445 b.c., and God was looking for a man to go to the ruined city and restore safety and order. Nehemiah was to be that man. Notice how Nehemiah approached the work. He prayed for the work in chapter 1; he prepared for the work in chapter 2; he prospered in the work in chapter 3; and in chapter 4 he faced the enemy. Whenever a man of God is doing the work of God, there will always be opposition. Many times a man of weak faith and purpose will quit, but a man of strength and confidence will overcome the opposition and finish the task. Nehemiah was such a man.
In chapter 4 Nehemiah faces ridicule, discouragement, and fear; yet in face of opposition from within and without the city, he won the victory because he trusted in God. Satan would have loved to see Nehemiah leave the wall and get involved in a dispute with Sanballat, but Nehemiah did not fall into Satan's trap. He was truly a man following the leadership of God, for he paid very little attention to the complaining of the people. He just kept on building, watching, and praying!
