Holes filled the air conditioning duct. Repairing the breach was on our radar. 

Water had been dripping onto a duct pan, which caused it to rust over the years. My husband and I knew the system would need replacing. We thanked God for this “bad news” because we now had unearthed the culprit for my breathing troubles.

“I’m sorry to give you this bad news,” the vent cleaner said, “but if the ducts aren’t replaced, you’ll end up with more than rust in the system. There’ll be . . .” He frowned, shifting from boot to boot.

That four-letter word was unspoken, but we knew what he meant: mold!

“Is there any?” I asked, hoping for a positive outcome.

“Not yet, but there was a full inch of water pooling in the duct pan. If not for the rust holes, there’d be plenty of . . . Uh . . . ”

The repairman’s assistant nodded his head profusely. “Plenty!”

 “Thank you, sirs. We appreciate your diagnosis. We will replace the system soon.”

After the repairmen left, I addressed my husband, “The good news is, I’ll be able to breathe without the aid of treatments because now we know what to fix.” The mystery was solved. Discovering this breach in the duct system revealed the enemy, so it was a happy day. This “bad news” was God’s blessing in disguise.

The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.

~Nehemiah 1:3b NKJV

This challenge brings to mind Nehemiah, and how he learned of bad news which led him to oversee a building project. Friends brought him word that enemies had smashed the walls of Jerusalem and torched its gates. At this time, Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the Persian king, so he was unaware of this attack. Had it not been for his friends, he would have never discovered his homeland was in distress.

God gave Nehemiah favor with the king. Not only did the king give him permission to oversee the rebuilding project, but he also met every need–providing the finances, supplies, and letters necessary to travel.

We would think all would go well—and it did—but not without opposition. Sanballat and Tobiah came against Nehemiah. Geshem joined these two rebels. Then they convinced more to oppose Nehemiah’s efforts. They tried to discourage Nehemiah and his people by hurling insults at them. By the end of the project, Nehemiah’s men were split into two groups—workers and warriors. Even so, in a mere fifty-two days, they rebuilt the walls and gates. With God’s help, they prevailed, even while the enemy raged.

Friend, sometimes we need to discover an enemy. Even if this causes difficulties, this positions us to triumph. The enemy would love to derail us from our God-given assignments. We must watch and root out hidden issues before they breach our spiritual walls.

What are these wall-breaching issues? Satan tries to discourage us and convince us we are powerless and insignificant. But this is a deception. We are victors in Christ, and our God has given each of us a calling to fulfill. When we diligently pursue God by reading our Bibles, spending time in prayer, and fellowshipping with other Christians, we position ourselves to triumph.

The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build.

~Nehemiah 2:20 NKJV

Nehemiah gave us a stellar enemy-shattering strategy. He said, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore, we, His servants, will arise and build” (Nehemiah 2:20 NKJV). We are never alone in a spiritual battle, so despite opposition, we can continue working for the Lord. God, Himself, comes to our aid. If God is on our side—and He is—then we need only call upon Him in prayer.

Does knowing God is with you bring peace of mind while navigating difficult situations?

Heavenly Father, thank You for helping me conquer any spiritual battle. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Genre: Creative Non-fiction

Copyright 2022: Repairing the Breach: Diane Virginia: All Rights Reserved

Published: October 2022: Inspire a Fire: Senior Editor Martin Wiles; Executive Editor Cindy Sproles