Join Pastor Scott Cannon from Immanuel Baptist Church as he continues the Ezra series, diving into Ezra chapter 4 to reveal how to navigate opposition when pursuing God's will. Pastor Cannon emphasizes that whenever God's people undertake His work, the forces of darkness will inevitably rise up and oppose it, often with repeated attacks.

This sermon explores four key aspects of the adversary's tactics:

-- Deception: How enemies (like the Samaritans in Ezra) offer seemingly helpful partnerships to corrupt God's work.

-- Discouragement: The enemy's attempts to create frustration and intimidation to halt spiritual progress.

-- Defamation: The use of slander, false accusations, and "half-truths" to undermine God's people and their mission.

-- Decree: The painful reality that even obedience to God's command does not exempt us from severe opposition and setbacks.

Pastor Scott provides current examples of adversaries facing the church today, including disunity, following pastors over Christ, consumer Christianity, lack of discipleship, and sin within the church, noting alarming statistics about church closures and pastoral resignations.

Learn vital responses to opposition: expect it, discern and resist deceptive partnerships, stand firm against discouragement and slander, and trust in God's unwavering sovereignty. He passionately reminds us that whatever it is that the enemy is designed for evil in your life, God desires to use it for good.

This message is a powerful call to stand firm in faith, knowing that the same God who starts a work in us will complete it until the day He returns.