Unholy Alliances

Nehemiah 13: 4 Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah, 5 and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.

On the tv show, Survivor, many people compete to see who can be the last person to survive on islands that are barely inhabited by humans and their challenge is to survive the wilderness but more than that to survive the desperate politics of alliances. There is usually two tribes competing and it is almost inevitable that someone from different tribes make alliances so they can improve their chances of surviving longer and not getting voted off the island. Your alliances can either hurt you or help you survive.

This can translate into real life as well. Life is like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I keep from going under. It is important to make the right alliances with the right people, but you have to make sure they are from the right tribe.

Nehemiah had rebuilt the walls in Jerusalem. He helped to bring about economic, spiritual, and communal revitalization to Jerusalem but not without resistance from three foreigners named Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem. These three had been pretty much exploiting the community when there were no walls to keep the city guarded. When Nehemiah started rebuilding the city they would mock him and eventually threatened his life.

Nehemiah strapped up and encouraged the people to keep on working and they finished the work because the people had a mind to work. Upon completion, Nehemiah discovered that Tobiah had set up shop in all places, the House of the Lord. They had rebuilt the walls to keep him out and here he was in a room in the most sacred place, the House of the Lord. How could this happen?!

Eliashib, the priest, who had authority over the storerooms of the House of God, was allied with Tobiah. There was corruption with the priest. He abused his authority by making alliances with the enemy, and as a result the enemy took up residence in the storerooms of the House of the Lord.

What Spirits have we let in God’s house because of our unholy alliances? What enemy have we let move in because of our political posturing? You have the authority over the storerooms of God and you let the enemy movie in because of your alliances.
Did you know the devil has to have your permission to come in your house? As the priest had of all believers you have been given authority over God’s house and you have power over the devil, but when you make alliances with his people you give the enemy access to God’s storerooms.

When we make alliances with the enemy and let him come in the storerooms something happens to the contents of the room. What was in the room can’t stay because you have to make room for the enemy and his stuff.

This is the stuff that got moved out:

1. The grain offerings are gone. This represents the offerings from your harvest. You have nothing to show for the harvest God gave you.

2. Frankincense represents the presence of God. There is a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place and I know it to be the presence of the Lord. God’s Spirit can’t dwell in an unclean place.

3. The articles. The instruments used for worship and for inquiring of the lord are missing. When the enemy moves in he affects your worship.

4. Tithes. Your tithes and offering go down when the enemy moves in.

5. The new wine and oil. The anointed new believers end up missing because leaders made unholy alliances. You can’t pour new wine into old wineskins.

The reason this happened is because Nehemiah had gone back to his job as cupbearer to King Arterxes, Eliashib, the priest, did this while he was gone to the king. Since Jesus has been gone back to the Father, we as the priesthood of all believers have made some unholy alliances and God is about ready to snuff out our torch but thanks be to God we still have a chance to survive!

Verse eight tells us what we need to do break our unholy alliance:

1. We should be grieved in our Spirits or somebody who has some anointing should be grieved and help us get these people out of God’s space.

2. Throw Tobiah’s stuff out. Whatever you have allowed the enemy to bring in, get it out. Soul ties are made by gifts the enemy gives you. Get them out!

3. Clean the room. Once you get the stuff out clean it and anoint it with oil.

4. Bring God’s stuff back in the room. Once you break unholy alliances it’s important to put God’s stuff back.

a. Bring God your first fruits from your harvest.
b. Invite the Holy Spirit back in your life through prayer.
c. Attend worship on a regular basis
d. Give your tithes on a regular basis
e. Go make disciples by reaching out to people who don’t know Jesus and don’t have a church home and bring them into the House of the Lord.

Dear God, forgive me for making unholy alliances. You’ve given me all I need to survive within me. I don’t need unholy alliances to make it through the Jungle of life. Today I’m restoring your room with the offerings that will please you and I’m getting the enemy out of your house.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.