Nehemiah

The Book of Nehemiah tells the inspiring story of Nehemiah, a trusted advisor to the Persian king who learns that Jerusalem’s protective walls are in ruins. Deeply concerned for his homeland, Nehemiah asks the king for permission to return and rebuild the walls. With determination and faith, Nehemiah leads the people of Jerusalem in reconstructing the walls despite facing opposition from their enemies. His efforts go beyond just building; he also works to fix social issues and help the people follow God's laws more closely, leading to a renewed and stronger community. Nehemiah’s story shows the power of leadership, prayer, and commitment to God's work.

There's 4 things Nehemiah did that allowed him to be successful even when the odds were against him:

1. PERSISTENT in PRAYER

- Nehemiah 1:2-4

- When a problem arises, what is your initial reaction? Nehemiah’s was prayer every time. Nehemiah was burdened for Jerusalem. What burdens you?

- Nehemiah did not complain or whine. Sometimes our first reaction is to complain about it rather than pray about it

- He prayed FIRST

- He spent 4 months in prayer, but the actual rebuilding of the wall took 52 days. 

2. PURPOSEFUL in Taking ACTION

- Nehemiah 2:1-5

- Prayer should lead to action. Faith without works is dead. 

- He waited for the right time to be in the right position and then acted on it. 

3. PREPARED for OPPOSITION

- When opposition came, it didn’t come at the prayer or planning stage. It came when he took action. 

- He faced enemies speaking against him (Nehemiah 2:19), his allies were discouraged (Nehemiah 4:10), and he faced enemies’ physical attacks.

4. PASSIONATE to See His PLAN Through

- He was determined to accomplish the task no matter what he faced. 

- He instructed his workers to always hold their sword AND their chisel. They were always building and always on guard. 

We can’t pray without action, and we can’t take action without prayer. 

God can plant a burden in you without you being in full time ministry. 

Why did the walls of Jerusalem need to be rebuilt?

- The walls provided security, protected the people inside, and gave them a sense of identity. 

- Without a wall, nothing of value could be placed inside of it. 

We are called to be the temples of the Holy Spirit. 

If don’t build walls of faith, we can’t place anything of value in it.