Think about it:
Prayer is asking God to do what we ourselves
cannot do.
Memory Verse- James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another,
and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual
fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
Your Thoughts
What does Nehemiah have that I have? What does Nehemiah have
that I need? We are considering these two questions as we continue
our study of this great leader. Read Nehemiah 1:4-11. Notice his
reaction to what he hears, “ I sat down and wept, and mourned
certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.”
Nehemiah’s reaction to what he hears about the condition of the
people speaks volumes about him. How do we respond by what we see
and hear? This distinguishes the leaders from the followers,
concern for others . Nehemiah became accountable and obligated to
do something about the situation. Nehemiah’s first reaction is to
pray. Prayer is the greatest characteristic of a Christian leader.
Prayer is spiritual work and human nature does not like to do it.
It is just easier not to pray. Nehemiah knew that the task of
rebuilding the walls and thus the nation would require more than he
could offer. You see, prayer is pleading weakness. Nehemiah knew
with God’s help he could turn the tide. Lets take a look at some
observations from his prayer.
2Nehemiah, a Man of Prayer
THE BIBLE WAY TO HEAVEN
Realize That God Loves You. “For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).
The Bible Says That All Men Are Sinners. “For all have sinned,
and come short of the glory to God.” (Romans 3:23).
God’s Word Also Says That Sin Must Be Paid For. “For the wages
of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
The Good News Is That Christ Paid for Our Sins. “But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).
We Must Personally Pray and Receive Christ by Faith as Our
Personal Saviour. The Bible Says, “For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).
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Practice implementing missing elements this week. Write down
God’s promises to answer prayer.
Your Thoughts
Think about it:
Practice using God’s Word while praying.
Think About it:
“You can tell how big your God is by how
big your prayers are”
He Praises God’s Name (5) Nehemiah begins by “beseeching” God.
He uses this three times in verses five, eight, and eleven. Beseech
is used to intensify the urgency. It is a pleading and begging to
do something. Nehemiah begins his prayer praising the name of God.
This follows the pattern of the Lord’s Prayer when Jesus started
with, “Hallowed be thy name”. The greater God becomes to us, the
smaller the problem. Praise exalts God in our hearts and minds.
Why should God answer your prayer? Is He obligated at all? The
Bible is full of promises from God about answering prayer. We must
know God‘s Word well enough to claim those promises. Nehemiah knew
God’s Word well and used it in his prayers.
Nehemiah begins, “and confess the sins of the children of
Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s
house have sinned.” Notice that Nehemiah identifies himself with
the people. Their sins were his sins. Have you identified yourself
with the sins of America? Prayer should be about others. We are
never more like the Lord Jesus Christ than when we are praying for
others. Have you ever considered asking God to forgive others?
“The Rebuilding of a Nation” Lesson 2
Nehemiah prays for four months. He waited on God to direct and
answer his prayer. It is easy to get discouraged and not wait on
God. On an ordinary day at work, God answered his prayer. He asked
God for mercy before the king and God granted him leave from work
and the resources to rebuild the walls.
He Waits on God (2:1)
Practice waiting on God while you are in prayer. Don’t rush away
after you have spoken to God. Prayer is a two way street. You
speaking to God and Him speaking to you. Sit quietly and allow Him
time to speak. Concentrate your mind on Him and His Word. So what
does Nehemiah have in his prayer life that you have? What does
Nehemiah have in his prayer life that you do not have? Take time
and effort to work on your prayer life. Evaluate your prayer life
this week. There is nothing more important for a Christian leader
than praying much. Only praying can teach you to pray. Take the
examples in scripture and apply them to your prayer life.
Your Thoughts
He Confesses Sin (6-7)
Nehemiah asks specifically what he desires God to do. Why would
this be important? God cannot answer general prayers. Many times we
pray very generally for people, “God help this person, God bless
that person, or God, I pray for this person.” These are vague
statements that don’t really ask God to do anything. Be specific in
prayer. Ask God directly what you desire so He can do it and you
can see the answer to the prayer.
He is Specific in Requests (11)
He Claims God’s Promises (6) Nehemiah takes up much of his
prayer claiming God’s promises in scripture. He references II
Chronicles 7:12-15 and Leviticus 26:33-42. Why would we claim God’s
promises in prayer? God cannot lie and what He has already promised
He will do. He petitions God on behalf of His Word and His
promises.