.png)
Nehemiah: A Picture of the Intersection of Faith and Action... (9 of 9)
Thinking about Prayer!
Nehemiah 1:1-4, 1:4, 2:4, 4:4-5, 9, 5:19, 6:9, 6:14, 6:15-16; Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Luke 18:1; Philippians 4:6-7
Throughout this series we’ve been tracing the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s ruined walls. In 52-days they were transformed from piles of rubble to fully restored.
Nehemiah tells the story of God bringing a great victory. The walls of Jerusalem were restored and continual prayer is a vital part of the story. Nehemiah wasn’t simply a good leader – he was a man of prayer. And considering how he called out to God in prayer in vastly varied situations ought to motivate us to pray!
1. We’re called to pray about everything all the time.
Followers of Jesus are expected to be people of prayer.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV) –
“...pray without ceasing...”
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV) –
“...pray continually...”
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT) –
“Never stop praying.”
We’re to have an attitude of prayer and to continually return to prayer.
Ephesians 6:18 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
...praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints...
Luke 18:1 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.”
Luke 18:1 (NIV) –
“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”
Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV) –
“...do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6 (NLT) –
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done...”
Instead of giving way to anxiety, we’re to give everything to God in prayer. As we pray about everything, we’ll find ourselves experiencing God’s perfect peace that’s so deep and strong it’s beyond our human understanding.
Prayer is expected. Continual prayer is expected. Followers of Jesus are to be people of prayer.
Matthew 6:9 (ESV) –
“Pray then like this...”
Our loving Heavenly Father loves to hear and answer the prayers of His children. God loves us. We can lift up our hearts to Him and know that He hears and He answers.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV) –
“...pray without ceasing...”
2. Considering how Nehemiah prayed should motivate us to pray.
God used Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem that had been utterly destroyed. Leading up to this, God’s people had been unfaithful, serving false gods which led to discipline through what the Bible calls – The Exile.
Nehemiah 1:1-4 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.”
How do I respond when I receive really bad news? How do I respond when I receive awful news that I feel in the pit of my stomach? How do I react?
Bad news arrived from Jerusalem. The people were in trouble and the city in ruins. A broken-down wall left you defenseless, imagine living in rough neighborhood and trying to go to sleep with doors that didn’t lock.
Common responses to horrible news include: anger, denial, withdraw, fear and despair. Yet Nehemiah’s response can be summarized with a single word: Prayer.
Nehemiah 1:4 (ESV) –
“As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”
Nehemiah prayed reflecting on God’s faithfulness and the promise of restoration. He confessed sin. He acknowledged why the exile happened.
Nehemiah 1:11 (ESV) –
“O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”
Nehemiah responded to this awful news with passionate prayer. Ask – How do I respond? Like Nehemiah? With fear? Or faith?
Nehemiah 2:4 (ESV) –
“Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.”
This must have been spontaneous, not much more than – God help! We should follow this example and pray – God help! Guide me! Give me wisdom and words!
Ask – Is it muscle memory to pray when something like this happens? It’s muscle memory to step on the break when we see a red light. Is it the same with prayer?
Nehemiah 4:4-5 (ESV) –
“Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.”
This prayer says – God deal with them! God, take care of them, stop them!
Matthew 5:44 (ESV) –
“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...”
Our desire should be for our enemies to be saved. That said – We should be honest with God in prayer! Instead of losing focus, Nehemiah gave the situation to God and progress on the wall continued. He could have easily become distracted from the goal by pursuing vengeance.
Getting caught up in answering the opposition’s mockery would have distracted him from the work on the wall.
Ask – When I’m wronged, do I leave my desire for vengeance in God’s hands?
Romans 12:19 (ESV) –
“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
Nehemiah 4:9 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.”
A picture of the intersection of faith and action. They prayed and set a guard.
Nehemiah 5:19 (ESV) –
“Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.”
Ask – When I’d like to be recognized, do I personally seek the praise of others or leave it in God’s hands?
If slanderous reports got to the king it could have been very bad. Did Nehemiah get distracted? No. He prayed.
Nehemiah 6:9 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.”
Ask yourself – When should I pray like this?
Nehemiah 6:14 (ESV) –
“Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.”
Despite the fact that the walls were ruined and there was serious opposition, God brought success and when their enemies saw what happened, they backed off. Considering God’s mighty acts in history should encourage, strengthen and motivate us.
3. God answers prayer.
Nehemiah was a courageous leader with incredible resolve but don’t overlook the fact that He continually turned to God in prayer! This is not only the story of a courageous leader, if Nehemiah is the ultimate hero of the story, we’re missing the point.
How was Nehemiah able to stay the course in the midst of an incredibly difficult project? This is the story of how God brought deliverance through a man who prayed continually. Are you motivated to pray? I know I am.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV) –
“...pray without ceasing...”
Luke 18:1 (ESV) –
“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.”
Ask yourself – What’s my first impulse when I receive bad news? When I’m unfairly opposed? When I’m looking at a seemingly impossible situation? When it feels like the bad guys are getting away with it? Our response should be saturated with prayer.
Prayer is a line of communication and communication is assumed in a relationship. If a relationship with God isn’t there, it needs to begin.
John 1:12 (ESV) –
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God...”
1 John 5:12 (ESV) –
“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
Nehemiah 6:15-16 (ESV) –
“So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.”