Biblical Leadership Lessons from Nehemiah: Strengthening Your Spiritual Walls

Summary

Weak leadership in society highlights the need for strong Christian influence. Nehemiah models effective leadership as cupbearer, builder, and governor, guiding Jerusalem’s wall restoration despite opposition. His example demonstrates that spiritual health is crucial for Christian leaders, who have the power to influence others through their relationships. Like Jerusalem’s wall, our spiritual “walls” protect us, yet can crumble through apathy, sin, and misplaced priorities. Believers must examine their lives, remain vigilant, and align actions with faith.

A Leadership Crisis in Today’s World

Wells Fargo employees opened thousands of accounts for customers without their knowledge to meet sales goals. Larry Nassar remained in his position at Michigan State University and the USA Olympic team for years despite abusing more than 150 females in his care.

A youth pastor who counseled young people about drugs was arrested for selling drugs. What is happening to leadership?

Leadership Is Influence

Leadership is influence. We lead those we influence. Christian leaders do not always occupy official positions in churches. The most effective Christian leaders influence others to follow Jesus Christ, usually within the context of personal relationships. Their spiritual health is critical.

Biblical Leadership Lessons

What does God say about leadership? Nehemiah had effective leadership philosophies and practices. He demonstrated effective leadership while he oversaw the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall. His example provides valuable biblical leadership lessons. The Babylonians had partially destroyed that wall after they conquered Jerusalem and deported its surviving residents to Babylon about 90 years earlier (2 Chronicles 36:18-19).

Nehemiah’s Three Leadership Roles

Nehemiah assumed three leadership roles.

Nehemiah the Cupbearer

His first was as cupbearer of King Artaxerxes. He tasted the king’s wine and food to protect him. His relationship with the king gave him vast influence.

 Nehemiah the Wise Builder

Nehemiah’s second leadership role was as a wise builder. He formulated rebuilding plans in Jerusalem after surveying its ruined wall late at night (Nehemiah 2:13-14). Initially, he kept his plans secret. Then he communicated and executed them.

Nehemiah 3-5 describes rebuilding the wall. Nehemiah completed the project in 52 days despite much opposition.

Nehemiah the Governor

Nehemiah’s third leadership role was as an elected governor (Nehemiah 5). He delegated authority by placing spiritual people at the helm of the city’s leadership.

Nehemiah began with an inventory, and so must we. The wall around Jerusalem protected the city and the temple.

Evaluating Our Spiritual Protection

Christians are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). In what condition is the wall that protects us from our enemies? Selfishness, lack of discipline, procrastination, immorality, being too busy for God, compromise, and rebellion break down that wall. I hope we are not satisfied with our present spiritual health and commitment to Jesus. If we are, our walls are broken down.

The Danger of Spiritual Complacency

Satisfaction breeds apathy. We must live what we believe. We all have room for improvement.

God is not important to non-Christians, and they live like it. If we have goals and values inconsistent with our faith, we are not living what we say we believe. We have broken walls.

The Natural Drift Toward Fruitlessness

The bias of nature is toward the wilderness, not a productive field. A pasture of my youth was left unattended. It is now a tangled forest of sumac and other low-value trees.

The bias of our old nature is never toward spiritual fruit. We must remain watchful.

Final Challenge

In what condition are your spiritual walls?

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