Nehemiah’s Leadership Prayer: How God Shapes Effective Servants

Summary

Nehemiah’s prayer reveals how God forms effective spiritual leaders. Though far from Jerusalem, Nehemiah felt deep concern for God’s people, responded with mourning and prayer, and trusted God’s faithful character. He humbly confessed sin, claimed God’s promises, and sought restoration. God uses leaders who feel others’ pain, depend on His faithfulness, walk in humility, and trust His word. True service begins when God frees us from sin so we can help free others.

A Distant Problem and a Burdened Heart

Nehemiah was eight hundred miles from the problems in Jerusalem. He had obligations to King Artaxerxes, who did not care about the difficult conditions the Jews faced in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah prayed that God would soften the king’s heart. Nehemiah 1:1-11 describes three qualities of spiritual leaders whom God uses.

How God Shapes Effective Servants

Effective Christian leaders meet the needs of God’s people (Nehemiah 1:1-4). Hanani had returned from Judah. Nehemiah inquired about the status of the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem and of Jerusalem.

Hanani reported that the Jews were experiencing great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem and its gates were not functional.

This negative report upset Nehemiah. He spent days mourning, fasting, and praying.

The thought of God’s enemies ridiculing and scorning his defenseless people broke his heart. God shapes effective servants who, like Nehemiah, have a heart to help others.

Hope Rooted in God’s Faithfulness

Effective Christian leaders hope in God’s faithfulness (Nehemiah 1:5). Nehemiah persevered in prayer daily while mourning and fasting. God values such prayer (Luke 11:8).

Persevering prayer is important, but not enough. We often do not know what to request. God’s answers are wiser than our prayers.

Humility That Faces Sin Honestly

Nehemiah recognized his place in the scheme of things. His hope was in God’s unchanging, merciful character.

Effective Christian leaders humbly see themselves realistically (Nehemiah 1:6-7). Nehemiah knew Israel had not kept its end of the bargain with God.

They had not kept God’s commandments, statutes, and judgments. They had gone their own way. They came to God in this emergency with nothing to offer Him.

Many Christians believe their leaders possess superior merit before God. Even though they do not, some leaders foster that myth.

By contrast, Nehemiah groups himself with those who have failed God. Effective spiritual leaders model how to deal with sin, not how to deny it.

Trusting God’s Promises for Restoration

Effective spiritual leaders trust God’s promises (Nehemiah 1:8-11). Nehemiah 1:8-9 summarizes Deuteronomy 30:1-5. God proclaimed there that if His people sinned, He would disperse them among the heathen.

He did. He also promised that if they repented and returned to Him, He would return them to the land of their fathers.

Nehemiah applied that promise to his desire to restore Jerusalem and Israel as a community. God would dwell in their midst and be their defense and refuge.

Freed to Serve God and Others

But restoration was not yet complete. The Jews were in bondage again. He wanted God to use him to free them after He changed King Artaxerxes’ heart.

God must free us from serving sin before we can serve Him and others effectively. Pray that God will help you identify and remove whatever holds you back. Then, labor with God to free others from every enslaving influence. See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.

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God has empowered me to write His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength. It’s a free, evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship e-book. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead 7,590 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 17,681 people. I invite you to explore and use it in your setting.  

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