So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?”—Neh. 6:3 (NKJV).
God sometimes calls on us to accomplish extraordinary duties and tasks that require unusual determination and detailed strategic planning, which can only succeed with the power of the Holy Spirit. Nehemiah was given such a task when God called him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He was deeply distressed when he received a report about Jerusalem that “the survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire”—Neh. 1:3 (NKJV).
After the report, Nehemiah acknowledged that “So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven”—Neh. 1:4 (NKJV). His season of prayer and fasting led to his commission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. This assignment forever changed his life. The book of Nehemiah contains a narrative of how he accomplished the task and object lessons for all of us. Following are some of the many insights discerned from Nehemiah.
1. He cared for God’s work and loved God’s people (Neh. 1:3, 4).
2. He understood God’s purpose and mission for his life.
3. He was prayerful. We see him often in prayer (Neh. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, etc.).
• He acknowledged the greatness and character of God (Neh. 1:5).
• He confessed his sins and the sins of the people (Neh. 1:6, 7).
• He claimed God’s promises (Neh. 1:8-10).
• He made his requests known to God (Neh. 1:11; 2:4).
4. He was strategic and organized (Neh. 2:7-10).
• He asked for the king’s authorization to go on the mission (Neh. 2:5, 6).
• He anticipated opposition and potential obstacles, both natural and man-made and he planned how to overcome them (letters, materials, timbers, and soldiers).
5. He was diligent and watchful. The walls were reconstructed section by section by builders girded with a sword (Neh. 3, 4).
6. He bravely challenged entrenched powers and fought against injustices in society. He was not afraid to make tough decisions for the good of the oppressed people (Neh. 5).
7. He knew who his true friends and his enemies were (Neh. 6).
• The enemies first tried to discourage him.
• Second, they ridiculed him and minimized his work.
• Third, they accused him of being in rebellion against the king. They said, We have proof showing you’re plotting to establish yourself as king (Neh. 6:5, 6).
• Then, they deceitfully pretended to be his friends (Neh. 6:7).
8. He always relied on God. Every time he was confronted with a problem, we see him going to the Lord in prayer. (Neh. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.)
God is calling on us to be modern-day Nehemiahs to do great things for Him in the Atlantic Union Conference. He has entrusted us with the responsibility and privilege to be servant leaders and to work for His people. Today, it’s not about Nehemiah, Jeremiah, Moses, Esther, Paul, Peter, and other members of the “great cloud of witnesses” (Heb. 12:1). Today, it is up to you and me.
As we fulfill God’s purposes for our lives, we will face obstacles, oppositions, and difficulties. Let’s be strategic and wholly rely on Christ, the solid Rock. Let’s stay focused on the great work that God has for us to do. We cannot come down and cause the work to cease. May God help us to stay on mission and not be distracted by the plots of the enemy.
