Hanani, one of my brothers, and some men from Judah came; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped and had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem. They said to me, “The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.” When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
Nehemiah 1:2-4 (NASB)
Today I return to my first Bible Journal back in 2020 and a favourite book of the Old Testament – Nehemiah. What an inspiring man of God he is! I would encourage all you brothers in Christ to read about Nehemiah and learn from him, particularly with regards to his prayer life. Now more than ever, we need men of prayer in our homes, churches and workplaces; by heeding the example set by Nehemiah, we can become the men of prayer that God wants us to be.
Nehemiah was one of many exiles who served in Persia, far from home. Nehemiah was in a relatively privileged position as cupbearer to the King and able to hear distant news from travellers. This is where the story of Nehemiah begins, hearing sad news of the ruins that Jerusalem lay in. In our text we see Nehemiah’s distress and the immediate decision to seek God in prayer, not short flash prayer but that which takes time, in his case, days.
Nehemiah 1:5 – Calling upon Faithful God. Nehemiah calls on the only source of help for his nation – Almighty God, the Creator of all things. The God who keeps His promises and cares for those who love Him, obeying His Word. When we have a burst pipe at home, we call a plumber; surely then, in our time of distress/need, we call upon our Creator, the One who loves us.
Nehemiah 1:6-7 – Confession of sins. Nehemiah doesn’t just dive into laying out a list of demands for God; he lays out the sins of God’s people against Him. The omission of the truth before God is yet another sin to add to the list; thus, Nehemiah comes repentantly on behalf of Israel before God. Prayer to our Father God does not work if we are harbouring unrepented sin in the background.
Nehemiah 1:8-9 – Claiming God’s promises. It is only after coming humbly and repentantly to God that Nehemiah dares to lay claim to God’s Faithfulness – beyond that of any man. God promised to scatter the unfaithful Israelites who denied Him, and He did. But on the plus side He promises to welcome them back into His fold if they seek Him repentantly. God’s promises are unbreakable in His Righteousness; we, too, as His children through Jesus, can lay claim to His promises to care and provide for us, but ALWAYS in a humble and repentant heart.
Nehemiah 1:11 – Concise prayers. Nehemiah knew all too well that after God, the final word lay with the King of Persia; thus, he brings that concise detail before God in prayer. All too often, I have heard believers say that God didn’t answer their prayer, but then the truth is revealed that they weren’t concise in their needs. Specific prayers in the right attitude are Godly prayers brethren!
Nehemiah 2:18 – Comfort others! This point occurs a bit later in the story, but it is an important point. Nehemiah has been given permission by the persian King to go and oversee the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem. He finds the people to be downhearted and afraid to commence the work; thus, he shares his testimony with them – how God had given him favour in the eyes of the King of Persia. He brings comfort to their hearts, encouraging them to begin the work rebuilding the city walls. The same is also true in the life of any man of God today who has seen God answer his prayers. Sharing the testimony of answered prayers with other believers is an important ministry that we are all called to.
Dear Brothers in Christ, I write this specifically for you today. We are called as sons, husbands, and fathers to stand as men of God in this dark world. It is our God-given duty to serve Him, protecting our families and churches. Our greatest weapon after the Word of God is prayer; for by it we call upon the powers and provisions of Heaven’s Throne room. My prayer is for you to be encouraged to seek God more in prayer as Nehemiah did.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Devotional Treasures
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