Message Title: God Powered Dreams
Message Truth: Prayer leads to a proper alignment with God.
Message Text Nehemiah 1:4-11
Introduction:
Nehemiah was a slave, and a cupbearer to the king.
Nehemiah was a man of Passion His name means “Jehovah comforts”
- What makes you angry?
- What makes you sad?
- What brings you joy?
Nehemiah was a man of Prayer.
Nehemiah was a Leader who believed that God could use Him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
(What are you passionate about? How has God positioned you to be successful? What are your gifts and abilities, that when leveraged , could make a great difference for the Kingdom? What is your dream right now?)
Nehemiah’s Prayer
1.He prepared to pray.
2.He prayed and this prayer is relatively short.
3.He did not simply ask God to fix the problem.
4.He did not ask God to send someone else to fix the problem.
- 5. He did not pray for this prayer just once. 1:6 . . . the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, . . .
- 6. He did not pray Neh. 1:11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. . . .
- 7. He did not begin with his request.
A Good Pattern for Prayer
P raising God
He began by remembering the attributes of God and treating God as if he truly truly that he was praying to the Almighty. Neh. 1:5 Then I said: “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel.
Repented
He knew that sin can hurt our prayers, so he confessed sin, and showed intent to turn away from it.
He repented for the sin of others. Neh. 1:6 . . . I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
Asking
He made his request to God. He began by reminding God of His own promises.
Neh. 1:8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
The request: To be successful by gaining the king’s favor. Neh. 1:11 . . . Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.
Yeilding
He was very clear in all of his prayer that he was simply God’s servant
Neh. 1:11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today . . . Nehemiah knew his true Master.