Nehemiah's Prayer

I have recently moved my study to the Old Testament for a change in style and have happened upon the unique little book of Nehemiah. God used this man in a great way to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem which was of utmost importance in that day and age as a wall was  a major defense mechanism. What was impressed upon me immediately was that Nehemiah was a man of God, was an effective Christian leader, and was a man of great prayer. Prayer is a foundation of Christian leadership. Why?
1. Prayer is our access to God the Father in personal conversation. Jesus is our literal mercy seat that allows us access to the throne of God (please see my post on the Mercy Seat). Also, Jesus is our Mediator as our Mercy Seat constantly being our advocate (same kind of idea as lawyer) before the Father.
2. Prayer puts us in the right attitude of resting in the Lord and knowing His will to know when action is appropriate.
3. Prayer allows us to thank and praise God like we should.
4. Prayer gives us the opportunity to repent and turn from our sin.
5. Prayer allows us to ask specific requests of the Lord to be answered.

Nehemiah engaged in different prayers- when he spoke to the King (whom he risked angering as he was the king that put a stop to the previous building of the wall of Jerusalem) a very short prayer came from his lips asking for God to help Him-with words, to have bravery to make his request of the king, etc. and the Lord delivered. Nehemiah was blessed by the Lord by putting it upon the heart of the king to approve Nehemiah's request and to approve further help from those who dealt in lumber, etc. The prayer of focus is his initial prayer in chapter 1 which was a longer prayer.

v.5 I beseech thee, O LORD, God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that kept covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments
Beseech meaning begging of the Lord
great and terrible meaning giving the Lord due credit as the Lord of all and a Lord to be feared or respected
Nehemiah knows and believes in the covenant God has made to Israel (including all Christians-see post on circumcision) that if we love him we will obey His commandments and the Lord will have mercy on us and keep his promises to us.
v.6 let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now , day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee:both I and my father's house have sinned:
Nehemiah is getting ready to ask for a specific request and identifies himself in an attitude of submission as "servant." Also, he prayed day and night meaning he lived in an attitude of prayer and so dependence upon God. He also points out that the children of Israel as well as himself and his family have sinned gravely against the Lord. We all have. Sin starts with ourself.
v. 7 WE have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments , which thou commandants thy servant Moses.
Again he points out the depravity of his people in not following OT law which was so critical in this day as Israel was to be the testimony of Christ to other's before the sacrifice of Jesus.
v. 8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandants thy servant Moses, saying, If ye  transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: 9 but if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chose to set my name there.
Nehemiah is quoting back to God his  promises  which is quoting the Lord's word back to Himself. Scripture is there for us to use in this way. He also states that Israel is spread apart and defenseless because of their sin which is what God had stated would happen. However, God also promised that repentance would bring the people of Israel back together and would bring them to a place promised and blessed by God. Repentance may seem hard, but once done restores our relationship with the Lord. The Lord does not walk away from us, rather, we walk away from Him and hinder our relationship.

v. 10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
Nehemiah remembers that Israel (again ref. back to my post on circumcision) is God's chosen people that are set apart for the will of God. They have been redeemed alone and made special alone by God's power and will- Nehemiah is again recommitting himself and his people as God's servants and people that the Lord has shown great favor to.

v.11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to thy prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. (the king)
Again he is begging the Lord a specific request in the attitude of being a servant of the Lord- He can ask this request in confidence because he knows it is the Lord's will as he says it is the desire of him and the people to fear the Lord's name and live in His will. This is why he is justified in asking the Lord to prosper him and have mercy in the sight of the king- because it is fulfilling the will of God.

Nehemiah's prayers are seen in chapter 1, 2, 4,  5,  6, and 13. Many of the prayers are in regards to his enemies. They are considered enemies because they are the enemies to God's will making them enemies of God. We ourselves are not to take matters in our own hands unless the Lord tells him to do so (e.g. Nehemiah was ready with weapons if God were to tell them to attack their enemies). Otherwise, Nehemiah gave fear, stress, and his enemies with their action to the Lord to deal with. Others were prayers to remember him and prosper him which was because he knew what he was accomplishing was the will of God. Other times it literally says that he was just in a state of prayer meaning He was simply in a constant attitude of prayer to God. Leadership begins and ends with prayer just like this chapter. Take homes for today:

1. Prayer is a constant attitude to be in and essential to the Christian life.
2. The Lord hears and responds to your prayers. Rest in Him and allow Him to call you to any action.
3. Ask for specific requests given that they do not contradict any of God's desires for you.
4. Pour your heart out to the Lord including your emotions- fear, anger, stress, disappointment- He cares. Allow him to go before you and fight your battles.
5. Speak Scripture back to the Lord.
6. Praise the Lord and realize your position in relation to him. Redeemed, a servant, and powerful.
7. Prayers can be short in times of crisis, but true communication comes from a time of dedication to prayer.
8. Remember that acknowledging your sin as wrong is imperative.
9. Remember that yielding to God should be the heart in all our prayers.