Nehemiah, Man of Prayer

Nehemiah was an incredible man of prayer. He was an influential, credible man, cupbearer to the king of Babylon. He cared deeply for his hometown and his people.

He demonstrated how fasting and prayer go hand in hand, how maintaining a intimate relationship with God allows us to confidently approach the throne of grace in all circumstances and how praying for our enemies can encourage and strengthen us. Let’s take a look at his life and the example it leaves for us.

In Nehemiah 1:1-4 we see that Nehemiah received news of the walls of Jerusalem were torn down. This grieved him because Jerusalem was his homeland and the Jews were his own people. He recognized God’s anointing on Jerusalem and the Jews and it tore him apart seeing destruction upon God’s people.

Nehemiah’s first response in hearing the awful news was to fast and pray. Fasting and prayer go hand in hand. In fasting, Nehemiah was able to keep his complete focus upon God. He prayed pouring his heart out to God and looked for ways to improve the situation. In Nehemiah’s heartfelt prayer, he was able to receive clarification from the Lord, allowing the decisions that needed to be made fall in to proper perspective. By fasting and praying at the same time, Nehemiah’s whole being was directed to the Lord and open to hearing and receive instruction.

Many times in the book of Nehemiah we see him pray spontaneously (Nehemiah 2:4, 4:4-5, 4:9, 5:19, 6:14, 13:14, 13:22, 13:29). Nehemiah prayed at any time, even while talking with others. He knew that God is always in charge, is always present, and hears and answers every prayer (Even if it’s not the answer we want to hear). Nehemiah could confidently pray throughout the day and in every circumstance because he had established a deep, intimate relationship with God during times of extended prayer (Nehemiah 1:4-7).

If we want to reach God with our “emergency” prayers, we need to take time to cultivate a strong relationship with God through times of in-depth prayer. This not only builds our faith and allows us to have the confidence in God’s response, but also builds the communication and relationship with God. We should pray “boldly” (Hebrews 4:16) and in “all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We should be in constant prayer and not just pray when we need for God to give us a way out.
Nehemiah also shows us that when we pray for those who oppose us (our enemies) it can encourage us and bring us strength. Ridicule can cut us deeply. It can cause discouragement and despair. Sanballat and Tobiah (Nehemiah and the Jew’s enemies) used ridicule to try to dissuade the Jews from rebuilding the wall (Nehemiah 4:1-5). Instead of trading insults and being angry and bitter, Nehemiah prayed for his enemies, and the work on the wall continued.

Nehemiah didn’t pray for revenge, but for God’s justice. The Samaritans (Sanballat and Tobiah) were regarded as enemies to the cause of God and His people. The prayer Nehemiah prayed wasn’t one of hatred, revenge, or of personal gain, but one of zeal and passion for the glory of God. When we pray for those who are against God, and us our hearts should be in line with the Holy Spirit. We should pray for justice, not for our own gain and satisfaction, but for the glory of the Lord and growth of the kingdom.

All in all, Nehemiah’s life of prayer is an example for all Christians to follow. His fasting and prayer, emergency prayers, and prayers of justice reflect his heart. It wasn’t a heart of pride or greed but a heart burdened for the Lord’s people and the Lord’s work. We should look at Nehemiah’s life and consider applying some of his prayer habits to our own lives. Doing this will allow us to have proper perspective of the Lord and His will for our lives.