The Trademark of God's Leaders- Nehemiah's Intercessory Prayer

 

This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters and leaders.

Today we continue this theme of intercessory prayer and its role in the life of a leader. In our last episode we concluded our series on the life and character of Daniel, and we now transition to Nehemiah. This Old Testament leader followed Daniel by approximately 100 years during the period when the Hebrews were still exiled in Babylon although a few had returned to Jerusalem. Nehemiah, like Daniel, made intercessory prayer on behalf of his people. When he heard the report about the situation in Jerusalem, we read the following in chapter 1, verses 4-7.

Now 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. I said, “Please, Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps the covenant and faithfulness for those who love Him and keep His commandments: let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open, to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have committed against You; I and my father’s house have sinned.

Several important things stand out to me in this passage.

 He wept and mourned for days about the situation. It became very personal to him.

 He was fasting and praying before God.

 He was praying on behalf of the sons of Israel.

 He confessed the sins of the sons of Israel against God.

 He also confessed “I and my father’s house have sinned.”

Nehemiah did not merely pray for the forgiveness of “their” sins. He, himself, “owned” the sins of the Israelites. In the last episode I quoted Ezekiel 22:30, and I repeat it here. The Lord, “looked for someone among them who would … stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” Once again, I would suggest that leaders are called to “stand in the gap” in intercessory prayer.

Chapter 1 concludes with these words in verses 10 and 11. 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 by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.

Before approaching King Artaxerxes, Nehemiah was “prayed up.”

Let us be like Nehemiah and Daniel and commit ourselves to a consistent discipline of prayer.

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.