Life Lessons in Nehemiah

Living God’s way means making His priorities our priorities, even when they are different from ours. The Bible tells us how to order our lives according to God’s will. Understanding and obeying Scripture brings joy to our lives and teaches us to acknowledge God’s hand in our success.

• Identify with God’s people through intercession.
• Understand that you can stand in the gap on behalf of people, confessing sin and praying for mercy and restoration.
• Give place to the public reading of Scripture.
• Help those who hear to understand what is being read.
• Cultivate and promote the joy of the Lord among God’s people as a powerful source of spiritual strength.
• Dedicate your works and accomplishments to the Lord.
• Celebrate joyfully all that God has done for you and for His people.

We can express devotion to God by generously giving toward the work of the Lord and by making sure that we are caring for His servants.

• Insure that God’s servants are well cared for.
• Lift unnecessary burdens from them and enable them to fully give their time and strength to the work the Lord has given them.
• Tithe regularly so that God’s work may move forward liberally.

Corporate sin is the occurrence of sin that involves an entire group, church, city, or nation. When this type of sin occurs, deal with it corporately. Whenever possible, gather as many of those involved as will come, confessing sin together and corporately receiving God’s forgiveness and restoration.

• Allow for the public and corporate confession of sin when necessary and appropriate.
• Teach and believe that God is gracious and ready to forgive the sins of repentant people.
• Be diligent to follow God’s ways, and repent for sin each time He convicts you. He will bless you as you do.
• Be willing to root out worldly ways where they have become established in the life of the church.
• Reject carnal compromises
• Refuse evil alliances
• Do not marry an unbeliever

Faith takes God at His word and trusts God completely, stepping out and boldly believing the things He has promised.

• Pray first, and then speak. This sequence will help you avoid being impulsive and presumptuous.
• Ask for wisdom so that you will be able to understand the plans and purposes of God.
• Recount the goodness and favor of God to others.
• It will build their faith and strengthen them in doing His work.

We gain spiritual victory by believing that God will fight on our behalf. Knowing this enables ignoring the insults and false accusations of those opposed.

• Go to the Lord with the reproaches and insults of those who oppose your pursuit of His will.
• Do not respond in kind, but trust in God’s justice and faithfulness. Remember to pray for those who persecute you (Matt. 5:44).
• Recognize that the enemy tries to attack the work of God by bringing confusion. Pray, and be on guard against it.
• Realize that all ministry involves spiritual warfare.
• Be prepared for battle and quick to aid those who are under spiritual attack.

Wisdom knows that the LORD is the source of any spiritual advancement. It is also aware that no such progress will go unopposed, but will incur spiritual opposition. Sometimes expressed through human agency. Therefore act with discernment. The wise will discern the true origin of many verbal attacks as an assault motivated by our spiritual adversity

• Understand that wisdom involves searching out a matter before making any decisions or decrees.
• Postpone informing others until you have ascertained the mind of the LORD
• Expect and do not be surprised or dismayed at hostility when you undertake to do the will of GOD
• Be aware that any favour shown to GOD’s people will anger our spiritual adversary.
• Discern that much human enmity is spiritually motivated
• Discern and reject negative prophecy from malignant sources

Leaders must insure the welfare of the church. They must lead the way so that everyone carries a fair share of the work and no one puts his own interests above those of others. Leaders are servants providing examples of obedience and diligence to GOD’s people. Only those who live this way should be entrusted with leadership responsibility

• Leaders note and reprove those who due to their position or privilege will not serve
• Leaders reprove those who ignore the welfare of others, pursuing instead personal gain
• Champion the cause of the poor and needy
• Leaders do not lord it over others rather devout yourself to working diligently
• Leaders honor men of integrity who fear the LORD. Entrust such with leadership responsibility
• Leaders understand and teach that righteous living is obedient to the will of GOD as revealed in the scriptures