Developing Your Prayer LifePrayer in Action

Prayer: offensive or defensive weapon?

A Brief Historical Introduction to...Nehemiah

586 B.C. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah

538 B.C. King Cyrus of Persia decrees Jews may return.

535 B.C. Temple construction begins (takes 20 years)

458 B.C. Ezra returns to Jerusalem under king Artaxerxes

444 B.C. Nehemiah (king's cup bearer) also returns to rebuild the wall.

Prayer of Nehemiah Chapter 1

Adoration

Confession

Thanksgiving

Supplication

Good News:God always answers

prayer!

Bad News:It may not be the answer

you want.

More Good News:Action compliments

prayer.

HERE’S THE DEAL

FIVE LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

1. _______ are important.Motives

FIVE LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

James 4:3 "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

FIVE LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

2.Our prayers reflect our ___________ with God.

relationship

FIVE LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

Nehemiah 2:4"The king said to me, 'What is it you want?' 5 Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, 'If it pleases the king...let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it.'"

FIVE LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

Matthew 6:7 "When you pray, don't babble on and on and people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered on by repeating their words again and again."[NLT]

FIVE LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

3.Prayer is not a substitute for ______ .

action

FIVE LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

Nehemiah 4:8 "They (the enemies) all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet the threat."

FIVE LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

FIVE LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

4.God's answers to prayers aren't always ______ .simple

FIVE LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

Matthew 5:45 "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."

FIVE LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

Nehemiah 4:10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall."

FIVE LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

5.But God's answers ARE __________ .

trustworthy

FIVE LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

Nehemiah 4:15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work.

FIVE LESSONS FROM NEHEMIAH

Proverbs 27:6 "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses."

PRAYER OF AN UNKNOWN CONFEDERATE

I asked God for strength that I might achieveI was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.I asked for health that I might do greater things.I was given infirmity that I might do better thingsI asked for riches that I might be happy.I was given poverty that I might be wise.I asked for power that I might have the praise of men.I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.I asked for all things that I might enjoy life.I was given life that I might enjoy all things.I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for.Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.I am, among all men, most richly blessed!