PERSONAL APPLICATION

WARM-UP

PRAYER

1. Are you more of a starter or a finisher? Why is that?________________________________________________________________________________________

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2. What is something you’ve been thinking about starting for a while, but haven’t?

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So let’s not be weary in doing good. At just the right time, we wll reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.    

Gal. 6:9 NLT

The smallest step in the right direction may be the biggest step to your destiny. Do something when you feel nothing. What is wearing you down? Do you easily give up? If God is with you, what are you afraid of? ____________________________________________

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1. What have you learned from this lesson and how will you apply it in a practical way?

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2. What practical steps do you need to take to be able to start?

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On the space provide below, record prayer requests and answered prayers. Pray for one another. ________________________________________________________________________________________

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Divine DirectionFaith To Start

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.    

Zechariah 4:10 NLT

It takes faith to start something. Many just dream or talk about their plans or vision. Some can’t start because they get overwhelmed by it. While some are so cautious and want to know all the details before they start. Here are some points we can learn from Nehemiah.

1. Pray first and inquire.

The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?”With a prayer to the God of heaven, I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.”

Nehemiah 2:4-5 NLT

When the walls of Jerusalem had been down for 140 years, a man named Nehemiah who was the cupbearer to king Artexerxes, asked the king for permission to rebuild the walls of his city. Nehemiah started out with a prayer to God for guidance and slowly things started to fall into place. Nehemiah was wise enough to pray first and inquire of the king, before he decided to start rebuilding the wall. When the king agreed to his request, and because God was with him, he had favor and grace that came with his obedience. Why is prayer important? Why did he ask the king first before he started his plan?____________________________________________

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2. Start small.

But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king. They replied

at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work.

Nehemiah 2:17-18 NLT

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.    

Zechariah 4:10 NLT

The first step to building anything is to take a small step of faith. For many of us, it’s the start that stops us because the end result seems so far away. Nehemiah had a big vision and yet still started out small.

We don’t necessarily have to have the faith to finish something - we just have to have the faith to start it. Have you recently had to take the step of faith to start doing something? Tell us about it.

Or, are you having a hard time starting? What obstacle are you looking at that hinders you from starting small?____________________________________________

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3. Take the next step.

But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” they asked. I replied, “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”

Nehemiah 2:19 NLT

Just do something. Start doing what is necessary, then what is possible, then suddenly you are doing the impossible. (St. Francis of Assisi). If you overthink it, you will never take the next step. What are the practical steps you need to take? ________________________________________________________________________________________

WORD