Rebuilding Ruins Through Prayer

Series: Rebuilding Ruins - God's Faithfulness in Ezra and Nehemiah

Rebuilding Ruins Through Prayer

January 29, 2023 | Jon Knapp
Nehemiah 1:1-7:73

Throughout the book of Nehemiah we see that Nehemiah continually responds to the circumstances around him by going to God in prayer. Through an examination of Nehemiah's prayer life, we gain insights to develop our own prayer life, and it comes with a challenge to make our first response to ruins prayer.

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Rebuilding Ruins Through Prayer
Nehemiah 1-7
Pastor Jon Knapp

What we can learn about prayer through Nehemiah’s example:

1) He  and wept.

Nehemiah 1:4 “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept.”

Luke 11:8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. 9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

2) He and prayed.

Nehemiah 1:4 “For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”

3) He prayed .

Nehemiah 1:6 “Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel.”

1 Thess. 5:16-18 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

4) He prayed according to God’s .

Nehemiah 1:5 “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,”

5) He prayed and .

Nehemiah 1:6-7 “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.”

6) He prayed the of God.

Nehemiah 1:8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’”

7) He prayed in alignment with .

Nehemiah 1:11 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.”

8) He prayed in the moment.

Nehemiah 2:4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and by the grace of God, God answered his request.

Nehemiah 2:8 “And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.”

He gives his testimony which inspires the work.

Nehemiah 2:18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

9) Nehemiah responds to opposition with prayers.

Nehemiah 4:4-5 “Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own

heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot

out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.”

In Matt 5:44 “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”

Rom 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

10) His prayers were combined with  and .

Nehemiah 4:9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.

Nehemiah 5:13 “At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.”

Nehemiah 5:19 “Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.”

Nehemiah 6:9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”

Nehemiah 7:5 So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had

been the first to return.

 

Series Information

After seventy years in exile, the books of Ezra and Nehemiah record a series of returns of the Jewish people from captivity in Persia. They return to rebuild the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem that were left in ruins by the Babylonians. But the promise of return is quickly met with opposition and the spiritual renewal of the community is not sustained. Yet the hand of God is evident and at work in protecting the people and calling them back into relationship. As the community of Countryside Community Church this series will help us understand God's faithfulness in sustaining his covenant and people throughout the story of Scripture. As we step into the new year and further out of the pandemic it will also challenge us to seek God's work in rebuilding our own ruins in our lives and relationships, knowing he is faithful.

Other sermons in the series