21 Days with Nehemiah

“So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.” Nehemiah 6:15,16 The wall is rebuilt! Nehemiah and his people persevered to the end. Nehemiah believed God, resisted the enemy, held on to the vision and did not give up. Jerusalem’s walls and gates are rebuilt and stand as a testimony of God’s faithfulness and power. Israel’s enemies recognise God’s hand upon His people and lose their self-confidence. Now Israel’s enemies are intimidated by the realization that God’s supernatural presence and power have enabled Nehemiah and his people to rebuild Jerusalem in just 52 days! A vision fulfilled is a testimony for God’s glory and a banner of victory against the enemy. King David puts it like this: “Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him f...

“Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.’ 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.” Nehemiah 2:17,18   Nehemiah motivates his people to rebuild Jerusalem by pointing out the problem, the significance of what it means for everyone, testifying to God’s grace upon him, the king’s favour toward him and inviting everyone to be part of the solution. This is great leadership. In very few words, Nehemiah describes the vision, why it needs to be fulfilled, why it is going to be accomplished, how it will be accomplished and what role everyone has to be a significant part of the fulfilment of the vision. If we do not understand the problem, we will not take hold of the vision – God’s solutio...