This is the manuscript of the third sermon in a four-sermon series titled “Waging Successful Spiritual Warfare with the Help that Comes Through Prayer. This series will emphasize the place prayer should have in the life of each follower of Jesus.
Scripture
Nehemiah 1:1-11 NIV [1] The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, [2] Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. [3] They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” [4] When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. [5] Then I said: “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, [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. 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. [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.’ [10] “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. [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.” I was cupbearer to the king.
Introduction
This is the third sermon in a four sermon series titled “Waging Successful Spiritual Warfare with the Help that Comes Through Prayer. This series will emphasize the place prayer should have in the life of each follower of Jesus. Two weeks ago we talked about the power we have when we partner in prayer with each other. Last week it was the power of prevailing prayer.
James 5:16 NIV Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Prevailing prayer refers to a type of prayer that is persistent, fervent, and effective. It's a prayer that "prevails" or achieves its purpose, often breakthroughs or answers to difficult situations. Prevailing prayer is characterized by:
- Persistence: Continuing to pray despite obstacles or delays
- Passion: Praying with strong emotions and urgency
- Faith: Trusting in God's power and promises
- Perseverance: Praying without giving
This week let’s talk about intercession, about intercessory prayer.
Have you ever felt a weight on your heart for someone else? A burden so heavy it almost consumes you? Maybe you've prayed fervently for a loved one facing a challenge, the nation, or for a world filled with suffering. That’s the essence of intercessory prayer. It's about lifting others up to God, carrying their burdens on our hearts, and seeking His divine intervention.
When Nehemiah asked a group of men who had just come from Jerusalem how it was going with the rebuilding of the city after they were allowed back after the nation’s exile in Babylon and he was told, as we see in Nehemiah 1:3, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” That news is what led Nehemiah to intercession and to personal involvement in the work of God.
Intercessory prayer is when you pray to God on behalf of another person or group of people. It's like being a spiritual advocate, pleading with God for their needs, desires, and challenges.
The prayer in our scripture today was intercessory in nature. It contained specific requests on behalf of God’s people.
Again, intercessory prayer is selfless. It's focused on the needs of others rather than your own. You're standing in the gap for someone else, asking God to intervene and you are trusting in God's power to answer your prayer.
So here’s our text for today
Text:
Nehemiah 1:6 NIV 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. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.
Today we are going to look at the circumstances, the characteristics, the content, and the consequences of Nehemiah’s prayer. Looking at these things, the circumstances, the characteristics, the content, and the consequences, will give us a good pattern for intercessory prayer.
I. First let's look at the circumstances that prompted Nehemiah to pray.
Here is the prayer of a man who had not lost his love for the land and the faith of his fathers.
The nation had been in exile in Babylon for 70 years then Cyrus, king of Persia, who had attacked and defeated the Babylonians, permitted the Jews to return to their homeland.
Let's look at a couple of scriptures
Jeremiah 25:11-12 NIV [11] This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. [12] “But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt,” declares the Lord, “and will make it desolate forever.
Ezra 1:1-4 NIV [1] In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: [2] “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “ ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. [3] Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. [4] And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’ ”
Initially only fifty thousand responded, the majority choosing to remain in exile because many of them prospered while in exile. For some reason unknown to us, I say it was the providence of God, Nehemiah had remained in the service of the Medo-Persian king where he was in a position of importance. He was the king’s cup bearer. The king at this time was Artaxerxes. This is important because being a cupbearer meant constant proximity to the king. This provided Nehemiah with unprecedented access to the most powerful person in the Persian Empire. The role of cupbearer demanded a high level of trust. The cupbearer tasted the king's food and drink to ensure it was not poisoned.
Nehemiah’s position as cupbearer was a strategic platform from which he could serve God and his people. It allowed him to leverage his position for a noble purpose. It was not by chance that he was in this position but by providence.
Nehemiah’s got the news of the dire condition of the Jewish remnant in Jerusalem. They were facing great trouble, disgrace, and the city's walls were in ruins.
It's important to note here that while the initial return and rebuilding of the Temple began shortly after Cyrus' decree, the process faced significant challenges and interruptions.
About 80 years had passed between Cyrus’ decree and the news Nehemiah got from his brother and friends.
If you want to know what happened during those 80 years read Ezra and Haggai, but in summary; the Samaritans, a mixed population living in the region, opposed the Jewish people and hindered their progress. The Jewish community faced internal challenges as they struggled to re-establish their identity and faith.
These factors combined to create a powerful impetus for Nehemiah to engage in fervent and persistent prayer for the restoration of Jerusalem and its people.
When we intercede for someone we need to know and understand the issue or circumstances. We need to be aware of any specific needs. Each week, at Bible study we ask for any specific prayer requests and when we pray we are interceding in response to a specific need or circumstance. From time to time I pray with a group from LIFE Ministries and there is usually a prayer list for specific needs. When one of you ask me to pray with and for you it is often in response to something specific. In fact I usually ask if there is something specific that you want me to pray for. To intercede you need to know what you are interceding for, and asking God to do. That’s the case whether it is for a person, a community, or a nation. Our affirmation is an intercessory prayer for the nation.
II. Its characteristics.
Nehemiah’s response to the news brought by his friends regarding the circumstances affecting the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple, gives us the first characteristics of his prayer: which were humiliation and brokenness.
Nehemiah 1:4 NIV When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
Nehemiah’s response to the circumstances, to the news he just received was grief, and sorrow. He recognized that all this hardship on the nation was caused by the sin of God’s people. Nehemiah takes personal responsibility for the sins of his people, including his own sin and that of his family.
Nehemiah 1:6-7 NIV [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. 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.
His prayer is not just for himself but for the entire nation of Israel, demonstrating his deep concern for the people.
Implicit in Nehamiah's confession of his sins and the sins of his family and those of the nation, is an understanding of God's holiness and righteousness and the consequences of disobedience. Nehemiah's prayer serves as a powerful model for believers today, emphasizing humility, confession, and dependence on God.
We need to examine our own prayers. Do we come before God in humiliation and brokenness?
Do we come confessing our sins and rebellion? Do we come in faith? Do we seek God’s face, remembering that he is the Lord God of heaven and that we are his servants?
III. What about the content of Nehemiah’s prayer.
Perhaps the most important aspect of Nehemiah’s prayer is its content. The content of his prayer can be summarized by three words, hear, remember, and prosper.
A. “Hear the prayer of thy servant”
Nehemiah 1:6 NIV 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…
Nehemiah knew that God is not deaf but pay attention to several aspects of his prayer to God. His prayer was continual, “day and night.” In other words Nehemian was persistent. Last week in talking about prevailing prayer we said that it was persevering or persistent and it was specific.
Ephesians 6:18 NIV [18] And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
We said prevailing prayer is something that is to be maintained and sustained. We are to engage in it all the time and at every opportunity.
Nehemiah’s prayer was definite and specific. He was praying for the people of Israel.
Nehemiah 1:6 NIV 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….
His prayer was also contrite and repentant:
Nehemiah 1:6 NIV…I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.
B.Nehemiah asked God to hear then he asked God to remember.
Nehemiah 1:8-9 NIV [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.
When we ask God to "remember," we're not suggesting a lapse in His memory but we are engaging in a deeper spiritual connection. We recognize His ultimate authority and trust in His perfect timing. It's a way to express our reliance on God and acknowledge our need for His intervention. It highlights the importance and urgency of our request, signaling our fervent desire for His action. Ultimately, the act of asking God to remember is a form of worship and trust, acknowledging His power and goodness while expressing our deepest desires and needs.
C. The first request in Nehemiah’s prayer was for God to hear the second was for God to remember and the third request is to prosper the people and him.
God had promised to punish Israel for its disobedience , but he had also promised to prosper them and now Nehemiah pleads for that prosperity.
Nehemiah 1:11 NIV 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.” I was cupbearer to the king.
Now the word prosper, in the sense of material wealth or abundance, is not in this verse. Nehemiah doesn't use the word prosper but he does pray for the success and restoration of the nation of Israel.
His prayer is a heartfelt plea for God's favor and intervention in the plight of the Israelites. This, in essence, is a prayer for the nation's prosperity and restoration.
Nehemiah 1:8-11 NIV [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.’ [10] “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. [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.” I was cupbearer to the king.
This scripture encapsulates the essence of intercessory prayer.
Nehemiah is not merely praying for himself but for the entire community. His request for favor before the king demonstrates his strategic thinking and trust in God's timing.
IV. What were the consequences of Nehemiah’s intercessory prayer? Did God hear? Did God remember? Did God prosper?
The remainder of the book of Nehemiah answers these questions in the affirmative.
Nehemiah's accomplishments are two-fold: rebuilding Jerusalem and reforming the people. Here's a breakdown:
Rebuilding Jerusalem:
Spearheading Wall Construction: Nehemiah's most famous feat is leading the Israelites in rebuilding Jerusalem's walls. The project faced opposition, but they completed it in a remarkable 52 days
Nehemiah 6:15 NIV So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.
City Revival: Rebuilding the walls wasn't just about defense; it allowed Jerusalem to function as a city again. People could live and work within its secure boundaries.
Reforming the People:
Religious Renewal: Nehemiah worked with Ezra the priest to restore religious practices and educate the people about the Law
Nehemiah 8:1-3 NIV [1] all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel. [2] So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. [3] He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
Social Justice: Nehemiah addressed social problems like unfair lending practices and exploitation of the poor (Nehemiah 5).
Moral Uprightness: He also tackled issues like marriage to foreigners and neglecting the Temple rituals (Nehemiah 13).
Conclusion
The power of intercessory prayer lies in its ability to:
Connect with God
Interceding for others strengthens our connection with God.
Praying for others reflects God's love and compassion.
The power of intercessory prayer also impacts others
Knowing someone is praying for them offers comfort and strength.
Intercession can lead to physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.
God can intervene in situations through our prayers.
The power of intercessory prayer can transform the world
A couple of weeks ago we talked about the power of our partnership in prayer. When believers come together in prayer it has the power to petition God to shape societies and nations.
Intercession is a powerful tool for spiritual warfare.
Ultimately, the power of intercessory prayer resides in God. We are simply vessels through which His power can flow. When we pray for others, we tap into a divine force capable of transforming lives and changing the world.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We thank you for the privilege of coming before your throne of grace, bearing the burdens of others and lifting them up to you in prayer. Help us to be faithful intercessors, standing in the gap for those who need your touch.
May our prayers be pleasing to you, and may they bring glory to your name. We ask that you would hear our prayers and answer them according to your will.
Give us a heart of compassion, a spirit of humility, and a willingness to pray without ceasing. May our prayers be a sweet fragrance to you, and may they bring hope and healing to those we pray for.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen."
