Before Nehemiah went to the king of Persia, King Artaxerxes, to ask for permission to go to Jerusalem to lead in the rebuilding of the wall surrounding the city, he prayed for a bold prayer asking for God to grant him favor before the king. His prayer included four ingredients for answered prayer.
Here's Nehemiah’s prayer.
Nehemiah 1:5-11 NLT Then I said, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses. “Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’ “The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer.
Ingredient 1 Base your request on God’s character.
Nehemiah 1:5 NLT Then I said, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands,
Nehemiah started his prayer by listing God’s character traits and deeds. He prayed with confidence because he knew who God was. You too can pray like this too.
Pray something like: "You are a faithful God. You are a great God. You are a loving God. You are a wonderful God. I’m expecting you to answer this prayer because of who you are. You can handle this problem, God!"
Ingredient 2 Confess the sins you’re aware of.
Nehemiah 1:6-7 NLT listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.
Nehemiah confessed his sins. It wasn’t Nehemiah’s fault that Israel had gone into captivity. He wasn’t even born when it happened. Yet, he included himself in the national sins. He said, “I’ve been part of the problem.”
Ingredient 3 Claim the promises of God.
Nehemiah 1:8-9 NLT “Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’
Nehemiah reminded God of a promise he made to the nation of Israel. Does God have to be reminded? No. Does he forget what he’s promised? No. Then why should you remind God? Because it helps you remember what God has promised.
Ingredient 4 Be very specific about what you ask for.
Nehemiah 1:11 NLT O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer.
f you want specific answers, then make specific requests. If your prayers consist of general requests, how will you know if God answered them?
God answered Nehemiah’s prayer.
Nehemiah 2:4-6 NLT 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.” The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request.
Nehemiah boldly prayed for success, and he got it. Next time you come to God needing answers to your prayers, follow Nehemiah’s example. Proclaim God’s character, confess your sins, claim God’s promises, and make specific requests. Then wait expectantly for God to answer!
Here's Nehemiah’s prayer.
Nehemiah 1:5-11 NLT Then I said, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses. “Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’ “The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer.
Ingredient 1 Base your request on God’s character.
Nehemiah 1:5 NLT Then I said, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands,
Nehemiah started his prayer by listing God’s character traits and deeds. He prayed with confidence because he knew who God was. You too can pray like this too.
Pray something like: "You are a faithful God. You are a great God. You are a loving God. You are a wonderful God. I’m expecting you to answer this prayer because of who you are. You can handle this problem, God!"
Ingredient 2 Confess the sins you’re aware of.
Nehemiah 1:6-7 NLT listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.
Nehemiah confessed his sins. It wasn’t Nehemiah’s fault that Israel had gone into captivity. He wasn’t even born when it happened. Yet, he included himself in the national sins. He said, “I’ve been part of the problem.”
Ingredient 3 Claim the promises of God.
Nehemiah 1:8-9 NLT “Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’
Nehemiah reminded God of a promise he made to the nation of Israel. Does God have to be reminded? No. Does he forget what he’s promised? No. Then why should you remind God? Because it helps you remember what God has promised.
Ingredient 4 Be very specific about what you ask for.
Nehemiah 1:11 NLT O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer.
f you want specific answers, then make specific requests. If your prayers consist of general requests, how will you know if God answered them?
God answered Nehemiah’s prayer.
Nehemiah 2:4-6 NLT 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.” The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request.
Nehemiah boldly prayed for success, and he got it. Next time you come to God needing answers to your prayers, follow Nehemiah’s example. Proclaim God’s character, confess your sins, claim God’s promises, and make specific requests. Then wait expectantly for God to answer!
RSS Feed