◄ What Does Nehemiah 2:4 Mean? ►

Nehemiah was a Jewish exile who lived in the Persian city of Suza. He held the responsible position of cupbearer to the king, but Nehemiah was a man of God, who was also a man of prayer. He gives us some wonderful insights into powerful, prolonged, and effective prayer: "For the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."

When the news reached his ears from the remnant in Israel, that the walls surrounding Jerusalem remained broken and in ruins, and its gates were burned to the ground, Nehemiah sat down and wept for a number of days. He fasted and mourned for many days and prayed fervently to the God of heaven. Although many exiles had returned to the Holy City, they had failed to rebuild the city wall and sanctuary of God.

Nehemiah was deeply grieved that the Holy City of God was still lying in utter ruins, following its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar. He confessed his sin before the Lord and the sins of the entire nation. He acknowledged they had acted corruptly toward God, and not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances He gave through His servant Moses: "I confess the sins we have committed against You," he cried, "both I and my father’s house have sinned."

In His prayers, Nehemiah pleaded for God's mercy on his nation, his city, and the people of Israel, reminding the Lord of His never-failing faithfulness, and precious promises to His people: "You are a God Who preserves His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments." Nehemiah reminded the Lord that Israel was still His covenant people.

For four months, he prayed about the distressing condition of the Holy City. He pleaded with the Lord for forgiveness and mercy, and his grief over Jerusalem was reflected in his service to Artaxerxes, the king who questioned him by asking: "Why is your face sad Nehemiah, even though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart."

Those in the emperor's service knew very well that any display of emotion or pain, anger or sadness, should be kept hidden before the king and his court. Nehemiah knew that men had been executed for exhibiting such emotions in the presence of a king, and he became: "Overwhelmed with fear." However, Nehemiah explained that his sadness of heart was on hearing that the city where his ancestors were buried lay in ruins and its gates destroyed by fire.

Artaxerxes did not dismiss his servant's grief as irrelevant, but was moved, by God, to find out if there was any way that he could help him in his distress, and so we read: "Then the king said to me, 'What would you request?'" Despite being very much afraid, Nehemiah, was a man of prayer who sent a quick, but silent prayer-arrow to God, for both wisdom to speak the right words before the king, and for grace in his master's eyes.

Although Nehemiah was caught in this dangerous situation, he was so saturated in prayer and accustomed to calling on the name of the Lord, that he was spiritually equipped to shoot his silent supplication to God. Nehemiah was in fellowship with the Father, for his sins were forgiven and confessed up to date, and so he was well able to come to the throne of grace for mercy to find help at this time of need.

He had spent months pleading with God for the restoration of Jerusalem's walls. He had, no doubt, reflected much on what could be done to restore the dignity of the Holy City. His quick prayer arrow that sped its way to the Lord was founded on months of prayer, fasting, confession of sin, and pleading his case to God. Nehemiah did not know that God was preparing the heart of Artaxerxes to respond favourably toward his servant, and his answer to the king was inspired by God because it was founded on the effectual fervent prayers he had offered over many months.

"'If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favour before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it.' Then the king said to me, 'How long will your journey be, and when will you return?' So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time. And I said to the king, 'If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.' And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me."

It was not because of his cup bearing skills that Nehemiah found grace in the eyes of the king, but because he trusted the Lord and had a relationship with the God of his salvation. God's ear was attentive towards his servant because he was a faithful prayer warrior who was consistent in his intercessions, prayed continually with all prayer and supplication, and trusted God to fulfil His promises to His people.

The praying man or woman may not know how their prayers will be answered, but those who wait on Him and maintain close communion with their Heavenly Father, will be used by God in wonderful ways. God does not always answer prayer in the way we expect, but will always carry out His plans and purposes for His greater glory and for His servants' eternal joy. 

In Nehemiah's life, we see the supernatural work of God being carried out in answer to the faithful prayers of His servant, for when plans are conceived in prayer, prayer is the foundation on which God's answer rests. May we practice powerful, prolonged, and effective prayer, and be ready to be used by God to fulfil His plans for our life.

Heavenly Father, thank You for men of prayer like Paul, Nehemiah, Daniel and also the Lord Jesus, who have become such examples to follow in the important ministry of prayer. Teach me how to pray without ceasing and to pray effectively. Help me develop a practice of powerful, prolonged, and effective prayer. Use me in whatever way You choose to carry out Your plans and purposes in my life. Thank You that Your ear is ever open to my cries, whether they are simple, silent arrow-prayers, or long-term, persistent pleadings. Thank You that I have access to the throne of grace, for mercy to find help in time of need. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.