Pleading the Promises – Prayer that Gets God’s Attention
Nehemiah 1:1-11
Preached Wednesday September 16, 2015
Introduction:
As we finish our study on the subject of prayer, it is fitting that we look at the kind of prayer that God prefers and responds to. Many religious tradition use liturgical prayers that are memorized and repeated over and over. If you are a Born Again Christian, God is your adopted Father. The veil that separated you from Him has been torn apart. Jesus Christ makes it possible for us to come boldly before the Father with our prayers.
This evening we are going to study two examples of prayer where people used God’s Word and through their passionate pleading, touched the heart of God. Nehemiah was the king’s cup bearer during the times of Jewish captivity. In chapter one of his book, we read how he saw the state of Jerusalem and how he prayed about the sorry condition of God’s people. In Acts chapter 4 we will see that the church at Jerusalem was under persecution, their pastors had just been jailed and beaten. We will see how they prayed and touched the heart of God.
I. We Need to be Intellectually Affected
Psalm 37:4-5
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
A. ASK about the state of God’s work!
Nehemiah 1:1-2
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
1. Be alert as to how we are perceived in the community
2. Understand that our impact depends upon our perceived health
B. Note AFFLICTION– distress/misery because of the enemy’s victory
Nehemiah 1:3
3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
Acts 4:18-23
18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. 22 For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.
23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
C. Note REPROACH
1. Disgrace
2. Because of lack of victory
3. God gets glory when we produce fruit, not when we are barren.
John 15:8
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
D. Note the condition of the ministries of God now – Jerusalem’s walls were burned
II. We Need To Be Emotionally Affected
Nehemiah 1:4
4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
James 4:7-10
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
A. Sit down – in amazement
B. Weep – let it affect you!
C. Mourn – as you would lose a loved one
D. Fast – to distressed to eat!
E. Pray – driven to action
III. We Need To Be Personally Affected – Driven to prayer
A. Acknowledge God’s greatness
Nehemiah 1:5
5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
1. The God of Heaven
2. Creator
Acts 4:24
24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
3. Great… in scope and dimension
4. Terrible – One to be feared
5. Covenant Keeper – you are going to hold Him to it!
B. Acknowledge our total dependence upon God
Nehemiah 1:6
6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.
1. Listen to me!
2. Look at this!
3. Pray day and night
Luke 11:6-8 – For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
C. Pray with a penitent heart
Nehemiah 1:7
7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
1. Repentance follows when you get a clear vision of who God is.
Isaiah 6:5
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
2. Effective prayer comes from the righteous.
James 5:16
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
D. Remind God of His promises – Pray Biblically
Nehemiah 1:8-9
8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: 9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
Acts 4:25-28
25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
2 Chronicles 7:14 – If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
E. Make it personal
Nehemiah 1:10-11
10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. 11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.
1. Your church
2. Your soul winning
3. Specific requests that line up with God’s will and work.
Acts 4:29-31
29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.