Episode 58: Hearing God requires change or action.

Sep 22, 2024 | 0 comments

Episode Description:

Nehemiah in the Bible is an excellent book for looking at how to prepare to hear God and how to pray when there is no easy solution to our problem. Nehemiah is a fantastic example of knowing the Word of God and the character of God. This meant he could quickly determine if he had heard God correctly. Join us in this latest episode of the ‘Hearing God’ Podcast for encouragement as we look at these issues and unpack how Nehemiah in the Bible heard God.

Episode Notes:

Background to Nehemiah:

  • Nehemiah was alive around the time of Ezra, Esther, Jeremiah, and Daniel.
  • In 587 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar and his army of Babylonians attacked the Jews, ransacked and destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem, forced the Jews from their land in Judah and took them back to Babylon.
  • They suffered for 70 years under aggressive rule.
  • The Persians then defeated the Babylonians, and the Jewish exiles in Babylon had a choice to return to Judah. 50,000 returned at this time. The second group that later returned included Ezra, who helped re-establish the religious system and rebuild the Temple.
  • Nehemiah remained in Babylon and was cupbearer to the King. It was a high position.
  • A brother came and told him about the plight of the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem. They had not only had their Temple and wall around the city destroyed but were aimless; their identity, lifestyle, culture, values and sense of community had all been destroyed. This was a people group with no hope. No peace. No sense of safety. Full of shame and disgrace.
  • An intact Wall around the city would represent physical and spiritual protection for security, defining the community and identity as no longer defenceless.
  • Nehemiah fasts and prays for 4-5 months, chats with the King, and is released to go and coordinate the rebuilding of the wall (1,000 miles away in a different country).
  • Nehemiah constantly met oppression while rebuilding the wall. Opposition came mainly from Sanballat, the Horonite, Tobiah, the Ammonite official, and Geshem, the Arab. He faced ridicule, intimidation, discouragement, fear, distraction. In restoration and renewal, we can apply Nehemiah’s principle of first praying and then asking, “What’s my part in this? What part am I willing to play to achieve the desired result?”
  • Nehemiah surveyed and assessed the wall. He had the Israelites rebuild the wall outside their own house. He posted guards at exposed points, and those rebuilding had a trowel in one hand and a weapon in the other, ready to fight.
  • The wall was rebuilt in a miraculous time of 52 days – evidence that God had helped them.
  • Nehemiah models:
    • How to pray when there is no easy solution to our problem
    • How to plan, set goals & achieve them when facing opposition
    • Vision casting
    • How to handle discouragement in both ourselves and others
    • How to motivate others when there is deteriorating morale
    • How to respond to those making false accusations against us
    • How to continue our job while fending off the enemy
    • How to not abuse privileges and success
    • How to manage anger

First Principle: Hearing God requires action.

  • At the end of chapter 1, Nehemiah needed courage to ask King Xerxes if he could go home to Jerusalem to be part of the solution.
  • Nehemiah’s courage to be angry about the Israelite’s brokenness compelled him into action.
  • His anger didn’t paralyse him.
  • St Augustine of Hippo, one of the early Church Fathers, said that hope has two daughters – anger and courage. Anger at the way things are, and courage to ensure they don’t stay that way.
  • Nehemiah as cup bearer would have had soft hands, plush surroundings, and walked daily on red carpet. To fulfil this crazy, wild, gigantic (dare I say) dream meant he had calloused hands, daily torture and hard labour, stumbling over rubble and rocks in an insignificant and politically unstable role. The opposition would have been overwhelming. Surely, he questioned his sanity and commitment. I wonder if he asked, “Did I hear you right, God?”
  • When Nehemiah first heard about the problem in Jerusalem, his first response was to pray. Chapter 1:5-10 we see how he fasted and prayed for about 4-5 months. Not a quick process. When you can’t feel, see or hear God, pray. Fast. Wait. Request God’s eyes and ears to show you what He sees and hears.
  • Then, whenever there was an ‘issue’ or opposition, he prayed. In chapter 2:4, he says a quick prayer before answering King Artaxerxes about why he is sad.
  • In chapter 4:4-5 he prays about the insults being thrown at God’s people. And then again in verse 9 when enemies conspired to attack. Chapters 5 & 6 also include numerous references to Nehemiah praying, asking God to remember him and to strengthen his hand and reminding God about those who wanted to harm him.
  • Nehemiah also takes action and is prepared when the King asks what he requires. He had fasted and prayed for 4-5 months. Nehemiah put together a response that clarified and defined what he felt and needed regarding protection for travel, provisions to build, and time required.

Second Principle: Reading the Bible helps to hear God.

  • Nehemiah often mentions the ‘Ancient Manuscript’. He knew the ‘Bible’ He knew the Scriptures. He knew who God was in those Scriptures, the promises, and how he could trust God.
  • He could trust God because he knew Him from the Scriptures. 2:12 says, “What my God had put in my heart to do”. He could trust that what he was feeling and thinking was of God because it lined up with the character of God.
  • Nehemiah knew that our God was a God of justice, so when the officials and nobles were trying to swindle people and charge interest and were not prepared to help rebuild the wall, he confronted them and ordered them to promise to return the money. Nehemiah then did a prophetic act and shook out his robe, meaning in the same way God would shake out of their house and possessions anyone who didn’t abide by the promise.
  • In chapter 6:9-12, Nehemiah had to capture his thoughts and look at what God had said through his Word. When scared or faced with opposition, first capture your thoughts. Are your thoughts of God?

Third Principle: Ask the right questions.

  • It can be hard to hear God when asking, “Why did this happen?”, or, “Why God?”
  • Instead, ask, “God, what do You want my response to be?” or “God, how can I glorify You at the moment?”
  • Nehemiah was distraught about the wall and the condition of the Israelites. He waited on God with fasting and prayer. He asked God to show Him what to do and say. He didn’t demand a quick fix. He was prepared to be part of the answer.
  • A challenge to us all: “Lord, I’m available to be used how you see fit.”
  • Is there something today you can see that honours God but needs completion?
  • A great question to ponder is: What upsets you the most? (divine burden, injustice, etc) This will then become the driving force to make a difference in the lives of others.
  • Is the joy of the Lord your strength? Nehemiah 8:10

Summary:

  1. Hearing God requires action.
  2. Reading the Bible helps to hear God.
  3. Ask the right questions.

Prophetic activation:

Turn your heart and thoughts to Father God and ask Him –

  • “Lord, can You please show me or highlight how I can spend more time reading Your Word and memorizing Scripture?”

Time Stamps:

[0:36] – Gary & Jane share briefly how they have heard God this week.

[4:42] – Background to the story of Nehemiah.

[8:58] – First Principle: Hearing God requires action.

[15:07] – Second Principle: Reading the Bible helps to hear God.

[18:04] – Third Principle: Ask the right questions.

[20:17] – Recap the principles.

[20:46] – Prophetic activation.

[21:37] – Gary & Jane both share a prophetic word for a listener.

[23:44] – Gary prays for you.

Resources / Links Mentioned:

Bible Verses Mentioned:

  • Nehemiah, especially chapters 1:5-10; 2:4,12; 4:4-5,9; 5; 6:9-12;

Connect with Gary & Jane:

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