Active Prayer

Active Prayer
Nehemiah 1:5-11
Part 2 of a study of Nehemiah
Winter 2008
 
What made Nehemiah’s prayers powerful?
1.      His prayers were rooted…
•In the greatness of God
–“LORD God of heaven, the great and awe-inspiring God…”
•In the promises of God
            “who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love Him and keep His commands, let Your eyes be open and Your ears be attentive to hear Your servant’s prayer…Please remember what You commanded Your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples. But if you return to Me and carefully observe My commands, even though your exiles were banished to the ends of the earth, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have My name dwell.”
 
What made Nehemiah’s prayers powerful?
2.      His prayers were passionate & personal
•“Please, Lord…”
•Personal repentance
–“I confess the sins we have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted corruptly toward You and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances You gave Your servant Moses.”
 
What made Nehemiah’s prayers powerful?
3.      His prayers were in the company of others
•“Please, Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and to that of Your servants who delight to revere Your name.”
 
What made Nehemiah’s prayers powerful?
4.      His prayers were specific & active
•“Give Your servant success today, and have compassion on him in the presence of this man.”
 
What made Nehemiah’s prayers powerful?
5.      His prayers were persevering
•“The story reminds us that even when God’s people are praying just the right prayer about the concerns that God himself has laid on their hearts, he still may keep them waiting, because the time he appoints for prayer-answering action is often not as soon as was hoped.” -J.I. Packer