Multiply

Prayers and Scriptures

Applying scriptures to our prayers shall indeed MOVE MOUNTAINS! By asking the Holy Spirit to lead us to a promise to pray for ourselves, others and even the nations will fuel our prayers as it unites us with God Himself! 

Nehemiah a Masterful Motivator

As a master motivator, Nehemiah knew who the most influential leaders in Jerusalem were.  It was the high priest and those serving with him.  And Nehemiah tapped them to set the example for the people. 
• Here is a lesson for us.  Leaders find the influencers in their organization and engage their support and involvement early on.  By taking this approach, others are much more likely to join the cause and become engaged.   

Do not Create Dependency

Church planters often find it difficult to delegate spiritual responsibility.
They are relieved when they can delegate administrative and logistical
tasks. But spiritual responsibility is another matter! But the Apostle Paul
did not seem sto struggle with this. His words to the young church he
started in Thessalonica show his commitment to avoiding dependency
through empowerment.

More and More

Affirmation and Challenge are two aspects of leadership that must always be
kept in balance. Too much affirmation and people become complacent. Too
much challenge and people become discouraged. The Apostle Paul was a
master at both.

Nehemiah An Inspiring Visionary Leader

Nehemiah has the rather unique combination of visionary gifting as well as a strong ability to plan and organize.  I do not see this very often. More frequently the Lord uses a team of leaders with skills and giftings that complement one another.

Nehemiah a Planful leader

I also observe one additional important leadership behavior in verses 11 to 16. Upon his arrival in
Jerusalem, Nehemiah carefully assessed the situation. He inspected the condition of the walls. Once
more he sets a helpful example for us; he does not rush into the situation trying to fix it. Rather, he took
the time to gather the necessary information before taking action.
May we be like Nehemiah, leaders who hear from the Lord and develop a plan.

Nehemiah Courageous and Bold

Courageous leaders are also willing and able to make difficult decisions in the midst of uncertainty or
ambiguity. Reluctance or failure to make a decision when a decision is necessary can sometimes be as
detrimental as the wrong decision. I have often said that “failure to make a decision is actually a
decision by default … it’s a decision to do nothing.” This can result in frustration and discouragement for
those who follow us.

Nehemiah's Intercessory Prayer

Nehemiah did not merely pray for the forgiveness of “their” sins. He, himself, “owned” the sins of the Israelites. In the
last episode I quoted Ezekiel 22:30, and I repeat it here. The Lord, “looked for someone among them who would …
stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” Once again, I
would suggest that leaders are called to “stand in the gap” in intercessory prayer.

Daniel's Intercessory Prayer

Daniel models for leaders, and for all of us, the appropriate posture before the Lord and how we are to acknowledge His
holy and perfect character.
Something else very apparent to me is that throughout the first 19 verses Daniel uses pronouns such as “we”, “us”, and
“our”.

Daniel Consistent in Prayer

I have several observations about this situation.

• Those who were jealous of Daniel must have known about his practice of prayer. That is why they conspired to persuade Darius to make the decree.
• The king’s edict had no effect upon Daniel’s prayer life. He continued to pray three times per day … with the windows open!
• The prayer habit that got Daniel into difficulty is also what rescued him from his difficulty.