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1992-11-11
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FUNCTIONING IN LEADERSHIP
"If the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do?"
(Psalm 11:3, NASB).
"I beseech you, be ye followers of me" (1 Cor. 4:16, KJB).
Nehemiah: A Leader In Action
The book of Nehemiah, is called the book of the "Reconstruction of the House"
and the "Reinstruction of the People". Let us now note some of the
spiritual principles associated with the building of the house of the Lord.
1. First, ministry must have a burden to build up the broken
walls of the Church. In Nehemiah 1:3-4 we see a specific order.
First, Nehemiah `sat down' (v.4).
Whenever a leader becomes aware of a problem, he should sit down to
pray, think and study God's Word.
Next, Nehemiah wept over the problem (v.4). So moved was this man
inwardly that he expressed his concern outwardly. Heart-felt
prayers are the only kind that God hears.
David was "a man after God's own heart" David cried, "The zeal of
thine house hath eaten me up...I wept and chastened my soul..."
(Psalm 69:9,10).
Following his weeping, Nehemiah mourned (v.4). The word used
for `mourn' here means to bewail, to cut, or to beat. It also
means the beating of the breast or the head in mourning and sorrow
for the death of a loved one. Scriptually speaking, there is "a
time to mourn" (Eccl.3:4). The following scriptures illustrate to
us the importance of mourning before the Lord.
1. "Give ear to my prayer...I mourn in my complaint and make a
noise" (Psalm 55:1,2).
2. "The priests, the Lord's ministers, do mourn" [because of
the poor condition of God's temple] (Joel 1:9).
3. "Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted"
(Matthew 5:4).
4. "Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep, let your laughter be
turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness." (James 4:9).
Next, Nehemiah fasted (v.4). He denied himself food to humble
himself so that he might seek the Lord. The following scriptures
will show that fasting is a Bible principle to be obeyed.
1. David fasted and wept...(2 Sam. 12:16-17)
2. "Is this the fast that I have chosen: to loose...to
undo...to let go...to break every yoke?" (Is. 58:3-6)
3. "Sanctify ye as a fast, call a solemn assembly" (Joel
1:14).
4. Jesus fasted 40 days...(Matthew 4:2).
5. "Moreover when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites..."
(Matthew 6:16-18).
6. The apostles fasted and prayed (Acts 13:2,3).
2. Second, ministry must identify with the problem at hand . In Nehemiah
1:6-11 Nehemiah admits, "...we have sinned against thee, both I and
my father's house have sinned".
Nehemiah identified himself with the problem to the extent that he
confessed his sin along with the people's. He did not say, "You
people must repent for you have sinned".
"The trouble with most people is they won't admit their faults.
I'd admit mine if I had any".
3. Third, ministry must take the initiative to seek out and face
any problem. Nehemiah 2:11-16.
a. Investigation v.12-16
b. Co-operation v.17-18
c. Determination v.19-20
Here Nehemiah took the initiative to face the problems in
Jerusalem. leaders should first take any plans and problems to
the Lord, the elders and the deacons.
4. Forth, Just as Moses gave some of the mantle of his responsibility
to those under him, so must every leader learn how to delegate
responsibility to different church members. Nehemiah chapter 4
gives us three things with which every leader must equip his people.
They are: a tool, a weapon, and an ear.
a. Nehemiah 4:17 states, "They which built on the wall, and they
that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of
his hands wrought in the work..." Every one who built the wall
or bore a burden, had a certain tool with which he worked on
the wall.
b. Nehemiah 4:16-18. Everybody was given a weapon. These are the
weapons that a Christian must learn how to use to fight the
enemy: truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the
Word, and prayer. Another weapon that a Christian must learn
how to use is praise. Isaiah 40:13 says, "But they that wait
upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up
with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and
they shall walk, and not faint".
c. Finally, every leader must equip every member of his
congregation with a spiritual ear to hear the voice of God's
Spirit. Nehemiah spoke to his people in the words, "In what
place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye
thither unto us: our God shall fight for us" (Nehemiah 4:20).
Likewise, all Christians need to learn how to have ears to
hear what the Holy Spirit says to the Church.