Bible Men: Nehemiah: Building More than Walls 

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. Neh 1:6 

This is Why We Pray

The one thing which strikes at the heart is the prayerful zeal of Nehemiah.

We read, when he received news from home, how his heart brought heaven down. “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” (Neh 1:4).

What follows is the pouring of a soul, like a waterfall, when the waters hit the rocks below.

Nehemiah rends his heart. His breadth reduces into a vapour, and you almost catch the sweat dripping from his brow.

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: 

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.

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. 

Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:  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. 

Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. 

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. Neh 1:5-11  

Prayer is speaking with God. Prayer is adoration, it is sweeping the drapes aside and focusing the eyes on God.

Prayer is confession, it is going down on one’s knees, eyes cast down, and touching the hem of God.

O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Psa 139:1  

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.  Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.  Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight… Psa 51:1 -4

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? Psa 139:7 

Prayer is thanksgiving. It is lifting the palms up, and breaking into a thunderous tumult.

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Psa 100:1,4  

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Heb 13:15  

Prayer is supplication, it is the opening of the bowl of the heart to God, and allowing the incense to percolate.

I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.  I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble. 

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. Psa 142:1-3 

LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. 

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Psa 141:1-2 

Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. 

From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 

For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. 

I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. Psa 61:1-4 

Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. Psa 27:9  

Prayer is an ambrosial; it is an anchoring of God into the soul.

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:  Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;  Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. Psa 103:1-5 

Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. 

While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Psa 146:1-2 

Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.  Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. 

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.  Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.  Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.  Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. Psa 150:1-6 

It is the sort of prayer you want to pray, and pray and pray…

Shall we pray like that tonight? Shall we believe like Nehemiah?

Yet it is not a work which man can do, but only a work which the Spirit of God can do.

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Rom 8:26-28  

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. Jn 1:8-10