Nehemiah 1:4 NKJV So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

In this verse, we have a road map of how Nehemiah turned an impossible task around.

The action began with prayer. We know Nehemiah was in solitude for at least four months, weeping, mourning, fasting, and praying.

Wept - The weeping was an outward expression of sorrow from a repentant heart. It was not just tears but rather an admission of sin, a request for forgiveness, and a commitment to repentance. You cannot move ahead with God unless you begin with full admittance, confession, and repentance of sin to God.

Mourned - The expression of profound grief was for his people turning their back on God's word and instructions.

Fasting - We have yet to grasp the spiritual significance of fasting fully. Fasting here was a part of the expression of admittance and repentance of sin. Demonstrating to God, I'm backing my words of repentance with action.

Prayer - Nehemiah 1:8-11 Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ’If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.’ Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”

For I was the king’s cupbearer.