Nehemiah - The Agent Of Change

Nehemiah 2:20 (NKJV)
20 “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build…”
Nehemiah 4:7-10; New King James Version (NKJV)
7 Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, 8 and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion.9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night. 10 Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.”

Nehemiah 4:14 (AMP)
14 I looked [them over] and rose up and said to the nobles and officials and the other people, Do not be afraid of the enemy; [earnestly] remember the Lord and imprint Him [on your minds], great and terrible, and take from Him courage to fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.

Nehemiah 6:15-16 (NKJV)
15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days.16 And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.

● THREE REACTIONS TO CHANGE:
○ Critics - will always be the loudest
■ Loudest boos always come from the cheapest seats!
■ Just because they are the loudest aren’t necessarily the most important!
○ Bystanders - neutral, for now.
○ Advocates - on board and raring to go!
What the does the WHY do to the reactions?
1. Disarms the critics
a. Clearly presented why will often disarm the critics and may convert to believers
2. Educates the bystanders
a. They might move the mission forward….i see why this difficulty to something better
3. Advocates
a. Your ‘Why” empowers the advocates and language and data and stats to come alongside and lead others through the struggle.

Questions To Ponder:
● What part of Nehemiah’s journey most currently reflect yours?
● What is the Lord asking you to do about it?