4 Leadership Lessons from Nehemiah 4

“After I made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes.” – Nehemiah 4:14

This verse was from one of our Bible reading plans at New Life. It comes at a very pivotal time in Nehemiah’s leadership of helping the people of Jerusalem rebuild the walls around the city. At this moment, people who don’t want the walls rebuilt come to Jerusalem to scare people away and prevent the building. 

Lesson 1: Courage in the Face of Fear. Nehemiah said in 4:14a, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord…” (Nehemiah 4:14a). We can be brave even when we’re scared. Nehemiah told the people not to be afraid of their enemies as he reminded them that God is bigger and more powerful than anything that scares us. When you feel afraid, remember how great and awesome God is! And that He will help you!

Lesson 2: Fight For What’s Important. Nehemiah continued in 4:14b by saying “and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes.” Nehemiah encouraged the people to fight for what’s important – their families and homes. Take time today to think about the things that are precious to you. Remember that God cares about these things too, and He’s always there with you as you fight for what matters most.

Lesson 3: Stand Strong Together. Throughout the building of the walls of Jerusalem, we see that the people of Jerusalem worked together and stood strong together. In this chapter this is particularly highlighted as they worked together to stay safe and build the wall. Take some time to think about how you can support your friends and family when they face challenges. Stand with them and show the love of Chris to them as you care and support them. 

Lesson 4: Trust God in Difficult Times. Throughout this story of the rebuilding of the Jerusalem, Nehemiah faced many obstacles and challenges. However, he always turned to God for help. This is a great reminder that no matter the size of your challenges, birg or small, you can trust God with them. Take time to talk to God about all you are going through. And, just like He helped Nehemiah, God is always ready to help you too.

Conclusion

Nehemiah felt called to return to Jerusalem to rebuld the walls. He had a lot of help from the Israelites and God. In Chapter 4, where opposition against the rebuild was growing from outside forces, Nehemiah encouraged the Israelites in verse 14 to remember that God is with them. In the same way, while we may face challenges and obstacles in our life, we can remember this encouragement and stand firm because God is with us. 

At New Life, we offer a variety of Bible reading plans for exploring God’s word and practically applying it to our lives today. If you would like to be part of a Bible reading plan, check out the different options here. You can also check out other devotionals throughout the week here.