We need insights from Nehemiah to unearth strategies & build life structures that will stand the test of time. What was Nehemiah’s secret? How did he accomplish all that he did? The book of Nehemiah in the old testament of the Bible is one that shows us the power of committing to a cause and seeing it come to fruition. It took Nehemiah and his brethren fifty two days to build the massive destroyed walls of Jerusalem. With the following insights from Nehemiah, we’ll be able to do the seemingly impossible and achieve the seemingly unattainable.
Nehemiah - The Dedicated Builder
When we think about Nehemiah’s feats, we are dazed by the dedication it took to see the walls built, the determination and every other dogged process, the oppositions inclusive. Glean this insight from Nehemiah — Imagine a builder holding a weapon with one hand in order to defend himself in case an enemy emerged, and holding a building equipment on the other hand, because they had a task at hand and a deadline to be met! Such brutal dedication!
It is only ideal to hail Nehemiah for the courage he displayed before King Artexexes and his brethren. Because of his dedication to his cause, he achieved his anticipated results. Until we know the secret(s) behind Nehemiah’s outstanding success, we will be unable to replicate similar results in the area of life we seek change.
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The Secret - Insights From Nehemiah
“The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah.
It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel, that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” 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.” Nehemiah 1:1-4 New King James Version
If you didn’t read the above scripture, kindly read. To discover secrets, information must be searched out, not skimmed through. To grasp insights from Nehemiah, we must be set to do the work.
Nehemiah’s secret was found in his heart posture. He had a functional heart, one filled with compassion. Therefore, his concerns for his brothers were not expressed merely through words, as many of us do. (We talk about how sorry we are about a person’s situation. We probably throw in a few dollars and a gift card when we can…and send messages like, “you are in my prayers”. Nevertheless, how many of us really pray?
Nehemiah was different and so was his heart. He was intentional and compassionate. This led him to mourn, fast for many days as he sought God’s face on behalf of his brethren – things he could have chosen not to do. I mean- he was living reasonably comfortably in the Kingdom of Shushan as the king’s servant. Surely, he had the comfort he needed to enjoy life. Nevertheless, the heart he had for his forefathers’ abode and his brethren did not allow him to be blinded by the comfort he enjoyed in the palace.
Where is Your Heart?
May I ask you? Where is your heart? In God, His Kingdom or buried in your personal wants? Where your heart lies determines the kind of structures you will build in life. It also determines if the structures will last. Every man builds. The edifices are just different. Some build in the air (by daydreaming and wishing), some build on sinking sand (with wrong mentality, motives, and aspirations) while some others build on the Solid Rock. The solid rock is LOVE. COMPASSION. And we know that God Himself is LOVE. He doesn’t just demonstrate love towards us. He is Love personified.
When your words and works are driven by God (Love) through His Spirit, the products of your words and works stand the test of time. In other words, the structure you build lasts. Nothing found in God, with God, for God and through God ever fails. Absolutely nothing.
2 Keys To Building For Posterity - Insights from Nehemiah
Friends, in order to build what will last, we must first recognize the fact that God is the One who builds all things including us (Hebrews 3:4). He’s the ultimate builder, and without Him, we can do nothing. Hence, let us submit our buildings/works to the direction and supervision of our Dear Father.
Next, we must spend time with the Builder. If Nehemiah did this, if Jesus Christ did this, you and I have no excuse. It is one thing to know that God is a builder. It is another to yield yourself to be trained and schooled by Him. For love/God to be dominant in our hearts, we must submit ourselves and learn of the One who is Love. The more we fellowship with God, the more we look like Him, the more our priorities will align with His.
Nehemiah prayed to God.
If Nehemiah did not have a knowledge of who God was and still is, his priorities about building the destroyed walls of Jerusalem will have most likely never existed. Nehemiah was a lover and servant of God who was fully aware of God’s love for holiness and hatred for sins. He knew God was also a loving and forgiving Father. And more than anything, he desired that God will take the first place in the heart of his brethren. Because of his heart, God prospered his plans and the works of his hands, and disappointed the plans of Nehemiah’s oppositions. Where you stand in God will determine where you stand in life. This aforementioned insight from Nehemiah is a game changer.
The Greatest Structures - Insights From Nehemiah
The greatest structures are Kingdom Based Structures (KBS 
I so love the sound of that) Structures that are founded on Kingdom Agenda—God’s settled will in Heaven finding full expression on the Earth. Be it formal education, poverty eradication through sponsoring skill acquisition, science and technology, health care, foreign mission and evangelism, advocacy etc.. Whatever medium that is God centered and bent on wrathing righteousness, peace, joy—makes the greatest lasting structures.
Hindrances To Building Lasting Structures
- Selfishness: When you put self before God and the service you are called to render, you automatically shortchange the quality of your works. Self centeredness has a sneaky way of blindfolding us from what really matters. Keep your eyes off yourself. Keep your eyes on God and the vision you have been endowed with, and deliver from a place of love and gratitude.
- Comparison: There is a clear difference between comparing your results with another’s for the sake of getting better at your craft and comparing your works for the sake either wallowing in inferiority or puffing up in superiority. Comparing your works by worldly means is not glorifying to God, neither is it edifying to you. It doesn’t build you up. Rather, it breaks your buildings or leads you to build on a wrong foundation.
- Distraction: Imagine if Nehemiah had entertained distractions from Sanballat and Tobiah in the course of him building the walls of Jerusalem. Be sure that if that had happened, you and I would probably not be learning from the book of Nehemiah today. Laser Focus is a need in order to build what will last. Until the distractions are cleared and/or completely ignored, the quality of our structures will only last so long.
Time To Do The Work Like Nehemiah Did
With all the above, the changes we desire to see and the edifices we need to build will only see the light of day if we put in the work. Until we apply the insights, the results we desire will be far fetched. Do you have any questions or thoughts about today’s tips to building structures that last? Let me know in the comment section.
Fam, I can’t wait to see the marvelous works you will be birthing this month and beyond. I’ll be on here and in your inbox to cheer you on and lift you up. If you haven’t subscribed to my mailing list, consider doing so. There’s too much goodness in being part of the DS Family. I can barely wait to have you.
With love and passion,
