Nehemiah’s place in Israel’s history is remarkable. He has long been studied, preached about, and used as a model of leadership. As we think about the unprecedented gathering in Israel of The Foursquare Church, I am increasingly sensitized to the stories that were recorded and passed on to us concerning the seemingly constant affliction of a people called and anointed by God.
When Nehemiah heard of the struggles the Jews faced in Jerusalem, with the walls lying in ruins and the gates unusable, he responded in ways that leave a clear pattern to follow. Nehemiah was a sensitive leader. His compassion was real and deep. I wondered when the last time was that I cried and mourned over the broken condition of someone for whom I felt a sense of ministry responsibility. He was a spiritual leader. Nehemiah immediately knew the ultimate solution would be to contend for God’s help (intervention), so he fasted and prayed for days! Nehemiah was a strategic leader. He processed a well-thought-through plan, getting sign-off from his superiors (covering); he organized a practical response (supplies); and he led a cultural change (vision-casting)—all of which would help stabilize, then mobilize a demoralized people.
Somewhere, someplace, there remain people whose prophetic future is yet unfulfilled. If God has tapped you to help usher in His plan for their lives, what are you waiting for? Don’t wait another second. Say these words with me: “Here I am, send me!”
“‘For you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.” Jeremiah 1:7b
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By: Glenn Burris Jr., general supervisor
