Be Still - January 20, 2021

Nehemiah 6: 9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.” (NIV)

Prayer is not preparation for the battle. Prayer is the battle.*

If you don’t know much about Nehemiah, take some time to read his story. One thing you will learn about him is that he was a man of prayer and a man of action – which tells me he was a man of faith. Sometimes waiting for God to give you some direction is the right thing to do; but other times you just have to step out in faith. Pray and get to work was Nehemiah’s motto. Seldom was waiting an option for him.

In this verse, we see an example of how Nehemiah’s faith gave him courage to disregard his enemies. He was not daunted by their attempts to thwart him. He dealt with them by praying. And he prayed specifically. The bad guys thought his hands were weak; he prayed for strong hands.

How does your prayer life measure up to Nehemiah’s? Do you remember to pray before you act? Do you have faith that God will act on your behalf as soon as he needs to? Can you tune out the voices of the hecklers in your life? Are you audacious enough to pray specifically? Start today. The only way to be as bold as Nehemiah is to pray like Nehemiah.

Confidence in prayer comes from knowing the faithfulness of God.*