Nehemiah: When God Gives You A Vision

Nehemiah’s heart broke as he heard the news. His beloved city was in ruins. The town streets he’d run through as a boy were now desolate. His beautiful childhood home was torn down. But worse than that, the gates that surrounded his city—a sure sign of God’s protection and provision—had been destroyed by his enemies.

So intense was Nehemiah’s anguish that he broke down in tears upon discovering this news. The grief lingered in his spirit long after his tears were dry. He carried the sadness and despair with him, crying out to God in his pain.

But even as the sorrow haunted him, God gave Nehemiah a vision—an idea of seeing his city restored. It would begin with the restoration of the city walls. This was no easy feat, and the challenge would be overwhelming. Some would even say it was impossible.

Maybe you can relate. God has given you a vision too. Perhaps it wasn’t an actual vision in the middle of the night. Maybe it’s just a fluttering in your heart. A whisper the Spirit speaks into the stillness. Your vision might be to foster a child, start a new business, homeschool your child, or write a book. 

Whatever it is, you might be looking at the task and feel as if it’s impossible. You might doubt that you have the strength and courage to accomplish it. You may think that other people are meant to do great things for God, and well, you’re just…you.

Oh, dear one, don’t believe the lies of the enemy. If God has given you a vision, He can provide every resource you need to accomplish it. As Nehemiah’s story proves repeatedly, no one can stand against the will of God. Here are five truths to carry with you as you start your journey toward the vision God has given you…

Truth #1: Start with Prayer

Nehemiah didn’t immediately rush out and begin gathering tools, supplies, and men to help him with the wall. He didn’t make a list of daily to-dos. He didn’t create a timeline or try to get buy-in from other people who maybe couldn’t (or wouldn’t) see his vision.

No, Nehemiah had a radically different approach. He started by praying. His prayer is simple. First, calling out God as faithful (Nehemiah 1:5). When you begin your prayers by acknowledging one of God’s attributes, it honors God and reminds you of your smallness. This humbles you and puts you in the right frame of mind. 

You are having a conversation with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You have entered the throne room of Ultimate Power. The One you are speaking to has no rival or equal throughout all of history. This is the One to whom you are speaking. Approach His throne with familiarity and love but also reverence and trembling.

During Nehemiah’s prayer, he confesses his sins and the sins of his country (Nehemiah 1:6-7). Prayer must always include an honest evaluation of where we are and what we’ve done. 

Confessing isn’t for God’s benefit. He already knows every decision you’ve made. It’s for your benefit. Confession cleanses the soul and renews the mind. It causes you to embrace a Spirit of humility and gentleness.

The third thing that Nehemiah does during his prayer is he reminds God of His promises. God is not forgetful as humans are bound to be.

In Isaiah 49, the city of Zion declares that the Lord has forgotten her. And this is His beautiful reply…

Although you may at times fear that God has forgotten you or forgotten His promises to you, let this truth take deep root in your heart today: you are tattooed on God’s very palm. 

You’ve heard the expression, “I know that like the back of my hand”? That is how God knows you. He knows you deeply and intimately. He has never once forgotten a promise He’s made, and He’s not about to start now.

So why then does Nehemiah take the time to recall His promise? Not for God’s benefit. But for his own. Nehemiah is reminding his own heart of God’s faithfulness, and so he further honors God in his prayer.

Only after having acknowledged the Holiness and Worthiness of the King, confessing his sins, and reviewing God’s past promises does Nehemiah take a fourth and final step. He asks for God’s help.

It’s clear from his language that Nehemiah was not only familiar and intimate with God but also that he did not view God as a cosmic vending machine that would give him whatever he wanted if he merely added the right words.

Truth #2: Favor Comes from God

Nehemiah was a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, which means he was the one to bring the king his wine. Nehemiah had never shown up with anything less than a pleasant demeanor in all of his years. But on this day, Nehemiah can no longer hide his despair over his homeland.

When the king learns of this, he asks Nehemiah what he wants (Nehemiah 2:4). 

After saying a quick prayer, Nehemiah phrases his request in a short, eloquent way, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.” (Nehemiah 2:5)

It’s easy to get so caught up in what’s happening around you that you believe you need the favor of others. Perhaps because you want a foster child, you need the favor of the social worker. Maybe because you want to start a business, you need the favor of a local investor. Perhaps because you want to homeschool your child, you need the school board’s favor. Maybe you’re writing a book, and you need the favor of an agent or editor.

But no matter who seems to be the one “in power” in the situation, never forget that favor comes from the Lord. 

Proverbs 21 beautifully illustrates this concept.

No matter who you’re facing, you can stand with the confidence that you know the One who controls every heart. 

He can soften the heart of a social worker who seemed against you initially. He can cause your school board to look favorably on your family. He can send the right investor to your doorstep. He can guide you to the agent that He has handpicked for your book.

You serve the God who holds every heart in His hand, and what’s more, this same God is for you. 

In Romans 8, Paul boldly declares,

You can rest in the knowledge that God is the one in control no matter who it seems the situation hinges on. His hand is on the wheel, precious one.

Truth #3: Evaluate in Silence

Sometimes, God has given you a vision, and it’s not yet time to share it with many people. Perhaps God has called you to work in silence for a season while He positions the resources and tools you need. Maybe God is still moving you into the right place to accomplish His vision. 

In Nehemiah 2, he explains,

Since God has given him this vision, Nehemiah doesn’t appear to have done much. After all, he said a prayer and looked at the work to come. 

You might feel God prompting you to go back to school in the evenings, so what will you need to give up to make that happen? Will you have to cut back on your TV time or simplify your nightly routine? Do you need to talk with your spouse and kids and get them on board with helping out more?

There are no right or wrong answers here. But it is essential to count the cost long before you start. 

Consider whether your vision is truly from God and if you sincerely long for it. Do you want it enough to risk being uncomfortable as you’re stretched into a new place? Do you desire it so strongly that you’re willing to change your current routine?

It might be helpful to talk these answers over with one trusted friend or your spouse. If you have no one or don’t feel led to share your vision just yet, consider journaling the answers instead.

Truth #4: God Provides the Way

When God has given you a vision, you can trust Him to provide the way. This is what He did from the very beginning with Nehemiah. Not only did He grant him favor in front of the king, but He also provided for him as well.

The royal cupbearer asked for letters to provide him safe passage and the timber he would need (Nehemiah 2:7-8). The king, of course, granted these requests. But listen to how Nehemiah explains what happened…

Note that Nehemiah didn’t say “because the king was gracious” or “because I asked so eloquently” or even “because my plan was flawless.” What Nehemiah does in this instance and throughout the book is point back to God’s favor and goodness.

Did you know that God delights in you? Do you believe it? When something good happens in your life, do you point back to it and say, “God blessed me with…”? 

Maybe you have trouble with this concept. Perhaps you’ve never known what it’s like to be “delighted in.” Your father was abusive. Your mother rejected you. Your siblings mocked you. Your friends betrayed you. You feel used up and unwanted. You doubt God could look at you and see anything worth “delighting in.”

Oh, but He does, dear one. He enjoys the sound of your laugh. He chose the freckles that would dust your shoulders. He picked the color of your hair and chose precisely where that one birthmark would be placed.

He knit you together (Psalm 139:13). God Himself chose every element of your DNA. You are His creation, and you delight Him. Not because of what you’ve done or haven’t done. Not because of what you’ve said or haven’t said. 

You delight God simply because you are His unique creation. You are His child, and your very existence fills Him with joy. He rejoices over you. He sings over you every night (Zephaniah 3:17) and carries you in His arms each day (Deuteronomy 1:31, Psalm 68:19).

Like Nehemiah, you can boldly proclaim that “the gracious hand of God is upon me.”

Truth #5: There Will Be Trouble

After his quiet evaluation, Nehemiah meets with the officials and the nobles to share his vision. This is the point where he needs buy-in. He needs other people to agree with him to do the work.

Everyone is quick to nod along. They believe in what he wants to do. They can see the vision God has given Nehemiah.

The next verse described exactly what happened at the meeting…

They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work. – Nehemiah 2:18

Everything sounds great, right? 

Yes, let’s restore the walls! 

The project started with enthusiasm. Everyone is energized and excited. God is moving, and people want to help.

Then, of course, the mocking and the ridicule start. Three men, in particular, are named— Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab. These three men would cause countless problems for Nehemiah.

You’ve no sooner picked up the hammer to start “restoring your wall” then trouble shows up. You decide to write the book of your heart only to suddenly have new caregiving responsibilities added to your days. 

You decide to start the business God has laid on your heart only to learn that your house has toxic mold, and you’ll need to live somewhere else during the renovations. 

You decide to go back to school to get your degree and pursue that passion God has given you, only to have the scholarships fall through at the last minute.

So, how do you handle these situations? Should you bite your nails and fret? Should you throw in the towel and give up now? Should you despair of ever seeing the vision God has given you come to life?

Well, you could do those things. But first, let’s take a look at how Nehemiah handled the trouble that showed up at his door.

When Sanballat and Co show up on the scene, they want to know if Nehemiah is rebelling against the king. It’s a serious accusation, and the wrong answer could easily lead Nehemiah and those around him to their deaths.

Here was Nehemiah’s response to their accusations…

Nehemiah proclaims that God is the one who will give him success. He focuses on what he’s supposed to be doing (start rebuilding) and reminds his enemies that they have no claim in this place.

Too often in life, we give away ground to our enemy, who has no right to be there in the first place. 

As a child of God, you have the Spirit of the Overcomer within you. Consider these parting words that Jesus gave to His disciples…

What if you took that verse and personalized it to your situation today? What would that look like? Maybe something like this…

What if you wrote out the verse right now with your name and your trouble? This is what it might look like…

Victory is yours for the taking. Not because of who you are or what you’ve done. But because of who your Savior is and what He has done. 

You don’t have to snivel in the corner when obstacles come your way. You don’t have to fret about how you’ll pay for that degree or where your next meal is coming from. You don’t have to bow to the darkness telling you that you’ll never overcome the addictions that have plagued your family.

You can live free. You can walk in victory. But first, you have to understand that you are already victorious. You are an overcomer simply because you are a beloved child of God.

Paul, the man who had faced false imprisonment, persecution, and sorrow, proudly proclaimed to the Roman church,

Pursue the Vision

Whatever vision God has given you, He can accomplish. You might be saying that you’re not qualified. You’re not smart enough to homeschool your child, strong enough to foster a hurting child, or polished enough to write a book.

But that’s the thing about it. God is not looking for “enough” because He is enough. He’s looking for broken vessels that are completely surrendered to Him. He’ll do the rest.

Heed the call today, precious one. Strike out in faith and go after the vision God has planted in your heart. This will be the adventure of a lifetime!

Grace and peace,

Alicia