5 Principles for Succeeding at Life, Leadership, and Marriage

By: Daniel Passini

SECRETS FROM NEHEMIAH: 5 PRINCIPLES FOR SUCCEEDING AT LIFE, LEADERSHIP, & MARRIAGE

Copyright © 2015 by Daniel Passini

Published by Living By Christ Ministries

All Scriptures are taken from the NASB, unless otherwise noted.

Scriptures marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible. Copyright © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version.

Scripture references marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture references marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

Table of Contents

• Introduction………………………………………..4

• Principle 1………………………………………….5

• Principle 2………………………………………..11

• Principle 3………………………………………..16

• Principle 4………………………………………..22

• Principle 5………………………………………..27

• Conclusion……………………………………….31

Nehemiah’s 5:

5 Principles For Life, Leadership, and Marriage

Scripture can provide great wisdom and insight concerning life,

marriage, leadership and our everyday walk with the Lord. We can

also learn from men and women who have gone before and faced

life’s trials. We can learn from their successes, as well as their

failures. Nehemiah is one such person that we can learn from. If it

has been a while since you have read it, I encourage you to pick up

your Bible and refresh yourself on this narrative before continuing

through the rest of this book. It lies right after Ezra and just before

Esther.

Whether you are the leader of company or simply the leader of your

home, the book and life of Nehemiah can provide you with many

great insights and principles to life and leadership, which I will lay out

for you ahead. With his life of reliance upon the Lord and the impact

he made upon the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and ultimately its future,

Nehemiah succeeded at doing what he set out to do. I am fully

convinced that if you will implement these five principles into your

home life, your business, even towards your marriage you will

achieve great success, just as Nehemiah did.

Each section provides you with a presentation of the principle, an

application portion, and a few follow up questions.

Principle 1 Seek The Lord And Stay In Touch With The Spirit

When you read the book of Nehemiah you see a man fully dependent

on God. He knows that anything he does will be at the directing of

God. The book of Nehemiah opens with him fasting and praying

before God (1:4). He then proceeds to seek the Lord for his people

and his land (1:5-11).

I said, “I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and loving kindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples; but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell. They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man. (NASB)”

When discussing the sadness on his face with the King, he once

again seeks the Lord for how to answer him. Nehemiah constantly

sought the Lord and stayed in touch with the Spirit. This was the most

vital aspect of his life that led to his success.

Application

This sounds simple enough, right? Then life seems to always get in

the way: work, kids, friends, and the next urgent situation that arises.

But, to be an affective leader, have a great marriage, or to live the

Christian life, you must constantly seek the Lord, and be led by the

Spirit. Nehemiah obviously lived during the Old Testament era in

which God dwelt in Heaven, and made a home within the Temple,

which was destroyed. So Nehemiah’s only communication with the

Lord was simply through prayer.

With the advent of Christ in the New Testament, you now have a

greater “advantage” than Nehemiah. When Christ was crucified the

veil that separated man from the presence of God was rent from top

to bottom, (Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38) signifying there was no

longer segregation between the Creator and the created.

Upon Christ’s ascension and the deliverance of the Holy Spirit to all

believers at the onset of the book of Acts, the Spirit of God no longer

is separated from man. We now have an indwelling Lord, who

actually dwells and makes a home within the inner most part of man.

You can now rely upon the Lord to lead and guide you in all areas of

your life.

Jesus himself states that he can do nothing of himself, but rather only

that which he sees the Father doing. You can read in John 5:18,

“Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.”

And, He reiterates this statement again in John 5:30,

“I can do nothing on My own initiative.”

This is the epitome of what a modern day believer and leader should

do. This is what Living by Christ is all about. You can only do what

you see the Father doing. And, how do you see what the Father is

doing? Jesus repeatedly removed Himself from the crowds, and even

from His own disciples to go and pray in a solitary place. (Luke 5:16,

Matthew 14:23 & 26:39, Mark 1:35) Christ spent time with the Father

on a regular basis to know what He was supposed to do. You too

must set time apart to seek what the Father would have you do.

Now, when it comes to your life, your marriage, or your business, I

encourage you to follow not only Nehemiah’s example, but also that

of Christ. Continually stay in touch with Father, and be led by the

Spirit. As a believer and follower of Christ, you now have the

advantage of an indwelling Lord to lead and guide you into all truth

(John 16:13).

Above and beyond the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you have yet

another advantage, The Bible. Nehemiah simply had scrolls of Old

Testament Scripture and law as well as oral teaching and guidance.

With the completion of Holy Scripture and the readily availability of it,

whether a physical copy or through digital media, you have no excuse

not to connect with God regularly through His Word.

Why is spending time in the Word important?

For the follower of Christ, and leader of your home and business the

Bible provides immeasurable spiritual nourishment and guidance for

life, leadership, and marriage. If you desire to live and lead as Christ,

you must spend time in the Word. You can only pour out into the lives

of those around you, that which is within you.

“For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.”

– Matthew 12:34

In addition to the spiritual nourishment provided by scripture, it also

provides guidance for your thoughts, decisions, and actions. Without

understanding the desires of God’s heart as lined out through his

Word, you cannot lead as he would have you.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” – Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

“Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.”

– Psalm 119:105 (NASB)

Nehemiah would have never succeeded, let alone even began his

task, had it not been for his communication and connection with the

Lord. Christ too, only did what He saw the Father doing, by means of

continual removal of himself from his surroundings to spend time

alone with God. The foundation to great leadership in your life, home,

or business begins with, and is built upon by an ever-growing

relationship with the Lord, and a continual connection with His Spirit

and word.

For further reading on living out the first and most vital of all 5

principles, I encourage to read the following articles on the Living by

Christ site.

• How to Read and Study Your Bible

• The Two Types of Prayer Every Believer Must Have in

Their Life

• To Hunger And To Thirst: A Look At What It Takes To Go

Deeper In Your Christian Faith

Questions:

- Are you prioritizing your time to spend time with the Lord, and

reading the Word?

- Do you read the Bible more for quality or quantity? (I recommend

reading for quality)

- Examine your daily routine; how often do you pray each day?

- What schedule changes can you make to begin a routine of

prioritizing spending time with the Lord each day?

Principle 2 Have A Clear Vision and Communicate It Clearly

When exploring the life of Nehemiah and the great work that he

accomplished for Jerusalem, you can see that he had a clear vision

for what he wanted to do. We can see in chapter two verse five, as

well as in verses seventeen and eighteen, what exactly Nehemiah set

out to do.

I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”

- Nehemiah 2:5 (NASB) Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.” 18 I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, “Let us arise and build.”

- Nehemiah 2:17-18 (NASB)

Nehemiah knew from the start that He wanted to rebuild the walls and

city of Jerusalem for the sole purpose of bringing back honor to God.

Since the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, the Israelites

as well as their God had become a reproach to everyone because of

their destruction. Nehemiah would have it no more.

Not only did Nehemiah have a clear vision for the task ahead, he

clearly communicated it to the people. He told the people where he

came from and told them what he envisioned and had passion for.

Once he cast the vision before the people and communicated it to

them clearly, they said, “Let us arise and build.”

Application

What is a vision? When it comes to leadership, a vision is a mental

picture of what you see that lies ahead in the future of your home,

business, or marriage that has not yet come to be. The clearer the

picture, the more chance of success you will have. A vision goes far

beyond just a goal. A vision draws out what the finished product of

that goal will be.

For Nehemiah the vision was not just to rebuild Jerusalem and then

leave and be done. His vision was to rebuild the walls and the city.

But beyond that his vision entailed the people coming home to their

city, bringing honor to God, and no longer being a reproach to the

nations around them. His vision was more than just bricks and

mortar, but was fleshed out through the people that would inhabit the

city when the walls were rebuilt.

Solomon in all of his wisdom tells us in Proverbs 29:18,

“Where there is no vision, the people perish” (KJV)

If Nehemiah had not placed the vision before the people they would

have never finished, and probably never started. If he would have

only said, “hey guys, let’s rebuild these walls.” Nobody would have

joined him. But, rather, Nehemiah laid out the vision for the people

clearly. He told them what was going on, of his blessing from the

king, and what it would look like when they got done.

Don’t Lose Sight Of The Vision

Now, here is the key. You cannot lose sight of the vision. Problems

will arise but you must always remember the vision, and press

towards it regardless of the struggles that arise. It has been said,

“When people lose their why, they lose their way.” Be assured of it;

troubles will arise, but don’t lose sight of why you are pursuing that

vision. In probably one of his most famous quotes some hundreds of

years later, Frederick Douglass said it this way,

If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation…want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightening.

Troubles will come. Hardships will come against your vision. Life may

get in the way, but do not let it deter you from the vision. This is

where it becomes vital to communicate it clearly to your family, your

business/employees/co-workers, or your spouse, so that when trials

come everyone can be reminded of what you are working for.

The Road Map

Once you have the end in mind, the vision for the finished “product,”

you must then begin to lie out the road map. If you say, “We’re going

on vacation. I see us all relaxing and having a great time. I see

everyone getting along, and no fighting. And, I know we will all come

back rested and ready to take on life back home. I can’t wait, see you

there.” Half of your family may end up in the mountains, while the

other half headed to the beach. You gave them the end, without

understanding how to get there.

If you want your business or your marriage to be successful you not

only have to have the end in mind, but the middle as well. This is

where a properly lined out business plan comes in to play. To get all

employees on board, you have to let them know where you are going,

and how you see them getting there. Share how their work, or “puzzle

piece” fits into the big picture.

If you want to have a lasting marriage, both spouses must be on the

same page. Your eyes must be on the same vision. But, beyond that,

how are you going to get there. “We are not going to get divorced.”

Well, what happens when life changes, your spouse has an affair,

your spouse gets terminally ill, or you wake up one day and “no

longer love” your spouse? How will you handle these? You have to lie

out the road map to know how you are going to get through and

prevent these issues. I cannot provide you a specific road map for

this because it will look different for each couple.

Not only is it vital to understand where you are going, first, you have

to understand where you are starting. Which takes us to our next

point.

Questions:

• What is your vision for your life?

• Your business or career?

• Your marriage?

• Have you clearly communicated what that vision is to your

family, spouse, or employees?

• Have you laid out the road map for how to get to that end goal?

Don’t just think about it or talk about it, WRITE IT DOWN. I cannot

say this enough. WRITE IT DOWN. You will forget it. You will lose

thought of it. So, WRITE IT DOWN.

Principle 3

Preparation, Preparation, Preparation

Before he laid a single brick, and before he made a single move to

rebuild the walls, Nehemiah did three very important things:

• He set a timeline. (2:6)

• He got permission to pass through lands to get to Jerusalem, as

well as made arrangements for supplies to do the work. (2:7-8)

• He took time to assess his current situation and understand

what the reality of it was. (2:11-16)

Nehemiah understood that he was undertaking a major project that

would require preparation, preparation, and more preparation.

Without a timeline, the king probably would not have allowed him to

go. We do not know what the exact timeline was, but it tells us that

Nehemiah gave him a definite time. Without the documents he

acquired from the king, he would have gotten nowhere. He would not

have been able to pass through the lands, and he would have had no

supplies to do any of the work. Finally, he surveyed the area so as to

understand the reality of just how bad it really was. Nehemiah knew

that the city was in ruins, but he had to lay eyes on it and understand

just how bad it really was. He had to understand where he was

starting.

Application

In teaching His disciples on counting the cost of following Him, Christ

lays out the perfect example of what preparation looks like in Luke

14:28-31:

For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? (NASB)

Nehemiah also understood that preparation is the key to success. In

order to fully grasp the reality of your situation, whether life, business,

or marriage, you have to survey your current situation and be honest

with yourself. If you have an unrealistic understanding of where you

stand currently, you cannot properly road map how to get to your

vision.

Remember that family vacation we spoke about earlier? You can road

map out for your family how to get to the mountains, but if you start

your journey on the map in Vermont when you live in Texas, things

are going to go wrong…quickly. You have to be honest with yourself,

your spouse, or your staff about your current situation. Just as

Nehemiah surveyed the walls and gates of the city that were burned

and ruined, you must survey your situation.

In your life you must survey things like:

• Your spiritual status (Principle one)

• Your financial status (debt/income)

• Where are you wasting time each day?

• Do you know where you are going? What is your vision?

(Principle two)

• What will it take to get there?

• Who are the people in my life that are helping or hindering me?

In your marriage you must survey things like:

• How often do you and your spouse have intimate conversation?

• How often are you intimate?

• What is our status?

• How many kids do you have/want?

• What career path are you on/ do you want to be on?

• Are you investing too much time in things outside of your

marriage that are hindering your relationship?

In business the survey might look like this:

• What is your goal for this year?

• What is your goal for this quarter?

• What did you do last year?

• What did you do in that quarter last year?

• What is your competitor doing?

• What is your businesses current profit and loss?

• What is the economy like for your specific target market?

These lists are by no means exhaustive, but rather a simple guide to

get you to ask yourself those tough questions that help you assess

your current reality.

If you follow the SMART goals principle, you understand that just like

Nehemiah your vision needs to be time bound. If you are unfamiliar

with the SMART goals principle, it is simple acronym for:

• Specific

• Measureable

• Actionable

• Realistic/Relevant

• Time bound

You can find further information on SMART goals on the Living By

Christ site. Nehemiah gave the king a specific timeline on the

objective in order to accomplish 2 things. One, it continued the trust

relationship between himself and the king, and two, it set for himself a

deadline for when he had to be finished by. There is a famous saying

that goes,

“A goal without a deadline is just a wish.”

Nehemiah knew this long before he started. This timeline was his first

step of preparation to make sure that he would accomplish the task at

hand.

Next, Nehemiah gathered letters from the king to be able to pass

through the lands, as well as to get the necessary supplies to

complete the task. Just as Jesus spoke about a man building a tower,

Nehemiah took care of the supplies that he needed in advance. This

preparation saved him hours, days and probably weeks of hassle on

his deadline.

The preparatory work that you put in today will save you hours and

days of frustration and stress down the road. Prepare your marriage

during the good times, so that when difficulties arise, you know how

to handle them. You prepare your marriage by investing in each other

and strengthening that relationship today, so that it may endure the

hardships that lie ahead.

In a man’s life he is prepared for the hardships that will eventually

come in the hours spent with Christ through prayer, studying the

Word, and developing a relationship with the Father. Without this

preparatory work, he will surely fail, just as Nehemiah’s preparation

set him up for success in his endeavor.

Questions:

1. What preparation are you failing to do when it comes to

Principles 1, 2, and 3?

2. What preparatory work have you done and are continuing to do

for the long-term vision of your marriage?

3. Have you created SMART goals concerning your life, marriage,

and work/business?

Principle 4 Handle Problems When They Arise

Nehemiah was undertaking a major task that would change the

landscape not only physically, but socially as well. You can see that

as Nehemiah started working he received ridicule, mockery, lies and

attacks. He even had problems arise from the inside from some of his

own people. Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the

Ashdodites threatened attack on the Jews, and even later conspired

to bring Nehemiah down from his work.

Nehemiah did not stress concerning the problems, rather he handled

them as they arose. When the enemy was planning an attack he

armed the workers. He set some workers to stand guard, while others

worked with their sword strapped on their side. He also set out a plan

to gather the people together in case an attack arose. Later, when

Sanballat tried to bring him down for a meeting, Nehemiah responded

to the issue while refusing to come down from his work. They were

trying to create a problem that would cause Nehemiah to sin, but

because of his relationship with the Father, he could see the problem

for what it was and handled it when it arose.

Furthermore, Nehemiah had issues arise among the Jewish people

themselves. Some of the nobles and rulers were exacting usury on

the people. They were not only charging interest to their Jewish

brothers and sisters, but they were charging a high amount of

interest. While interest could be taken from foreigners, Mosaic Law

prevented Jews from taking interest on the loan of money, food, or

anything else from a fellow Jew. These nobles and rulers caused the

people to have to sell their sons and daughters into slavery, or to

mortgage their fields just to pay this interest.

The situation placed those nobles and rulers in opposition to what

was trying to be accomplished. They had become the enemy from

within. But, Nehemiah handled this problem the minute that he heard

about it. He did not allow it to linger or fester, for if he had trouble and

rebellion would have surely arisen.

Application

As was discussed already problems will arise in your marriage, your

work, and in life. There is no doubt about that. But, handling these

problems when they arise instead of putting them off will prevent

stress and create a more productive environment.

Nehemiah’s biggest assets that allowed him to handle these

problems when they arose were that principles one, two, and three

were already well established in his life. He was in constant

relationship with the Father and knew that God would take care of

them during the hardships. And, he always pointed back to the Lord

(4:14; 4:20; 5:9; 5:15b; and 6:9b). This constant and ever growing

relationship with the Lord allowed him to handle the situations with

assurance.

Also, because he had a clear vision of what he was doing he refused

to be deterred from the task at hand. When Sanballat sent for him, he

simply replied, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down

(6:3).” He never lost sight of the vision. This allowed him to handle

the problem promptly, and continue with the work.

His preparation allowed him to handle the problems before they even

arose. He had simply heard that Sanballat was going to attack. So

instead of waiting for him to attack and then responding to it, he

prepared the people, armed them, set up guards, and set a plan to

gather before an attack even took place.

Just as Nehemiah faced, you will have enemies from those that

should be on your side. This opposition may come from family,

friends, or even close colleagues. But, when the problem arises,

handle it. Follow Nehemiah’s lead and go directly to those that are in

opposition and address the situation.

If Nehemiah would not have addressed the issue of usury, the people

surely would have lost all sight of the vision, quit working, and gone

back to the way things were before. He would have then had a

greater problem on his hands. You too must handle the problem

when it arises. This will prevent the problem from escalating into

something greater, and more difficult to control and to fix.

Your greatest asset to handling problems as they arise in your life,

work, or marriage is that you, like Nehemiah, have already

established principles 1, 2, and 3 in your life. Then as problems arise

don’t procrastinate. Handle the problem right away based on those

principles.

When a problem arises you can:

1. Rely on your relationship with the Father and look to Him for

guidance, and to handle the situation. This is the most

important aspect in the life of the believer.

2. You can resort back to your vision. Review what it is that you

want to accomplish in the avenue that the problem has arisen

(life, marriage, business), and do whatever it takes to fulfill that

vision. Always follow the compass of where your vision is

leading you. Distractions and problems will arise, but always

being mindful of the vision will help ensure your success.

3. Rely on the preparation that you have already done. But, here’s

the kicker. If you have not done your preparatory work, the

problem may become more difficult. This is why it is essential to

establish principles 1-3, so that it makes handling problems

easier.

Questions:

1. What work related problem have you been putting off that

needs to be addressed?

2. What marriage or home-related problems have you been

putting off or avoiding that needs to be addressed?

3. Is problem due to lack of preparation, or clear communication?

4. What could you have done better to avoid the problem?

Principle 5

Lead From The Front

You read in Nehemiah 3 the list of the work that was being done to

the walls and gates by the different families within Jerusalem. Sliding

over just a little to chapter 5:14-19 we see Nehemiah not only lead

the operations, but led by working alongside his people.

Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither my kinsmen nor I have eaten the governor’s food allowance. But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so because of the fear of God. I also applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. Moreover, there were at my table one hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. Now that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep, also birds were prepared for me; and once in ten days all sorts of wine were furnished in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the governor’s food allowance, because the servitude was heavy on this people. Remember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

Nehemiah did what many people fail to do when it comes to leading,

which is he led from the front. He refused to stand over the people

and lord his power over them. Rather, he got beside them, got his

hands dirty, “rubbed shoulders” with them, and laid the bricks and

mortar along with them.

Application

When it comes to leadership, there are two types of leaders: cowboys

and shepherds. Nehemiah was obviously a shepherd. A shepherd

leads their people from the front, while a cowboy leads by force from

the rear.

Nehemiah refused to see himself as “above” the people. Rather he

forsook the provisions of food from the Persian administration that

would have taxed his already poverty stricken people. Not only did

Nehemiah refuse the food provisions, but he also provided for 150

people at his table out of his own wealth for 12 years (obtained as the

king’s cupbearer), as well as applied himself to the work on the wall.

When you lead your home or business, you have two choices. You

can lead by force and fear, or you can lead by example and lead from

the front. Leading from the front is the understanding that you will

exemplify exactly what it is that you are asking from your family or

employees. If you desire respect and love from your family, you will

first show respect and love to your spouse and children. If you desire

your employees to work hard, or stay late for a project, you will do the

same.

You can find a perfect example of leading from the front from the

movie We Were Soldiers. In his speech just before they leave for

battle Lt. Colonel Hal Moore, played by Mel Gibson says,

“I can’t promise you that I will bring you all home alive. But this I swear, before you and before Almighty God, that when we go into battle, I will be the first to set foot on the field, and I will be the last to step off, and I will leave no one behind. Dead or alive, we will all come home together. So help me, God.”

You then see as they approach the field for battle the close up of his

foot as the first to be placed on the ground. And then again at the end

of the battle his was the last to leave the field.

Leading from the front asks, no more of others than you are willing to

put forth yourself. In John 13:14-15, Jesus tells us while he is

washing the feet of the disciples, “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher,

washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I

gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” And

then again in Matthew 20:26, “whoever wishes to become great

among you shall be your servant.”

Leading from the front is exactly that, servant leadership. Nehemiah

was unwilling to burden the people to a point of ruin; he was unwilling

to set himself up as a ruler over them; and he was unwilling to sit

back while they did all the work. Nehemiah was a servant leader, who

led from the front.

You are not a leader if nobody follows you. The people were willing to

follow Nehemiah not only because he cast the vision for them to

rebuild the walls, but also because he worked alongside them. He

could have been like every other leader and ruler the people had ever

known, but he wanted to show them another way.

Questions:

1. What are you asking of your employees/co-workers that you are

not doing yourself?

2. What are you asking of your spouse and/or children that you

are not first displaying towards them?

3. As the leader of your home, family, or business how are you

acting as a servant leader?

Conclusion

In wrapping up, let’s review the 5 principles that ultimately lead the

Nehemiah’s success and will also lead to yours.

1. Seek The Lord And Stay In Touch With The Spirit

2. Have A Clear Vision and Communicate It Clearly

3. Preparation, Preparation, Preparation

4. Handle Problems When They Arise

5. Lead From The Front

Nehemiah was entering a situation in which the walls were already

destroyed, but these principles can be applied anywhere from a

destitute situation up to a healthy situation. The goal of these

principles is to help you succeed in life, leadership, and marriage.

Whether your situation is as desperate as Nehemiah’s was, or the

“walls” are already built, you can apply these principles to rebuild

what the enemy has destroyed, or utilize them to fortify your situation

and bring greater honor to the Lord.

The goal is not to become overwhelmed with the 5 principles, but

rather to simply begin implementing them. Never underestimate the

power of baby steps.

“Small steps done repeatedly can lead to big change.”

The primary goal for the success of the believer is to be led by the

Spirit. We serve an indwelling Lord, and we must ultimately allow him

to lead our doings in everyday life.

From there, you must cast the vision and communicate it clearly to

those involved in the situation, and repeat it regularly. It has been

said that when you feel like you have repeated your vision and

mission so much that you are sick of hearing it, you are half way

there.

Preparation is the key to succeeding in life, leadership, and marriage.

When you prepare yourself spiritually by staying in constant

communication with the Lord, prepare your people for the task at

hand by clearly communicating the vision, or simply prepare by

gathering all the details, you will be able to handle problems when

they arise. This takes us to our fourth principle.

When problems arise in your life, marriage, or at work, tackle it head

on. For it is not a matter of if, but when problems arise. Do no allow

them to fester, and create an even greater chasm between you and

the success you envision for your life, marriage, or work.

Finally, lead from the front. When you have an understanding of what

you want to happen in your marriage, do it first before your spouse. In

your business, work beside those that you lead. The greatest leaders

do not stand over their followers; rather they stand beside them.

Moses walked among the people. Nehemiah built the wall along side

his people. Jesus was amongst the masses. Choose to lead like a

shepherd rather than a cowboy.

I believe that if you apply these 5 principles to any area of your life,

whether in your daily life, your marriage, or your role as a leader, that

you will achieve greater success, than you ever thought you could

imagine. The Lord has put a good work in you to do; now do it. Put

your hand to the plow and get to work, and succeed at it.