What does it mean to be a leader? Well, one of the primary outcomes is influence. It's

the power of persuasion that motivates followers to accomplish a task. Today, on Insight for

Living, Chuck Swindall continues his signature series called Hand Me Another Brick, based

on the remarkable influence of Nehemiah. God used this man to mobilize a relatively small

group of workers to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. Along the way, they established

a godly government as well. We begin today in the first chapter of Nehemiah, where we

find this man appealing to God for help.

Nehemiah faced an impossible set of circumstances. The concern was his people. The concern was the

wall in Jerusalem that was destroyed way far away from the place where he lived. Nehemiah's heart

weighed heavily. Now, he was in a responsible position. He answered to an unbelieving

king named Artexerxes, and in order for him to leave his responsible post and go to Jerusalem

to engage in the building of the wall, something had to be done in the heart of Artexerxes.

His heart had to be moved. Nehemiah did not rush into the presence of the king and give him

three alternatives or he would quit. He did not threaten the king. He didn't bring to pass all

sorts of individuals to hint to the king that he wanted to leave. He went before God in prayer.

Look here at verse 1. We have in the first verse some orientation information. In the second

and third verses we have the situation in which he found himself. Beginning at verse 4, we have

the reaction to what he hears from his friends. Verse 1, the orientation. The words of Nehemiah,

the son of Hakalaya, who was the writer of the book, most likely it was Nehemiah. He has also seen

in verse 11 the last sentence of the verse, I was the cup bearer to the king. That's frankly

about all we know about this individual. He was the king's chief and most trusted counselor.

He couldn't just up and leave. God had to do a work in the heart of that king

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