January 9, 2023
Impacting Our World Requires Asking God For Help

Nehemiah - “When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.” (Nehemiah 1:4)

DAILY DEVOTION

When you don’t know what else to do, you can always pray. Prayer is the mightiest force in the universe because Prayer connects us with Almighty God. E.M. Bounds once wrote, "We are constantly on a stretch, if not on a strain, to provide new methods, new plans, new organizations to advance the church and secure enlargement and efficiency. But men are God's method. The church is looking for better methods, God is looking for better men – men of prayer, men mighty in prayer."

We know Nehemiah was a man of prayer because his prayers are recorded nine different times in the book of Nehemiah. These prayers show us that he prayed both at night and during the day. We also know that he prayed for four months once he heard about the destruction in Jerusalem. Nehemiah was a man of action. He was an organizer, a motivator, and a manager, but more than any of these, he was a faithful man of prayer. We should also be faithful men, women, boys, and girls of prayer.

We should pray faithfully because praying shows that we’re depending on God. Often, we don’t pray because we don’t think we need help. We think we can handle life by ourselves. We think we can do it on our own. When we have problems, the natural reaction for us is to think, "Now what am I going to do about this?" instead of stopping and praying, "God, what do You want to do about this?" But Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

We should pray faithfully because praying lightens our load. Nehemiah prayed about the situation in Jerusalem because he was distressed by the bad news. He was a very compassionate person and he felt things very deeply. We learn in the Bible that Nehemiah wept over the ruins. However, rather than simply mourning, he prayed. He took the problem to the Lord. He didn’t just complain and wallow in self pity. Instead, he took his broken heart to the Lord. It’s no wonder that the name “Nehemiah” means “The Lord is my comfort.” God answers prayer that comes from a genuinely concerned heart. He longs to hear us say, “Lord, I can’t handle this. I don’t know how to do it. Help me!” That’s the prayer He likes to answer.

We should pray faithfully because praying releases God’s power. The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Call unto Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things.” (Jeremiah 33:3). Prayer can do whatever God can do. Whatever God can do, prayer can do. Prayer taps into the very resources of God. When He is brought into a project, it turns the impossible into the possible.

FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY

Make a list of 5-10 reasons why you should pray. Keep the list in your Bible or on your refrigerator throughout the duration of this prayer and fasting emphasis, reading it daily. If you’re leading your family through the prayer and fasting emphasis, lead them in the above activity as a group and then place the list where every family member will see it daily.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, when I don’t know what to do, when I need to remember to depend on You, when my load needs to be lightened, and when I need Your power in my life, help me to pray. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Thanks for participating in the 14 Days of Prayer and Fasting. To request a prayer partner or to download our prayer and fasting guide, see celebrationchurch.org/prayerfasting