Pray, Plan, Act - Nehemiah

“The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall.”

Nehemiah 2:20

Surely you have met the man named “I’m Gonna.” He’s the one who has the vision and the ability to accomplish something but somehow fails to put action behind his intentions.

He’s the man who dreams but never gets anything done.

The Bible teaches that God gives men the vision, the faith, and the ability to get things done, but we must still act on what we know.

When Nehemiah first realized that the walls around Jerusalem needed rebuilding, he didn’t just sit back and pray, “Thy will be done!” Yes, he bathed his vision in prayer, but he also planned and then acted on his plans.

Nehemiah knew how long the project would be and what it would take to finish it. He even knew where to get the materials and the labor he needed.

He knew that the hand of God was upon his plans.

Nehemiah knew that he and his people faced a daunting task. He knew that rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem would require long hours of hard work in the face of his neighbors’ outspoken opposition. He approached the work with absolute confidence that he would succeed simply because God had called him to it and had promised to be with him as he oversaw the work.

Knowing all those things, Nehemiah didn’t wait—he acted!

Has God given you a vision of something he wants you to accomplish? If so, pray, plan, and act!

You demonstrate your faith best when you hear and believe God, then act on what you believe. Faith isn’t just giving mental assent to God’s promises; it’s taking the initiative to do the work it takes to receive what he has already given you.