Lesson 2: Attitudes For Wall Building

A. INTRODUCTION

1. Definition of attitude: (Webster)

a. Arrangement of the outer body for what the inner wants to do.

b. A mental focus in keeping with life’s aim.

c. A feeling that results from life’s focus.

d. The position of the inner that is assumed for a reason.

2. Everyone has attitudes: they come from experience, teachers, success, disappointments:

• Who had the dominant influence on your attitude?

• Are you more positive or negative?

• Are you more people focused or success focused?

3. Life gripping, “If I believed in serving God the way you do, I’d change my life.”

• Are your actions controlled by your vision?

• Is your vision big enough to change your actions?

B. TWENTY STEPS TO BUILDING GOOD ATTITUDES ABOUT WORK

1. Attitudes begin with knowing what God wants you to do in life:

a. Nehemiah knew he had to rebuild the walls.

b. Nehemiah knew the king sent him.

c. Every one else was secondary.

2. Only tell a few at the beginning of your vision of Wall Building

a. Tell God. “Lord, I beseech thee” (1:11).

b. Don’t tell everyone. “Neither told I any man” (2:12).

3. There is usually a crisis experience that defines your Wall Building vision. “The King said, ‘Why do you look so troubled’” (2:2, ELT).

4. There is usually one crisis time to pray effectively. As Nehemiah stood before the king and before he answered, “So I prayed to the God of heaven” (2:4).

• I asked many pastors for the turning point of success. They answered mostly, money or property.

• What was the turning point of your life?

5. Know what you want when your crisis comes? Nehemiah wanted (2:7-8):

a. Letter of safe conduct.

b. Letter of credit for timber.

6. Realize you will have opposition. “Sanballat . . . and Tobiah . . . were grieved” (2:10). Satan will use all types of opposition.

a. People or relative.

b. Influential people.

c. Things, positions, relationships.

7. Be sure of your calling, be confident of your goal, and be happy in God’s supply. “According to the good hand of God upon me” (2:8).

• Doubts of ignorance.

• Doubts of fear.

• Doubts of inner rebellion.

8. Know the facts before you launch into Wall Building. “I went by night . . . and viewed the walls . . . which were broken down” (2:13).

9. Don’t tell everyone what you know or plan to do. “The rulers knew not whether I went or what I did” (2:16).

10. Begin gathering a team very early. “I and a few men with me; neither told I (the rulers)” (2:12).

11. Look at your project from every direction. Nehemiah examined the walls from inside and outside (2:13-15).

12. At the right time share your vision of Wall Building with strategic individuals. Nehemiah finally told the nobles, priests and rulers (2:16).

13. If people are going to help, they must know the reason to build the wall. “That we be no more a reproach” (2:17).

14. Workers must know where they will get supplies. “I told them . . . the king’s words” (2:18).

15. Always proceed with the confidence of God’s leading. “I told them, the good hand of my God which was upon me” (2:18).

16. You don’t get the help of others until you ask for it. “Let us build up the wall of Jerusalem” (2:17).

17. Your vision or motto will be echoed by workers. “Let us rise up and build” (2:18).

18. You must go forward even when people laugh or mock you. “Sanballat . . . Tobiah . . . Gresham . . . laughed at us and despised us” (2:19).

19. You must have God’s confidence in the face of opposition. “The God of heaven will prosper us” (2:20).

20. Recognize some will never join you and rightly so; they shouldn’t join you. “You can’t help in this project, neither did they have any historic right to the city of Jerusalem” (2:20).

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.