Loyalty, Leadership & Opposition | Nehemiah 2:1–20 | Message 3
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1 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before,
2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid,
3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven,
5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
6 Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
7 I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah?
8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.
9 So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.
11 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days
12 I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.
13 By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire.
14 Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through;
15 so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate.
16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.
17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”
18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”
20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”
Nehemiah 2:1-20
Are you feeling crushed under the weight of life? Are you wrestling with the suffocating darkness of depression? Do you sense an invisible barrier keeping you from reaching the full potential God placed inside you? You don’t have to remain trapped. I want to help you discover the life-changing power of a Positive Christian Strong Mindset—a mindset that leans every single day on God’s unfailing love, unstoppable power, sovereign control, flawless direction, and faithful provision for every need in your life.
“Then I was terrified.” These are Nehemiah’s own haunted words when the mighty Persian King Artaxerxes inquired, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled” (2:2). Can you identify with Nehemiah? Is there an issue in your life so heavy that it stirs the same fear in your heart?
Donald Campbell explains: “Persian subjects were expected to be supremely happy when looking on the face of the king and risked severe punishment if they registered sadness in his presence. In addition, Nehemiah was about to request permission to leave the king and depart to another place. That too was unheard-of and dangerous! Furthermore, Nehemiah wanted permission to repair the destruction (king) Artaxerxes had recently authorized (see 1:3 and Ezra 4:23). The cupbearer may have reflected on the fact that while it was hard to get into a Persian court, it was harder to get out!”
Here we see a leader who is authentically vulnerable, and that is why we so easily relate to Nehemiah. Yet even in that precarious and fearful moment, God was already steps ahead, evidenced by the king’s astonishing response: “Well, how can I help you?” (2:4). Nehemiah, after four long months of prayer, stepped forward in trembling faith—and God opened the door.
The Lord is watching out for you! By faith and obedience, you too can learn from Nehemiah’s example and take your first courageous steps.
As we begin this message—the third in our series of eleven—I will walk you through 99 Leadership Facts that will ground you in the principles of Christian Strong Leadership. Get your pen ready. The first 8 Leadership Facts in this message form the bedrock for all the others.
Remember this: nothing—absolutely nothing—happens in your life without God actively working for your good (Romans 8:28-29). The struggles, the trials, the painful tests, even the overwhelming waves of opposition are as certain as the sunrise. But here’s your hope: as Nehemiah demonstrates in this chapter, God stands ready to pour out His supernatural grace and divine wisdom in every single situation you face.
With God, every setback becomes a setup for His victory in your life.
And don’t miss this: your attitude profoundly shapes your health. Multiple medical studies confirm that prayer and meditation aren’t just spiritual exercises—they are powerful tools for mental, emotional, and physical resilience (see Dr. David DeSteno, How God Works: The Science Behind the Benefits of Religion).
So, here’s your challenge: think like a leader, not a loser. Stand strong. Pray boldly. Wait patiently. Act courageously. God is with you!
Donald K. Campbell, Nehemiah: Man in Charge (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1994), pp. 16-17.
