Study Guide
A Heart for Restoration
In a world where it’s easy to grow comfortable or settle for mediocrity, God is calling us to feel the burden, pray with bold vision, and step out with courageous faith. Listen in as Pastor Markus Witherspoon helps us discover how to have a heart that aches for more and a willingness to risk everything for God’s greater vision!
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Read Nehemiah 1:1–11 (CSB)
Restoration begins with a burdened heart
Nehemiah’s story begins not in Jerusalem, but in the palace of Susa, the capital of the Persian Empire. He’s a cupbearer to King Artaxerxe a position of trust, influence, and comfort. Yet when Nehemiah hears about the broken walls and the disgrace of his people, his heart is shattered. He’s moved to tears, to prayer, fasting, and ultimately to action. In verses 3-4, Nehemiah was faced with a choice: continue in his comfortable life—or change course and do something great for God!
The people who remained in Israel needed help. They needed restoration. Their walls and their spirit was broken. God wanted to use Nehemiah to help rebuild and He wants to use us to help rebuild and restore too.
The first step towards a ministry of restoration is letting ourselves feel—letting God’s concerns become our concerns. Sometimes, we’re tempted to numb out or stay busy with our own lives. God calls us to pause, listen, and let our hearts be moved to action.
In verses 4, we see that Nehemiah’s burdened heart led him to fast and pray for days. He was persistent. He didn’t just throw his hands up, say some obligatory prayer and move on. He didn’t try to fix the problem right away. He turned to God in search of what to do about his burdened heart.
In verses 5-6, Nehemiah’s prayer does not begin with the plight of the people, but with the power and majesty of God! When we focus ourselves on how big God is, rather than on how big our problems are, we learn to pray with more confidence and focus.
Read Nehemiah 2:1-10 (CSB)
Restoration requires courageous action.
In this passage, Nehemiah stands before king Artaxerzes after much prayer and fasting, still carrying the heavy burden for Jerusalem. Even in the midst of fear, Nehemiah seizes the moment, prays, and requests permission to begin rebuilding what lies in ruins.
In an unlikely moment, the king not only grants Nehemiah’s request but also provides letters of safe passage and the necessary resources for the work ahead. What a divine moment—God’s favor shining through in the middle of a painful circumstance!
In this chapter, we see that God can move even the hearts of the most powerful rulers to accomplish His purposes. He does this while reminding us that He is our provider and provision can come in unexpected ways.
Even as our Heavenly Father provides, there may still be earthly challenges. This is where faith and courage meet. When we move forward with God, we can take courage because we know God's hand is on us and His mission will never be stopped.
Current Sermon Series
In this anniversary sermon series of our Prepare the Way discipleship and generosity initiative, we step into the story of Nehemiah and discover how God calls His people into His great work of restoration. Nehemiah’s mission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem is not just an ancient account of bricks and mortar—it is a powerful picture of how God rebuilds lives, communities, and faith today. Together, we will see that restoration is God’s work, but He invites us to join Him.