Godly Leaders are first and foremost followers, submitting to God and His Ways.

HOW CAN YOU LEAD WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE CONTROL?

Proverbs 21:1

The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

Nehemiah 1:11

"O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”

GODLY LEADERS PRIORITIZE DIVINE TRANSFORMATION OVER HUMAN MANIPULATION, TRUSTING IN GOD ALONE TO CHANGE THE HEART. 

Nehemiah 2:1-10 NLT

1 Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad in his presence. 2 So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.” Then I was terrified,

3 but I replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”

4 The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?”

With a prayer to the God of heaven, 5 I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.”

6 The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request.

7 I also said to the king, “If it please the king, let me have letters addressed to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, instructing them to let me travel safely through their territories on my way to Judah. 8 And please give me a letter addressed to Asaph, the manager of the king’s forest, instructing him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself.” And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.

9 When I came to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, I delivered the king’s letters to them. The king, I should add, had sent along army officers and horsemen to protect me. 10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival, they were very displeased that someone had come to help the people of Israel.

I. GODLY LEADERS UNDERSTAND THAT CHANGING HEARTS IS GOD'S SPECIALTY

Nehemiah 2:8

And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.

“Do not–I repeat–do not try to change people to fit your specifications. Don’t try to manipulate people, play games, plan schemes, trick, or deceive them. Instead, tell God on them!”

- Charles Swindoll

II. GODLY LEADERS PRAY AND THEN WAIT ON GOD

Nehemiah 2:1

Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign,

Isaiah 40:28-31

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

  the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

  his understanding is unsearchable.

29 He gives power to the faint,

  and to him who has no might he increases strength.

30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,

  and young men shall fall exhausted;

31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;

  they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

  they shall walk and not faint.

III. GODLY LEADERS WILL FACE OPPOSITION

Nehemiah 2:10

But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival, they were very displeased that someone had come to help the people of Israel.

1 Corinthians 16:9

for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Matthew 16:22-23

And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

GODLY LEADERS PRIORITIZE DIVINE TRANSFORMATION OVER HUMAN MANIPULATION, TRUSTING IN GOD ALONE TO CHANGE THE HEART.