Greg's Notes

How to Be a Successful Leader

Nehemiah 1

Some people talk about things; other people do things. Some people are part of the problem; other people are part of the solution. It’s very easy to be a critic. It is very easy to say, “I don’t like this thing,” or “I don’t think the way they do that is the best way.” Well then, be part of the solution. Don’t just stand around and critique. Here are eight reminders about leaders who are part of the solution:

Practical Principles

  1. A good leader is first a good follower and acknowledges their need for God.
  2. Nehemiah, a good leader, prayed and reminded God of His promises.
  3. Good leaders know they don’t have all the answers and they confess their sins.
  4. Nehemiah was specific in his request to God.
  5. Nehemiah spent more time praying than he did building.
  6. There’s a time to pray and there’s a time to move.
  7. Leaders take initiative and risks for the glory of God.
  8. Leaders face opposition.
  9. Relevant Reminders
  • Waiting is an alien concept in our culture, which is used to immediate gratification. Know this: waiting time is never wasting time. “Those who wait on 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” (Isaiah 40:31 nkjv).
  • Sometimes Christians go to one of two extremes. We become either hyper-spiritual (we pray and we talk but we never execute) or we become so practical we forget about God and then we take the credit personally.

Applicable Actions

You have “walls” around your life that need attention and maintenance. The wall of Bible study. The wall of prayer. The wall of involvement with the church. The wall of your devotional life. When you neglect those areas, the walls will begin to crumble and the weeds will start to grow and the walls will begin to break down. Proverbs 24:30 says, “I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense. I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down” (nlt). Don’t neglect your walls, or they’ll soon be overgrown with weeds.