Wright Track Ministries

6675 Moondance Drive

Olive Branch, MS 38654

(662) 890-6398

WTVU Leadership Lesson 4

Joseph and Nehemiah...leaders for God

Lesson Objectives:

1. Review some the basics on what characteristics make good Godly leaders.

2. To examine and evaluate the foundations and characteristics of the leadership of Nehemiah.

3. To examine and evaluate the foundations and characteristics of the leadership of Joseph.

Let's look at some characteristics of Joseph and Nehemiah that distinguished them as leaders for God. 

1. Prayerful. They have and maintain a prayer life. They seek God's will.

2. Listen for God's voice and prompting. They find God's will. They respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

3. Able to communicate the vision. They can adequately and accurately communicate to others.

4. Able to turn vision into action. They can motivate, organize, instruct and plan.

5. Able to turn action into results. They can get the job done. They can manage, train and work.

6. Personally committed. They do, they don't just talk and they are devoted to doing what God said to do.

7. Concerned people. They are not egotistical or carried away with their own self importance. They reflect God's love for people.

8. Persevering. They hang in there even when the going gets tough. They give 101%.

Assignment

From these studies of Joseph and Nehemiah you will identify some characteristics of a leaders for God. Their assignments were tough and may have seemed to the outside observer quite impossible. However, they were both men of prayer, seeking God's leading, and aware of His prompting. Both had a capacity for working to make the vision a reality, whether leading the people through the famine, or rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Neither was an easy task, and both leaders needed to remain committed despite opposition. They needed to enlist the support of the people around them, and this involved sharing the vision with their people such that they became committed to it. They accomplished this through prayer and using the leadership abilities God had given to each of them.

Familiarize yourself with the eight characteristics of a leader for God in this list above. As you read through the stories of these two great leaders, write down scripture passages that correspond to each of the eight characteristics for both Nehemiah and Joseph. 

When you are finished with this study, review the scriptures you have found and the notes you have made. Ask yourself how you might use these examples to improve your own leadership in the area God is having you serve now. Pray that God will grow you into the leader that He needs for you to be. Remember that no matter where your serve, you fill a leadership role!  Always keep in mind that this is one of the reasons that we study the

You are about to begin a Bible study that is both biographical and analytical in nature. You are studying the lives of these two men. That is a biographical study. You are reading the Bible here with special attention being given to scripture passages that deal with leadership characteristics. Take good notes and may God richly bless you in this study of His Word.

Read Nehemiah chapters 1 to 6. Study the characteristics of Nehemiah which made him a leader for God.

Nehemiah was clearly a man of prayer, and his desire to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem comes out of days spent in prayer (1:4ff) He was dependent upon God, and before asking King Artaxerxes' permission to rebuild the walls, spends time with God in prayer. Nehemiah translated the vision into action, and the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt in 52 days. The people's commitment to the plan resulted from Nehemiah's ability to communicate the vision to them in a compelling and motivating way. Through all of the  opposition, the Jews remained committed to the vision, and persevered in rebuilding the walls, while half of the team provided protection. (4:16).
Nehemiah's leadership was not simply focused on rebuilding the walls - he also had concern for the people and their well-being. In Chapter 5, he reminds the people of the vision for how they should be living, and how far short they are falling. Nehemiah is personally committed to this, and didn't claim the benefits that were due to him on account of his office (5:14,15). An example of Christ-like humility that every leader should learn well.

 Read Genesis 39 to 41. Study the characteristics that Joseph displays that made him a leader for God.

Joseph displayed a number of the characteristics as a  leader for God. Although his prayer life is not specifically mentioned, 41:38 tells us that the Egyptians perceived the Spirit of God to be upon Joseph. This tells us a great deal about his prayer life.  His accurate interpretation of the dreams, both inside prison, and in front of Pharaoh, clarified his prophetic gifting as he had spoken out what God had told him. (41:16) His appointment as principal minister over Egypt, and the degree to which he was able to prepare the land to withstand the famine are testimony to Joseph's ability to communicate God's plan in a compelling way. The scope of the vision was to last for fourteen years. It demonstrated the length of commitment involved in carrying out preparations ahead of the famine. Such long term preparation and planning required  a very practical approach to complement the spiritual and prophetic ability that he had displayed earlier. Joseph was truly God's leader to take the people through dark times.

JER for NMW3  10-15-2000