While carrying his great burden for the people and conditions in Jerusalem, Nehemiah began the tough job of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem…by getting on his knees in prayer. He asked God for compassion and understanding to come to the heart of King Artaxerxes.

Nehemiah handled criticism and opposition—the most difficult parts of leadership—with abundant grace. Help cultivate this skill essential leadership skill through Pastor Chuck Swindoll’s exposition of Nehemiah 2:11–20.

Nehemiah 4:1–9 shows that Israel’s leader didn’t back down, and the wall kept going up. How did he do it? Nehemiah pressed into prayer. Listen to these prayers with Pastor Chuck Swindoll, and remember that, when God is in a project, it can’t fail!

As we turn to Nehemiah 4:9-23, we find Nehemiah’s work crew discouraged for the first time since the project of rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem began. But what caused the discouragement? How did Nehemiah handle it? The answers to these questions apply directly to the discouragement many leaders face today.

The first 13 verses of Nehemiah 5 shine a spotlight on a dismal financial fiasco involving the workers. This problem caused the project to grind to a temporary halt while their leader guided them to a godly solution. Though our own tasks today are different, problems and difficulties will surely find us, and wise leaders will need to know how to handle them.

Grow in integrity today as Pastor Chuck Swindoll preaches on Nehemiah 5:14–19. Be someone who sticks to the path of godliness when your promotion comes.

For months, Nehemiah led the project of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls in spite of constant opposition, both subtle and overt. As the walls neared completion (Nehemiah 6:1), threatening foes once again assailed this leader. But this time the attack was much more insidious than before—the enemy attempted to intimidate Nehemiah through several frightening plots.