This article is designed to help you become a person of influence. For the next 30 days read the questions, look up the verses, and allow them to spark deeper personal reflection and life change.

Nehemiah exercised great leadership skills when he led the people in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1–7). The people followed his leadership because he had characteristics enabling him to exercise positive influence. Most of us don’t consider ourselves leaders yet we influence others by who we are and what we do. From Nehemiah’s story we can learn how to become a person of positive influence.

1. Nehemiah was cupbearer to the king (Nehemiah 1:11), a position requiring integrity in order to maintain trust. Why is integrity foundational for an effective influencer? How would you describe your integrity?
2. Read Nehemiah 1. Hearing of the crisis, Nehemiah responded with prayer. What does his reaction teach you about handling concerns in your life? How does your response to crisis relate to being an influencer?
3. Nehemiah was God’s man for a special time. Where has God placed you in order to accomplish His purposes? How can you bring about good in the lives you influence?
4. Read Nehemiah’s prayer (1:5–11). How does focusing more on God and who He is rather than your concerns impact your ability to handle the challenges you face?
5. Passion for God, His Word, and His people drove Nehemiah’s life and actions. How is prayer a factor in kindling passion for these things?
6. How does the degree of passion you have affect your influence? Ask God to give you a heart for the people in the place He has placed you, and to feel what He feels.
7. In Nehemiah 1:6 he takes personal responsibility for Israel’s sins. How is taking personal responsibility a key element to your own personal influence?
8. Read Nehemiah 2:1–8. For four months, Nehemiah prayed about Jerusalem before speaking to the king about the situation. What spiritual principles can you draw from this?
9. Nehemiah became a leader by God’s providence. Where has God positioned you to become an influencer?
10. Besides his devotion to God, Nehemiah was driven by a sense of mission that governed all he did. What is your mission? Does it drive you in the right direction?
11. Nehemiah sought God in every situation. In Nehemiah 2:12 he referred to His direction as, “what God had put in my heart for Jerusalem.” What are ways you can better seek God for direction in your life?
12. Throughout the book of Nehemiah, he is engaged in the hard spiritual work of praying. Are you prepared to do the hard spiritual work of prayer required to be a positive influence?
13. Nehemiah didn’t just pray about challenges; he was a man of action (2:11–15). Which is more influential: being a person of action or being a person of words?
14. Building the walls around Jerusalem was to protect God’s people from attack. To Nehemiah, people were more important than his project. What is your priority, people or projects?
15. Nehemiah identified with the people, often using terms like “we” and “us” (2:17, 2:20). How does identifying with the people you influence make a difference to their lives?
16. Nehemiah had those working on rebuilding the wall work in front of their houses (3:28–30). An influencer understands the role of proper motivation. What is the principle here?
17. When the rebuilt wall was under attack Nehemiah prayed, but he also set a watch (4:7–9). What does his action teach you about trusting God while also acting responsibly?
18. When faced with opposition Nehemiah encouraged the people to trust the Lord (4:14). How does your constant confidence in God influence others?
19. Nehemiah worked alongside the people (4:21–23). What does this example teach you about credibility as an influencer?
20. Before speaking or acting, Nehemiah thought through the issues he faced (5:7). Why is thinking first and acting later important to the credibility of an influencer?
21. Read Nehemiah 5:14–19. Here, Nehemiah makes a personal sacrifice for the good of the people by reducing his income and refusing perks. What is the relationship between sacrifice and influence?
22. When faced with adversity, Nehemiah remembered he was doing a great work (6:3). What does this teach you about handling adversity and critics?
23. In just 52 days the city wall was completed, showing everyone that God was in the project (6:15–16). When you give God the glory for your successes how does it impact those in your sphere of influence?
24. Nehemiah and the people celebrated the wall’s completion (6:15–16; 12:27). Why is it important to the morale of those you influence to celebrate victories?
25. When Nehemiah was finished the wall project he became governor (8:9). Influencers continue influencing, though their sphere of influence changes. How has your sphere of influence changed through life?
26. Nehemiah kept the vision and purpose for building the wall before the people (8:10–11; 12:27). Their faith was at stake. What is at stake for those you are influencing?
27. In Nehemiah 8 the people responded to God’s Word with joy. They had seen Nehemiah’s faith in action. What correlation is there between Nehemiah’s faith and the people’s response?
28. In Nehemiah 9:5–38 the leaders recount God’s faithfulness in spite of the people’s failures. How has God has been faithful to you through the years?
29. Throughout the book of Nehemiah he had to confront and correct people. How do you react to the mistakes and sin in the lives of those you seek to influence?
30. Nehemiah was motivated by the desire for a legacy of faithfulness to God to the end (13:13–31). What motivates you?