Hebrew 1:7, Jeremiah 20:9, Matthew 11:12, Nehemiah 2:5, Romans 8:30, Nehemiah. 1:4, Nehemiah 5:14-19, Numbers 11:16-24

Men and brethren, God is looking to enroll men into servanthood, he is looking for some people who will stop complaining, and who will start to praise him. God is looking for some people who are willing to testify of His love for them. God is looking for some people who will not keep silent, but who will speak the word of God in season and out of season. Men who are ready to Confront every strange fire. God is looking for you; it does not matter if you are young or old. It does not matter if you are rich or poor. The question is, ‘will you answer the call? The call to serve God in every way and in any position!

Why do servants need fire in their bones? The reason is that these are not simple times. Seasons are tough and only the tough keep going Matthew 11:12. The time is soon coming where dead words will not help us. The time is soon coming where weak faith will get us left behind. The time is soon coming when our heart will be broken, and our lives will be torn. The time is coming when friends and enemies will attack us. A time of persecution is soon coming. Will we be ready? Where will our focus be? Will we be afraid, or fearless? Will we fail, or will we have victory? At a time when many Christian leaders today are failing, we need to reclaim these eight vital qualities in appreciation to God for the fire in our bones according to the inspiration I received from God.

Number One: You must have a sure calling. Nehemiah said to the king: “And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it.” Nehemiah 2:5. Nehemiah was a “sent one.” He was called by God, and he surrendered. You must be convinced that you are called. Don’t jump to politics if God has not called you to lead his people. The reason many are having dysfunctional of purpose is become they are in business, marriage, career without the exact word from God. You may have great preaching skills, a powerful anointing or a magnetic personality, but human abilities and God-given talents alone will not make you successful. You must know that you know that you know that God has sent you Romans 8:30. Do you have the fire of God inside you? Only an idiot will follow a man without evidence this was the reason why Jeremiah had no convert because the word even though was true but he needed the fire.

Number Two: You need a heavenly burden. When Nehemiah heard that Jerusalem’s walls were destroyed and that the Jews were displaced, he wept (Neh. 1:4). His call to leadership flowed out of true compassion for people. The most successful leaders step into their assignments not because they want to make a name for themselves or because they want a paycheck from a church, but because they want to help others. If love is not your motivation, do us all a favour and wait until God’s compassion grips you. The church today does not need any more leaders with personal agendas or selfish ambitions.

Number Three: Your life must be saturated in prayer. The book of Nehemiah begins and ends with a prayer—reminding us that any successful leader, a successful businessman, a loving husband must live a life of intercession if he wants to build successfully. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Prayer has become as essential to me as the heaving of my lungs and the beating of my pulse.” Phrases such as “So I prayed …” or “But we prayed …” (Neh 2:4; Neh. 4:9) are inserted often in Nehemiah’s narrative. Any successful leader, businessman, parent will experience the same rhythm of heartfelt prayers and joyful answers.

Number Four: You must be a team player. Nehemiah was consumed by a great vision, but he did not attempt it alone. He went to the people and said, “Come, let us rebuild” (Neh. 2:17). He was also willing for the members of his team to get credit. About 40 key men and women who repaired the gates and walls of the city are mentioned in the third chapter. Like the apostle Paul—who bragged incessantly about his co-workers—Nehemiah was not afraid to share the spotlight. You must make a habit of empowering and praising the people God has called to serve with you because it takes many colour to make a rainbow. It took 70 people who functioned with fire in their bones to make Moses fulfilled his destiny Numbers 11:16-24.

Number Five: You must be humble. The governors prior to Nehemiah were oppressive and greedy. They demanded feasts and royal treatment, but Nehemiah set a new example by living frugally (Neh. 5:14-19). Leaders today must reject the attitude of entitlement that has been practiced by many of our predecessors who thought Christian leadership was about limousines, tailored suits and luxury accommodations. Nehemiah set a new trend when he said, “I did not demand the governor’s food allowance” (Neh 5:18). Let’s model servanthood.

Number Six: You must have a practical plan. When the king asked Nehemiah what he wanted to do about Jerusalem, he didn’t hesitate to whip out his blueprint. He needed money, specific building supplies and official letters of authorization. And when Nehemiah got to Jerusalem, he did a detailed assessment of the damages. He knew how much work was required. If God has called you to build a church, a ministry or a business, a heavenly burden isn’t enough. Count the cost, make a budget and plan your steps. Don’t go about asking for donations everywhere, that is a sign that God is missing in your plan because God’s man in God’s house doing God’s work at God’s command will command the Blessings of God.

Number Seven: You must be a fighter. As soon as Nehemiah set foot on Jerusalem’s soil, Sanballat and Tobiah began their demonic campaign to stop him. When you volunteer for any spiritual assignment, you automatically become a target. If you want a life without trials, difficulties and spiritual warfare, don’t attempt something big for God. The warfare was so intense for Nehemiah that the people had to carry swords in one hand and tools in the other (Neh. 4:15-17). Good leaders are ‘multitaskers’, men and women of ‘Multiple Vision’: They know how to fight and build at the same time.

Number Eight: You must be committed to God’s Word. Nehemiah 8:4 is the only reference in the Bible to a pulpit—and it was built so that the Jews that were gathered could hear God’s Word read aloud in the restored city. Good leaders give the Word the platform it deserves—and they don’t rewrite the message to fit their culture or distract people from the Word with religious sideshows. Always make God’s truth the main event—and discipleship your primary mandate.

Father God, give us leaders like Nehemiah! Leaders with fire in their bones! In this crazy season of apostate denominations, backslidden preachers and clueless Christians, let’s commit ourselves to build God’s way.

Before I share testimonies and the concluding prayer. Please ignore fake profiles of Uma Ukpai Breakthrough Prayer or Rev uma ukpai jnr.. We dont have Ophanages.