Four Steps to Enlist Support for Your Dream
By Rick Warren
“They replied at once, ‘Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!’ So they began the good work.” Nehemiah 2:18 (NLT)
Learning how to enlist the support of others is an important part of following your God-given dream.
But how do you get others to help you with your dream? Nehemiah 2 offers four steps for bringing others on board to accomplish your dream.
Step 1: Do your research. Before you announce your dream to your family and friends, make sure you have all the information you need. You don't want someone to ask a question you can't answer because you didn’t get all the facts first.
Nehemiah knew this as he arrived in Jerusalem to begin working on his dream. He said, “I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart . . . I went . . . to inspect the broken walls and burned gates” (Nehemiah 2:12-13 NLT). Nehemiah didn't depend on secondhand knowledge. He conducted his own research.
Step 2: Paint a picture of what needs to change. Before someone can see in their mind how something could be better, you have to create some discontent with the current situation. Why? Because when people live with a problem long enough, they often become apathetic and are okay to settle for less than the best.
When Nehemiah presented his plan to the people, he didn’t minimize their current living conditions. He said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire” (Nehemiah 2:17 NLT). He painted a picture of their current reality.
Step 3: Appeal to people’s hearts. We often assume that people base their choices on logic and reason, but most decisions are based on feelings. That’s why it’s important to use internal motivation when enlisting the support of others.
Nehemiah appealed to the people’s hearts when he said, “Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” (Nehemiah 2:17 NLT). This also appealed to their dignity, reminding them that they were God’s people and that, with God’s help, they didn’t have to live in disgrace and shame any longer. Nehemiah showed he had genuine concern for the people.
Step 4: Share your story to inspire others. People want to know what your dream means to you. They want to know what God is doing in your life. And when you tell people that you’re trusting in God, it motivates them to live by faith also.
Nehemiah shared a powerful story about how God was working in his life and in the plan he was sharing with them. He told the people “about how the gracious hand of God had been on [him]” (Nehemiah 2:18 NLT). Their response? The Bible says, “They replied at once, ‘Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!’ So they began the good work” (Nehemiah 2:18 NLT).
Open your eyes and see how God’s hand is already at work. Trust him to surround you with the support you need to fulfill your dream as you take these steps of faith.
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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