Pizzazz is defined as “a vigorous spirit; energy or excitement.” Sounds fantastic doesn’t it? Give me some of that for breakfast.

Pizzazz can be a defining and collective force of personal identity that energizes teams to do great things.

But we have all seen it. Projects and missions that start with pizzazz but eventually end up in defeat.

Unmanaged opposition and obstacles are two of the most common momentum killers.

The book of Nehemiah gives us a textbook example of a project that started with great hope but immediately faced a pizzazz killing plot.

“Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews.” (Nehemiah 4:1)

The wall builders could have buckled. As we know, however, their first response was…to pray.

“Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land!” (Nehemiah 4:4)

Throughout the rebuilding effort, Nehemiah and his building regiment prayed their way through one barrier after another. “Now strengthen our hands.” (Nehemiah 1:9)

The outcome, the dedication of the rebuilt wall, was a joyous occasion.

“Many sacrifices were offered, for God had given the people cause for great joy.” The celebration was so loud it “could be heard far away.” (Nehemiah 12:43-44)

Make your case before God

Kyle Idleman says “rebuilding prayer makes our case before God, not because we deserve for Him to do anything, but 1) because of who God is; 2) because of what God has done; and, 3) because of the promises God has made.”

So what needs rebuilding in your church, in your organization, in your community, in the industry that you serve?

In recent months, we have been working our way through the details of a fairly large rebuilding project. Sometimes I spend too much time thinking about all the things that can go wrong and get bottled up.

Prayer and asking God to help us take the next right step, enables us to break out and keep going forward.

I prayed to God. Nehemiah 1:5

Prayer is one of the Christian’s most important and underutilized kingdom resources. The enemy is hip to that and sends attacks designed to keep us from bowing our heads. Like Nehemiah and his crew, prayer should be our first response, not our last resort when we those poisonous arrows are flying.

Then, once we ask, we have to be ready to act. But don’t stop praying!

Prayer can produce a Holy Spirit infused pizzazz that will fire up a team for undertaking great rebuilding programs. Prayer ensures that His pizzazz will last when the Sanballat’s of this world try to extinguish the passion that brought everyone together to do it.

Question: What else keeps the spiritual and emotional fires burning when opposition threatens?