|
There have been three specific seasons in my life and ministry. I spent the first ten years of my ministry as a youth evangelist. It was a great walk of faith. My wife and I trusted God to meet all of our needs. We asked no man for anything, but trusted God for everything. He was faithful in every instance to provide all that we needed. During the second season of my life, I was a pastor. Although I was still living by faith, it was not the same as my ministry in youth evangelism. I was salaried by a church and rested relatively sure that my paycheck would be there every week.
At the close of the period of my life, God began to speak to me about returning to itinerate evangelism. However, I had become financially comfortable in my church. I knew that I would have to once again step out in faith. I had seen God provide earlier in my life in remarkable ways. I knew that He would do it again. But I still had to take that one step of faith and resign my church. It was a defining moment for me. I made the decision and have never looked back. God has been faithful through the last fourteen years to meet every need of my family.
Thousands of years ago, Joshua had seen God move mightily. He was there when God parted the Red Sea. He watched Moses, the man of God, miraculously lead the people out of Egypt. But now Joshua had to take the step of faith. It was a new season of life for him. He had to lead the people to cross the Jordan River. It must have been an awesome moment for him. It was certainly a defining moment in the life and leadership of Joshua.
God spoke to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river'" (Joshua 3:7, 8 NIV). This was perhaps the greatest test in the leadership of Joshua. He couldn't depend upon the faith of Moses. He would have to trust God. He could not lean on his mentor and friend. He had to lead the people in a walk of faith. He held the mantle of leadership. It was trust God or die in the wilderness. Joshua trusted God.
There were several lesson of leadership seen in the life of Joshua. First, spiritual leadership demands that we walk by faith. Leadership can be lonely. But the man God uses reckons that God will be with Him. He often trembles at the task set before him, but he has a deep conviction that God will lead him through the troubled waters. It's that assurance that enables him to take that step of faith.
Second, when Joshua took that great step of faith, God exalted him. He didn't exalt himself, but God exalted him. The leader who exalts himself will be eventually brought low by God. But the leader that humbles himself will be exalted by God. Faith is a by-product of humility. Faith grows in a humble heart because a heart of humility depends wholly upon God.
Finally, a spiritual leader will unashamedly call the people of God to absolute surrender to the will of God. Joshua said to the people, "Joshua told the people, 'Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.'" (Joshua 3:5 NIV). Joshua knew that God's work must be done God's way. It was not enough to simply step out in faith. Joshua had to lead the people to do the will of God in the way of God. That's true spiritual leadership.
|
