12/07/07
Be strong and courageous…
"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead…” a mandate, a promise, and a call for life were what God gave to Joshua.
Few words that changed the life of Moses’ aide transforming him into a great leader who fought with courage to conquer a vast land submitting many enemies, including his own fear, his own pride, and the deceiving power that makes leaders fall. This man walked all his life with fear of God; and led a nation to a covenant of obedience and service to God. What does it take to be transformed? What does it take to overcome weakness and fear? What does it take to be a leader?
I think we all are called to be leaders in some extend. First we are called to lead over our own lives, over our families; over our time and possessions… eventually we are also called to be a leading community, a holy nation able to lead others to the revelation of Christ and His salvation; but often we are not capable, we struggle, we compromise, and se fall when we face the enemies inside… weakness, fear, and pride.
Somebody told me that leadership is measured by the influence we have over something specific, and I believe this influence is given by God alone but it needs also to be exercised by us first in every area of our lives; and then reflected in others as a testimony of the Lord’s presence in us. Is not ruling over others; it’s leading them with love to obedience to the Savior.
God has given us authority, power and favor through His Holy Spirit but many times these remain untouched in us, unreleased and hidden, they bear no fruit as the talents a servant hid in the ground. Recognizing our hidden talents and the responsibility they imply, I think, is the first step to be transformed. As we take this step we enter to the battlefield were the invisible giants – the ones we have inside – come to fight. They take us down freezing our movements and blocking our decisions as they remind us we don’t have enough to move forward… we know God has given us authority but we are not able to use it… we don’t know how to unleash it, and usually we just retreat choosing not to face the giants… choosing eventually not even see the giants, nor the talents, nor the responsibility we were given. The leader has fallen down, the nominal Christian takes his place… there is no more fight, just existence.
There is just one thing able to resurrect our identity as it resurrected Lazarus from the grave; it’s just one thing able to unleash God’s given power to us: it is God’s voice to our hearts, God’s very word to our lives. As He speaks as He did with Joshua, transformation begins, dead bones come alive and the leader is re-born; not as before in his own strength, but new in the mandate, in the promise, and in the call of the Lord Almighty. This can only happen in the presence of God, in the secret of the Lord.
Did Joshua fear after Moses’ death? Did he pray to overcome his fear and his weakness? How long did he spend praying to God before hearing His voice? I don’t know, I just want to imagine him as a human being oppressed by the common enemies of the heart… maybe he was more or less like me. If he was, there is one thing for sure, in the midst of fear and struggle he looked for God and cried out to Him; in the midst of deception and weakness he went to the secret of the Lord. That is something I also can do… who knows, I may also listen God's voice speaking to my heart; I may also receive from Him hope when my heart is dismaying; faith when doubts overcome; and perseverance when times of difficulty came along… I may also be given power to obey God’s voice, and God’s call to my life.
After all, these things are a real promise in God’s Word… "for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
Be strong and courageous…
"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead…” a mandate, a promise, and a call for life were what God gave to Joshua.
Few words that changed the life of Moses’ aide transforming him into a great leader who fought with courage to conquer a vast land submitting many enemies, including his own fear, his own pride, and the deceiving power that makes leaders fall. This man walked all his life with fear of God; and led a nation to a covenant of obedience and service to God. What does it take to be transformed? What does it take to overcome weakness and fear? What does it take to be a leader?
I think we all are called to be leaders in some extend. First we are called to lead over our own lives, over our families; over our time and possessions… eventually we are also called to be a leading community, a holy nation able to lead others to the revelation of Christ and His salvation; but often we are not capable, we struggle, we compromise, and se fall when we face the enemies inside… weakness, fear, and pride.
Somebody told me that leadership is measured by the influence we have over something specific, and I believe this influence is given by God alone but it needs also to be exercised by us first in every area of our lives; and then reflected in others as a testimony of the Lord’s presence in us. Is not ruling over others; it’s leading them with love to obedience to the Savior.
God has given us authority, power and favor through His Holy Spirit but many times these remain untouched in us, unreleased and hidden, they bear no fruit as the talents a servant hid in the ground. Recognizing our hidden talents and the responsibility they imply, I think, is the first step to be transformed. As we take this step we enter to the battlefield were the invisible giants – the ones we have inside – come to fight. They take us down freezing our movements and blocking our decisions as they remind us we don’t have enough to move forward… we know God has given us authority but we are not able to use it… we don’t know how to unleash it, and usually we just retreat choosing not to face the giants… choosing eventually not even see the giants, nor the talents, nor the responsibility we were given. The leader has fallen down, the nominal Christian takes his place… there is no more fight, just existence.
There is just one thing able to resurrect our identity as it resurrected Lazarus from the grave; it’s just one thing able to unleash God’s given power to us: it is God’s voice to our hearts, God’s very word to our lives. As He speaks as He did with Joshua, transformation begins, dead bones come alive and the leader is re-born; not as before in his own strength, but new in the mandate, in the promise, and in the call of the Lord Almighty. This can only happen in the presence of God, in the secret of the Lord.
Did Joshua fear after Moses’ death? Did he pray to overcome his fear and his weakness? How long did he spend praying to God before hearing His voice? I don’t know, I just want to imagine him as a human being oppressed by the common enemies of the heart… maybe he was more or less like me. If he was, there is one thing for sure, in the midst of fear and struggle he looked for God and cried out to Him; in the midst of deception and weakness he went to the secret of the Lord. That is something I also can do… who knows, I may also listen God's voice speaking to my heart; I may also receive from Him hope when my heart is dismaying; faith when doubts overcome; and perseverance when times of difficulty came along… I may also be given power to obey God’s voice, and God’s call to my life.
After all, these things are a real promise in God’s Word… "for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
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