Stand Firm- Be Courageous- Serve

Stand Firm- Be Courageous- Serve

Focus Scriptures:

Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Proverbs 28:1 (NIV)

The wicked flee though no one pursues,

but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

Matthew 10: 16 -20 (NIV)

16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Trials will come.  That is just a fact of life.  We need to be vigilant, watchful, and on guard to be prepared when they come.  People will challenge you.  People will test your authority.  But when you need to respond, when you need to speak, God, through His Holy Spirit, will be with you.  The Holy Spirit empowers us to respond in the way that we need to.

Great leaders are confident in their courage.  They are able to stand firm because they know that God is with them.  They have full faith that God is with them.  When we have God with us He helps us when we need it.  When we speak we have true confidence and we have courage.  When we know our identity in Christ we can be the servant leaders that God calls us to be.  We then place the needs of others ahead of our own needs.

But many leaders have a false courage built upon the emptiness of the position of leadership.  This type of courage is a façade; an empty shell.  Such an image of courage is apart from Christ; or wicked.  Eventually the empty shell is discovered and no one will follow a leader with a façade of courage built around an emptiness.  These leaders become overwhelmed by the image of leadership.  They try to please everyone to maintain the image.  These leaders are self-serving and seek to lead only to maintain the image.  To maintain the image they will never admit to mistakes.  Self-serving leaders know what to do.  They may even know how to do it.  But they lack the why to lead.  The image must be protected at all costs.  They know the game.  They play the game of politics to achieve their goals.  This style of leadership is empty.  Eventually the followers fall away.  They do not pursue this leader.

Servant leaders develop a deep rooted courage because they are confident in their identity in Christ.  They know not only the what and how of leadership, but they have a deep sense of the why of leadership.  They have a deep sense of purpose, call, and desire.  The servant leader is concerned with authentic influence that creates value for others.  The servant leader has courage that is not concerned with the image, but the core essence of helping others in positive ways.  The servant leader wants to leave a positive impact in the lives of others.  The servant leader wants to bring glory to God.

To do this, servant leaders must know who they and whose they are.  They work at things and lead others to bring forth the purpose for which they were created.  They employ their gifts and talents to raise others up.

Most leadership development teachers will start by having new leaders explore who they are.  What are the things that you value?  What are you passionate about?  Spend time with God and soak your leadership character in prayer. Ask God to reveal who you are as a leader.  Submit to Him and be led by His Holy Spirit.  Ask God to reveal the vision He has for you.  Then lead to serve others with authentic influence that creates value.