Even Cowards Can Become Leaders
Joshua 1:1-9
Joshua is exhibit A of a reluctant leader. In fact when it came to taking the leadership baton from Moses he was a coward. Listen to the words of the Lord to Joshua: Joshua 1:6, 7, 9 “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land, I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.”
Why did God tell Joshua over and over to “Be strong and courageous?” Because Joshua was fearful of assuming leadership! Joshua felt inadequate.
Many of us are just like Joshua. We feel inadequate for the task of leadership. But the fact is that everyone here today is a leader.
Leadership can be defined as anyone who has influence. There are many times during the day that people are involved in leadership:
• A mother with child any time during the day.
• A husband and wife who seek mutual agreement on day-to-day finances.
• A nurse who patiently handles the anger of a stroke victim.
• A school teacher who excites curiosity in the minds of her students.
• A corporate executive who rejects offers of inside information to gain a competitive edge.
• A government official who takes an unpopular political stand based on principle.
God calls you to be a lead with integrity.
In one way or another we are all called to be leaders. We either lead with integrity or lead without moral integrity. God encouraged Joshua to lead. God encourages you to lead. God’s calling on His followers is for all who are part of His believing community accept the privilege of encouraging one another. I Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Encouragement is like oxygen to the soul.
You are a leader when you are sensitive to the views and feelings of other people. Leaders have the ability to listen and care for people. Leaders are people of drive. They get things done. Leaders are people of vision and passion.
Joshua is an example of a leader who was made and not born. He grew up as a slave boy in Egypt. Both his parents were slaves. Joshua was not born with a silver spoon. Joshua’s grandfather and great grandfather were slaves. All Joshua had too look forward to was a life of bondage.
As a slave Joshua knew what it was to experience suffering and pain.
When Moses led the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage Joshua was probably a young adult at the beginning of the journey the elders must have seen potential in Joshua because he was chosen along with eleven others to go scout out the land of Canaan. Only Joshua and Caleb returned with a positive report that God was with them and they indeed could conquer the land.
Forty years later after wandering in the desert Joshua continued to be a leader with faith. When God promised victory over Jericho Joshua was ready to believe and followed God’s instructions. Because of his faith Joshua was included in the Hall of Old Testament heroes, Hebrews 11:30 “By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people marched around them for seven days.”
As a young person Joshua was willing to honor and obey the Lord. Historically God has used young people to make an impact for the Kingdom of God.
God used Joseph to provide leadership in Egypt and give the Children of Israel a place to find food and shelter.
Samuel was consecrated to the Lord as a child and became an outstanding prophet of Israel.
David was a young shepherd boy when he was chosen by God to become a King of Israel. Mary was a teenager when she learned of God’s plan for her to become the mother of Jesus. The key for youth is to be obedient and willing to serve the Lord.
Under the leadership of Moses Joshua was a faithful follower. Faithful followers are great candidates to become outstanding leaders.
When the time came for Moses to turn the leadership over to Joshua, Joshua was reluctant to assume the leadership. Joshua needed extra encouragement from the Lord to step up and assume leadership. By divine appointment Joshua was to assume leadership after the death of Moses. Joshua lived up to his name, “Joshua,” Jehovah is Savior.”
When God calls you to assume leadership at any level you have the assurance that He will be with you.
God Promises to help you lead.
Joshua has a vital faith in the Lord. Joshua took God at His word and acted accordingly.
Joshua 1:2 - Joshua was commanded to conquer Canaan.
1:3 - God gave the promise – “Wherever you walk I will
give you victory.”
1:4 - God told Joshua to take possession of the land from the Southern wilderness to the northern Lebanon range East to the Euphrates river – West to the Mediterranean Sea.
1:5 – “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you, I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
1:6 - God told Joshua to conquer his fear and take courage.
1:6-8 – The Lord challenged Joshua to apply God’s word to his life and leadership. The key to living out God’s command was “Meditation” on God’s commands.
1:9 - God assured Joshua that God was in charge of the campaign. God would be more than a silent partner. “Have I not commanded you?”
God is not a hard taskmaster. He wants you to succeed. The calling of God for Joshua to conquer the land of Canaan seemed impossible, but with God all things are possible. Joshua was commander in chief of over 600,000 men plus their families possibly totaling over 2 million people to move across the land.
You may face situations at work or at home that seem insurmountable. God will give you strength to go forward. There are some work and family circumstances that seem impossible to get through, yet God promises to see you through to the other side. God speaks to you, “Be strong and courageous, I am with you.”
Sometimes we as parents wonder if our children will ever get it right. We try this and that, we pray, and yet there seems to be little progress in character development. Yet, at just the right time we have opportunity to give an encouraging word or take action, and with God’s blessing we see progress and maturity. As parents we are to be merchants of hope.
Joshua trusted God. Each step of the way as Joshua led his army into the land of Canaan he trusted God and sought God’s strategy and blessing.
When Joshua led the people to the river Jordan the river was flooded so they could not cross. The Lord told Joshua He would provide a way across the river. The priests were to carry the Ark of the Lord toward the river and when their feet touched the water the water would depart and make a land bridge so they could walk across on dry land. Joshua 3
God gave Joshua the strategy to conquer Jericho. Joshua 6
Through out his life Joshua honored the Lord and he was not swayed by public opinion or criticism. Near the end of his life he encouraged the people to not compromise and turn to the pagan gods of the Canaanites but to serve the Lord God. The choice was up to them, “But as for me and my family we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
Joshua had a positive outlook on life and believed God would do what he promised.
Like Joshua, leaders have a positive outlook on life. Your attitude is a choice. Your attitude determines your actions.
This past week I read why Thomas Edison accomplished so much during his lifetime. He lived a resilient committed life. He made 10,000 tries to find the right materials to create the light bulb. Edison said: “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
When Edison was in his late sixties he worked in the world famous lab in West Orange, New Jersey. The complex was made up of 14 building. One building was massive- larger than 3 football fields.
One day in December 1914 the lab caught fire and burned. After the tragedy Edison said, “I am sixty-seven, but not too old to make a fresh start. I’ve been through a lot of things like this.” He rebuilt the lab and worked another seventeen years. He said he was long on ideas but short on time.
Hans Finzel in his book Empowering Leaders says that “Leadership is about influencing people for good. It is about accomplishing more through others than we ever could do on our own.”
God leaves the choice of leadership up to you.
The choice is yours as to weather you will lead according to God’s way or chose to lead according to your own way. God has blessed you with skills and talent, but he gives you the choice to use your gifts in serving others or for selfish purposes. I Peter 4:10, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace to its various forms.” This verse tells us that most of our ministry takes place during our daily lives – in our homes, at work, at school. We come together at church to be equipped and trained to faithfully carry God’s grace to people we associate with on a daily basis. Do you realize that the only Gospel some people will have is you. You are to be good news to people you meet and fellowship with.
God allows you to make choices and choose the priorities for your life, how you spend your time, how you spend your money and what you do or don’t do.
Jesus is your model for leadership. Jesus lived his life before His followers and said, “This is how you do it. I want you to watch me.” Your attitude must be like My own, for I did not come to be served, but to serve.”
Serving like Jesus means we don’t get upset by interruptions. Leading like Jesus means we are available. One day Jesus was walking down to Jericho and some blind men started yelling at him. “Two blind men shouted, ‘Lord have mercy on us! Jesus stopped and called to them. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’” Matthew 20:30-32
Jesus stopped. If you want to be used by God, you must be willing to be interrupted. As Jesus went about his daily activities He was constantly being interrupted. He was available to help people.
We are invited to follow the steps of Jesus and we also need to be willing to follow his stops.
A couple weeks ago I was studying in my office and one of the teachers knocked on my door and told me a gentleman was asking for a pastor to pray with him.
I left my office and found the man and he told me he attended the Monday night NA group at our church and he needed prayer. He had lost his job and was having family problems. I shared with him Scripture promises of God’s love and forgiveness and had prayer with him. My interruption became an opportunity to minister.
Proverbs 3:28, “Never tell your neighbor to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now.’ John Wesley the founder of the Methodist Church had this motto for his life:
Do all the good you can by all the means you can by all the ways you can in all the places you can and at all the times you can to all the people you can as long as you ever can.
Leadership is being available to serve others. Why do we find it hard to be available? Let me suggest three barriers to being available to serve.
1. Self-centeredness. Phil. 2:4, -“Forget yourself long enough to lend a helping hand.” When ever you see a need right in front of you, guess what? God is giving you the opportunity to practice serving.
Busyness is the number one enemy of compassion. We just get to busy! When I get too busy I don’t have time to serve. I allow my agenda, my goals, my dreams, and my ambitions take priority over serving. We hand a “Do Not Disturb” on our door and miss opportunity to become the hands and feet of Jesus in serving others.
As a Christ follower God’s agenda for me should be my agenda.
2. Perfectionism. We tell God, “When everything in my life is just right and perfect, then I will serve you.” Ecclesiastes 11:4, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done.” As Christ followers we do the best we can with what we have in serving Jesus. We don’t wait until everything is perfect.
3. Materialism. The passion to succeed financially keeps us from serving the Lord. Luke 16:13, “You cannot serve both God and money.” We need to ask ourselves, “What is the number one priority for my life, God or money?” “Are you going to be a Kingdom of God builder or a wealth-builder?”
If God blesses you with great wealth that great!
Wealth can be a great resource in advancing God’s Kingdom. But wealth should not be the number one goal for your life.
This morning we have looked at the life and leadership of Joshua. Joshua was a reluctant leader. When we look at the awesome responsibility we all have as people of influence – in our homes, neighborhoods, relatives, work place and friends. We want to be faithful to God’s call on our life to live a life of integrity.
Whatever your situation God has promised to help you lead and serve Him.
God leaves the choice on how you will lead up to you. You can choose to serve others and not allow self centeredness, perfectionism or materialism to block you for serving the Lord.
This week I pray that you will lead like Joshua and Jesus.
