True leadership is no dealership!

 

Welcome!


Today: True leadership is no dealership!


Passage: Joshua 8


8 When you have taken the city, set it on fire. Do what the LORD has commanded. See to it; you have my orders.” 9 Then Joshua sent them off, and they went to the place of ambush and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai—but Joshua spent that night with the people. – (Joshua 8, NIV 84)-emphasis added


This is the second in the series, “you have my orders”

After the initial failure in “Ai” and clearing all the “blocks”, Joshua is now ready to go back to the same place and make his next and succesful attempt.

There are couple of things we notice here:

  1. Joshua had a clear connection with God: Joshua got the “clearance certificate” from God to go ahead and against Ai. When we do spiritual warfare, this is very important. We should have a good relationship with God, and keep posted (updated). We need the Bible for general directions, but the Holy Spirit, like  GPS, will give us the timely direction. In the book of Acts, we see how the Holy Spirit “blocked” the disciples from going to certain places
  2. Joshua removed the “block”:There are some people who say that sin is not a problem when we are using the authority of Jesus, because it is “His” name that is at work. That is wrong. We should remove every speck and spot in our life by the blood of Jesus, before we go on a spiritual warfare, because we are carrying “His” name. Otherwise, it can re-coil and attack us/family
  3. Joshua takes on authority: He gives orders. He received that from the Lord. The same Joshua commanded sun and moon as well. Do we ever use our authority to command, or, are we always at the grace of some big preacher or pastor?
  4. Joshua takes responsibility: This is what most people don’t do. There is “risk” in responsibility. But without taking some risk, we can’t achieve anything. The US govt took risk, in the operation against Bin Laden. There is a chance of failure, when you take a risk. But when it comes to spiritual warfare, we need to listen to God first. When God promises success, and He gives the green signal, we don’t have to fear!
  5. Joshua stayed with the people: Joshua is the root name from which the name of Jesus (Jehoshua/Yeshua/Yeshu) came. True leadership involves sacrifice. Remote-control leadership, which is so common in many Christian organizations today, is more of a dealership than a leadership. A dealer doesn’t care to keep his stuff. He wants to get rid of them!

Joshua had big success. God was with Him. But Joshua was with God also

On the cross, we see Jesus, who destroyed the devil and gave us victory

Jesus didn’t have a crew with him; his disciples were scattered. Joshua had a battalion with him! We need good spiritual/prayer partners

May God give you victory in your encounters/endeavors!

BG


Prayer: Lord Yeshu, thank for being my leader, my commander-in-chief. You defeated the devil on the cross and you are truly qualified to be the commander-in-chief over all others. I am proud of you, and to serve you. Amen


“Leadership without sacrifice is no better than a dealership”