Leadership in Challenging Times
Scripture Reading: Exodus 2:23—3:10
“And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage,” Exodus 2:23.
Leadership in Challenging Times
Father God, we thank you for the priviledge of leadership. We thank you because promotion comes from you. Father God, in these challenging times in our generation, we pray that you will cause leaders to emerge and take their appointed positions.
Whether at the national, local, or familial level, when challenging times come there is a need for true leadership to emerge. Moses was called to lead his people out of bondage and into the Promised Land. “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob,” verse 24. And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me; and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt,” Exodus 3:7–10.
Just as in Moses’ time, challenging times arise today. While most of the descriptors in this acronym for CHALLENGE are negative, the last two are positive:
C: Change
H: Hostility
A: Agitation
L: Loss
L: Longing
E: Emergency
N: Need
G: God factor
E: Emergence of Leaders
When challenging times emerge, we are to factor God into every change, hostility, agitation, loss, longing, emergency, and need. If you are in a challenging environment it is time for you to apply the God factor. In Israel’s challenging time the God factor appeared in Moses. Later in history when the Philistines were against the Israelites, the people were hiding from Goliath. It was a time of hostilities, agitations; a time of emergency and of need, and the longing for lost glory. David became the God factor and emerged as the leader. He is one of the most notable kings of Israel and God has caused his name to be remembered even today.
If you, your family, or your community face a challenging time, it is time for you to be the God factor. How do you emerge as a leader? You must have the power of the Holy Spirit within. You must understand the times, and ask the Lord for leadership qualities, and for the ability to love beyond those whom love you. Ask the Lord to give you the grace to be exemplary, the ability to administer, admire, and admonish, and to bless you with discipline and excellence. Ask for the grace to be righteous, to do the right thing towards your fellow man, and to become a steward who is available for any kind of duty, at any kind of level, at anytime. Pray for holiness that is a direct relationship with God, and that you become inspirational so that even those who do not like you will see what you are doing for God and see the God in you. Beloved, be purposeful; have an aim. Moses’ responsibility was to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.
What caused Moses and David to emerge as leaders? In each case it was a challenging time. It is time to embrace God in a new way. Ask Him to give you the qualities of effective leadership, to bless you with efficiency, the manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit, the grace to understand your gifting and to operate from that spiritual position. It is time for you to impact your environment, to rise up for God in your country, community and family. The great need on earth today is effective leadership and the Lord has given us this message, that we should start our engine of leadership. Begin to love unconditionally, embrace a lifestyle that is exemplary, manifest the ability to administer and admonish. Live in discipline, excellence, righteousness, stewardship, and holiness. Be inspirational and purposeful so that you will bring out the best in people and take them to victory in Jesus’ name.
Prayer Points:
This is not possible except you are in the Lord Jesus Christ. Surrender your life to Jesus today by praying, “Lord Jesus, I accept you as my personal Lord and Saviour. Write my name in the book of life in Jesus’ name.” Amen.
Pray for the attributes of leadership to manifest in your life.
