Leading in the Storm, pt2
Leadership in Context with Keith Tucci
Episode 084
To continue our Leading in the Storm series, let’s pick back up with the story of Gideon in Judges 6. Last we read about him, he was hiding in the winepress.
Judges 6:14
The Lord looked at him and said, “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?”
“Go in this your strength…”
Good leaders know that though they have to be resilient, have mental toughness, be stewards of their own spirituality—they also understand that “when I am weak, then He is strong.” When we acknowledge and understand that in our own physical, moral, and intellectual capabilities the job is bigger than we are, then we get His strength.
If you do not have a job that is bigger than you, you need a bigger job. The job, when you are leading in the storm, is always bigger than you. Your greatest strength is to know that you need strength. Communicate to that to the people around you because they are feeling the same thing. If they think you have superpowers and don’t ever feel weak, then they aren’t going to be able to relate to your leadership. Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t be bold, courageous, or resilient, but you have to reflect that your strength comes from the Lord.
In this passage in Judges, the Lord tells Gideon to “go in this your strength,” and then He tells him what His strength is.
Judges 6:14
“…have I not sent you?”
We are messengers. We are ambassadors. We are disciples. We are followers. We are not the instigators. We are followers of Jesus Christ. Who sent us determines our destination. We need to live that. We need to breathe that. That needs to come out of us. We need to remind ourselves of that in the midst of our firestorm—that I have been sent by God; it is God Himself that put me in this situation. Whatever situation you are leading people in, though God might not have chosen the circumstances, He has chosen you to be the leader.
Judges 6:15
He said to Him, “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”
This is bureaucratic leadership. This is how most people think. His mindset was that he didn’t have a title, his family didn’t have a title, and he was concerned about who would recognize him if he did step up. This is one of the greatest downfalls of people who have an opportunity to lead. Who sent you? God! So lead. Don’t worry about the title.
In your community, you may not have a certain title or recognition. Maybe your church is the least of these in your community. Do you think that really matters to God? Do you think God is going to delegate all the important jobs to someone who has a big voice? Not necessarily.
First you lead. The critical nature of leading is not just to get something done; it’s so people can follow you. Leadership is a model. Don’t fall into Gideon’s trap and worry about the lack of title or the lack of people recognizing you. In our culture, if you lead, you will be recognized one way or another.
Judges 6:16
But the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.”
What promise does God remind him of? Don’t worry about the title; worry about who you are with. Gideon was with God, and God was with Gideon. It’s a reminder of not just His presence, but His purpose. We need to marry the two—presence and purpose. You can have God’s presence on you and not exercise His purpose. You can have a clear purpose and walk that out without God’s presence. It’s both--so we can lead people not only into what we are doing, but why we are doing it.
Judges 6:18
Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You.” And He said, “I will remain until you return.”
If we are going to lead, we have to be the first person in—the first all in with regards to risk, energy, prayer, sacrifice, giving. There are a lot of people who have good ideas and a computer, but that does not make them a leader. A leader is someone who did like Jesus. He was clothed by the Father with humanity, although He was divine. We are the body of Christ. We are clothed with humanity. As leaders, we bring the offering. Vision produces provision. Just like a title. You don’t get the title and then lead. First you lead, then you get the title. When I pastored, we didn’t hire people or promote them to leadership unless they were already doing the job to the degree that they could. I didn’t look for people who I hoped could lead something if they weren’t already leading in the place where they were.
What has God put in your heart? Obedience produces vision, and vision produces provision.
Gideon was in the midst of a storm. God called an unlikely character to action. He gave Gideon some precepts to lead in the storm that he was facing:
Depend on God’s strength.
Remind yourself that you are sent.
Don’t worry about having a title or being identified; just be a model so people can follow you.
Remind yourself every step of the way that God is with you.
Bring your own offering as unto the Lord. (In other words, make sure you don’t neglect your private worship and dedication time.)
Rejoice that God has you in a place where a leader is really needed, and go and do it in Jesus’ Name.
Join us next week as Keith Tucci continues to put leadership truth in the context of the local church. And as always, please like, share, rate/review, and invite others to listen. See you next week!
