Day Thirty: The growth of leadership in Joshua Pt. 2
“May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership, and lay your hand on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.
The spirit of leadership and authority are two different things, and you need both to slay giants!
Joshua had the spirit of leadership WITHIN him but God also told Moses to “Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.”
Just because we have leadership doesn’t mean we have authority. God said to give him “some” of your authority, not ALL of it. Some authority needs to be bestowed by public commissioning but the rest needs to be garnered on your knees before God. Your leadership gift doesn’t give you all the authority you need, nor does your position, or commission. It goes some of the way, but the rest you need to gain through victories won, and spending time in God’s presence and allowing him to top up the deficit.
And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.”
That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses.
It’s a journey, don’t feel discouraged if you don’t see the capacity to kill giants within you, God does, trust leadership over you too, and understand that you have to start somewhere.
David started with a lion and a bear before facing a giant. Celebrate every victory as a step closer to possessing your promise. Write a list today of victories God has helped you win so far and celebrate the growth in your life, and know that the giants are already afraid of you!
Blessings,
Jane Evans