A Christian leader can display unbelievable courage when they are sure of God’s assignment. Read Jeremiah 1:5-10. Jeremiah was God’s prophet to Judah during a time when God was about to discipline the nation. The military and religious leaders were blind to their opposition to God and felt the nation was flourishing, not about to be judged. Jeremiah would deliver messages of judgment to leaders that were hostile to the concept. This would take courage. Even Jeremiah may have faltered except for his unshakeable conviction that he was God’s man for this specific time and place. Christian leaders may have more in common with Jeremiah than they think. Second Corinthians 5:20 calls Christians “Christ’s Ambassadors.” An ambassador is someone who has been sent by the highest authority to represent that authority in a specific location. As God’s ambassador every Christian leader has been placed in their specific location and been given a specific assignment as God’s representative. There may be times when trusting God and being obedient to the precepts and principles of God’s word the Bible will add tension and may even carry significant risks. But, if a Christian leader hedges or resists the prompting of the Holy Spirit they cannot fulfill their role as an ambassador. If a Christian leader pursues a pain-avoidance strategy rather than trusting God, like the Israelite leaders in Jeremiah’s day, they may actually be setting themselves up for trouble. History has shown that any ambassador who is not doing their job can be removed from their assigned position. Like with the Israelites, the result of a leader’s lack of courage to fulfill their mission could be felt in a leader’s family for several generations. Christian leaders can take a great step of faith and trust God to empower them to fulfill the assignment He has given them. Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” God asks His leaders to take a step of faith and trust in His presence. Wise Christian leaders know God is the ultimate source of empowerment; He is the eternal source of a leader’s courage.
What is your source for courage? (157-3)
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