Tag: Prayer

Practical Leadership

The word practical is based in and comes from the word practice. Practice not only indicates an activity that is to be accomplished, it also involves a discipline of continuing to work on the activity to improve the quality of the product or result.

Consider how this idea changes the involvement of those who follow when there is a practical approach to the programs implemented to reach goals.

Leaders are needed who think, act, and lead practically.

Discipline must follow.

Followers are needed who know how to practically apply this leadership.

Several spiritual disciplines (prayer, study, fasting, etc.) promote a practical approach for developing godly leaders.

A Gentle Leader

Gentleness is opposed by those who foster aggression, self-promotion, and who aspire to positions of power.

Three thoughts help create gentleness in our lives: altering our posture through prayer, learning to yield, and spending time with those of “no account.”

Kneeling in prayer and speaking to God about those who have wronged or angered us increases the difficulty of speaking harshly to them.

Humility takes pride out of the picture when we demonstrate a willingness to yield our will to that of someone else.

The spirit of hospitality reaches out to those who do not have status or a position of power in the eyes of the world.

Prayer

Nothing is more foundational. We must pray for guidance and ask God to help us equip next generation leaders.

Read the accounts in the Old Testament where Joshua and Israel marched into Canaan. Every time they did not seek prior counsel with God, consequences were incurred.

If we feel we can rely on the past, some form of “wingin’ it,” or a laissez faire approach in our efforts, we are already defeated.

Think seriously about the nature of the situation and start praying now about how we can take the next step to achieve our God-given purpose.

Prayerful Communication

A key characteristic of spiritual leaders is prayer. The avenue of prayer is significant to leaders for a couple of reasons.

First, leaders understand the need to communicate with the One who is in control of all things. To have an audience with God yields the greatest power in every situation.

Second, understanding how communication works with God also helps leaders understand the need for effective communication with others. In leadership, others need to know their voice is heard.

Communication is a noteworthy subject in every relationship. It applies not only to leaders, but everyone.

When leaders effectively communicate, issues are resolved more quickly and progress results.

A Daily Prayer

As spiritual leaders, to become what we need to be we must remember three key thoughts.

1) God is the primary mover who shapes and develops our influence as leaders.

2) His word is the tool by which we understand the components involved in the process.

3) Our open and submissive heart benefits us as God fills us and His Word guides us.

Our daily prayer needs to include a request that God help us have the vision to see who He wants us to be, to make us who we need to be, and to never be content with remaining where we are.

Leading with Prayer

I recently heard a question asked, “Do we believe in prayer?”

Most people can attest to God answering prayers in powerful ways.

Perhaps the struggle we have deals with the temptation to doubt when various trials arise and challenge our faith in God’s power to answer.

There is no magic formula, special words, proper position, or time of day that makes a difference in prayer.

For Christians, prayer is about the simplicity of a humble heart that trusts God to answer in His time, in His ways, and in our best interest.

We may not always understand, but prayer is foundational to powerful leadership.

Consequential Decisions

We make thousands of decisions each day, most of which hold little consequence. However, we do face times when decisions of great consequence must be made.

The challenge occurs when we must make last minute decisions as they relate to consequential matters.

What process might help us make the best decision in these situations?

The process should start with and be immersed in prayer.
Gather as much information as possible prior to the decision.
Consider the consequences of not making a decision.

Last minute decisions are not usually easy to make, but always make them based on how they impact others first.

The Center of Leadership

What is our center?

When our center as a leader is spiritually motivated, life becomes about demonstrating toward others the qualities of godliness.

As we seek to determine our center here are a few questions to consider.

1) Do we feel inconvenienced by others?

2) Are we motivated by self preservation more than an eternal destination?

3) Are times in prayer, study, and worship more difficult to work into our schedule?

4) Where do we find the most pleasure?

5) Are our words and actions driven by a core that is self-centered or others-directed?

Honestly answering a few questions will help us find our center.

Scared or Sacred?

Why is leadership so scary? Knowing that leaders deal with answering questions pertaining to goals, plans, maintaining morale, personality conflicts, providing resolution, etc., it does not take long to determine why the ground upon which leadership stands can be a scary place.

How do we overcome scared ground for sacred ground? God will help us overcome many challenges. Prayer helps us reach a more sacred footing rather than a scared one. Studying faithful people, such as in Hebrews 11, will also help us as we approach sacred ground.

It may not seem like much, but it is a start and sometimes getting started is half the battle.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is unique, meaning to “send away.” When God forgives, He sends our sin away. As David wrote, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Ps. 103:12).

While the arsenal needed to get through this life includes listening to God (study) and speaking with God (prayer), the promise of His strength keeps us focused. This is how we learn contentment, as Paul identified, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).

When leaders learn to practice the difficult task of forgiveness, their ability to influence others increases.