So You Want to Lead - 2

So You Want to Lead - 2

Subject: Developing Leaders in the Church

by Rick Welborne

Mark 1:16-20 (NKJV)
¹⁶  And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
¹⁷  Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."
¹⁸  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
¹⁹  When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.
²⁰  And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.

John 13:13-17 (NKJV)
¹³  You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.
¹⁴  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
¹⁵  For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.
¹⁶  Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.
¹⁷  If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

I.  Introduction - John Maxwell’s Law of Influence

Maxwell - “The true measure of leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less.”

–Examples of the Law of Influence: Mother Teresa and Princess Diana

A. Let’s look at this question of leadership in light of Princess Diana.

–Princess Diana has been characterized in many different ways but you have probably never heard of anyone describing her as a leader. Yet that is what she was. Ultimately, she made things happen because she was an influencer, and leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less.

--On the service, the two women could not have been more different. One was a tall, young, glamorous princess from England who circulated in the highest society.

--The other, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, was a small, elderly Catholic nun born in Albania, who served the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, India. 

--In 1996, the year before both died, the London Daily Mail did a poll which concluded that Princess Diana and Mother Teresa were voted number one and number two of the world’s most caring people. 

B. We have a misconception about leadership that if someone has an impressive title or a leadership position, we assume that person must be a leader.

C. Sometimes that is true, but in reality titles don’t have much value when it comes to leading.

D. True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned.  It comes from influence and that cannot be mandated, it must be earned.

E. The only thing a title can buy you is time—either to increase your level of influence with others or to erase it.

F. This is especially true in organizations that work with volunteers such as churches...without influence your ministry, class, gift, will be ineffective. 

Harry A. Overstreet - “The very essence of all power to influence lies in getting the other person to participate.”

G. Followers in volunteer organizations cannot not be forced to get on board and without influence the leader will not get them to follow him or her.

Dr. Wayne Lee - “Dwight Eisenhower defines leadership as the ability to discern what needs to be done and then get others to do it. Therefore, leadership has to do with accomplishing goals through people. It is the ability to instill confidence and inspire followers. Most leaders agree that leadership is tested by what one leaves behind in others.”

Example: Abraham Lincoln’s struggle with the Law of Influence.

H. John Maxwell’s favorite leadership proverb: “He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk.

I. If you can’t influence others, they won’t follow you.  And if they won’t follow you, you are not a leader. That’s the Law of Influence!

II. Let’s Look at Ingredients to building Leadership Credibility or Influence

A. Character

1. Godly character is the foundation of Christian leadership, the essential qualifying element. Unfortunately, in our society, charisma is more important than character (politicians).

2. Because it earns people’s respect and, most important, produces trust, character is the most crucial factor in all relationships.

3. This may be hard for some to swallow but...Your vision for ministry, your strategy, even your ability to communicate the Bible, are less important than your character. 

4. The truth is...people do not follow the ministry’s mission or vision statement—at least not for long. They follow you, the leader.

5. Only after they are convinced that you are a person of good character who is worthy of leading will they follow the mission and vision you are promoting.

6. To be a leader, you do not have to be the sharpest pencil in the drawer, but you do have to display godly character.

1 Tim 4:8 (NIV)

8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.   

Aubrey Malphurs defines character - the sum total of a person’s distinct qualities, both good and bad, that reflect who he or she is (being) and affect what he or she does (behavior). Who we are affects what we do—being impacts doing.

7. Jesus said that you can recognize people by their fruit. Good trees bear good fruit and bad trees bear bad fruit.

8. We must all be careful not to become fruit inspectors because nothing hurts good character like being too judgmental. 

9. McIntosh and Rima in their book Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership reminds us that we all have some degree of personal dysfunction. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

10. Character tells me that I must not attempt to get the tooth pick out of my brother’s eye when I have a telephone pole in mine. We all have our junk!

B. Competence

1. According to the research of Kouzes and Posner (two of the premiere authorities on Christian leadership) says that competence is one of the attributes that people look for and admire most in leaders.

2. This helps us to understand the first law of leadership, “If you don’t believe in the messenger, you won’t believe the message.”

3. Malphur says that competence is the leader’s capability to perform well in a specific context, having the expertise and ability to get things done.

4. He says competent Christian leaders have the gifts, the knowledge, and the skills needed to perform well in their service to the Savior.

5. A competent leader will have confident followers...true with family, church, and business.  Without competence...insecurity tends to be the result.

6. When God calls us to a place of leadership we can be assured that He will give us the needed gifts to accomplish His will. 

7. Can these gifts be developed?  Yes, through experience and discipleship. 

8. People want their leaders to not only know what to do but how to do it.

9. Knowing what to do is only half of the battle, being able to carry it out assures us of the victory.

10. A competent leader is a confident leader as long as he depends on the Lord instead of his gifts, knowledge, or skill. Every good gift comes from above!

James 1:16-17 (NKJV)
¹⁶  Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
¹⁷  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Malphur: “Finally, our competence has limits (Mat. 25:14-30).  Though we can grow and increase our level of competence by using our gifts, expanding our knowledge of ministry, and further developing our ministry skills, most leaders will eventually reach the limit of their competence. That is when servant leaders are willing to step aside or move to another ministry so as not to hinder God’s work.

C. Clarity of Direction 

Kouzes and Posner in their book Credibility says, “We expect our leaders to have a sense of direction and a concern for the future of the organization.  Leaders must know where they are going.  They must have a destination in mind when asking us to join them on a journey into the unknown.”

1. I often tell new people to come and talk to me about the direction of our church because I tell them that I would not get on a bus unless I knew where it was going.

2. Kouzes and Posner say that clarity of direction is only second to honesty when it comes to leadership credibility.

3. In the uncertain times that we live in people are looking for a clear direction or path to follow that will lead them to their desired destination.

4. All leaders, not just pastors, should be constantly seeking God for his direction in their homes, churches, and families.

Prov 3:56 (NKJV)

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 

5. The leader and the leadership board should give heartfelt consideration about the direction of the organization, define it, and communicate it clearly to those who choose to follow them.

6. When this happens...the confidence of the people grows while those who are following attribute competence to their leadership.

7. The church’s direction must be twofold. First, it consists of the church’s mission – what Christ has called us to accomplish throughout the world.  

--This is what we call the Great Commission–to make and mature believers at home and abroad.

8. The second direction must consist of the church’s vision.  Vision can be defined as a clear, challenging picture of the future of the church, as leaders believe that it can be and must be. 

9. The vision is what the Great Commission looks like when it is fleshed out by those who have believed and embraced it. 

10. The vision communicates not what is, but what could be.

11. It answers the question: What will it look like around here when our people become passionate about the Great Commission and making disciples.

Habakkuk 2:1-4 (NKJV)
¹  I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected.
²  Then the LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.
³  For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.
⁴  "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith. 

So You Want to Lead

So You Want to Lead

Subject: Developing Leaders in the Church

by Rick Welborne

1. Introduction to Christian Leadership

--We will be speaking of Christian Leadership (Overflows into all areas). Our Christianity was never intended to be isolated to just the church. Leaders lead wherever they are.

--Christ is the Head of His Church (He is Lord and the One to Whom we answer). If we lead like Christ led:

Phil 2:5-8 (NKJV)

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 

6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 

7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 

8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.   

--Christian leadership is having the mind of Christ. Thinking and acting like Jesus.

--Christian leadership is abandonment of your reputation (absence of fear of what others think of you). It is not about you...it is about God and others. The acronym…JOY – Jesus first – Others second – Yourself last. 

--Christian leadership is being a servant and identifying with other people and their felt needs.  (Our style here is servant leadership) Some like idols. Example: Falcon 1 to falcon 2.

--Christian leadership is humility (not humiliation) before God and man.

Isaiah 57:15 (NKJV)
¹⁵  For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 

James 4:6-10 (NKJV)
⁶  But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
⁷  Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
⁸  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
⁹  Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
¹⁰  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. 

--Something for all of us to be aware of: I am your servant but you are not my master...Jesus is my Master.

Luke 4:8 (NKJV)
⁸  And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "

--Christian leadership is obedience to the point of death (our desires and will). Listen to the Apostle Paul!

1 Corinthians 15:31 (NKJV)
³¹  I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

--Christian leadership is taking up our cross and following (Discipleship). This is especially foreign in our American churches because leaders want to be honored and respected. SE University – Master’s Program

Luke 9:23 (NKJV)
²³  Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

2. The Law of the Lid (John Maxwell).

Definition: Leadership ability is the lid that determines a person’s level of effectiveness.  The lower an individual’s ability to lead, the lower the lid to his potential.  The higher the leadership, the greater the effectiveness.  

--To give you an example, if your leadership rates an 8, then your effectiveness can never be greater than a 7.  If your leadership is only a 4, then your effectiveness will be no higher than a 3.  

--Your leadership ability—for better or for worse—always determines your effectiveness and the potential impact of your organization. Example of the pastor who bragged about not having formal training. 

Example of the Law of the Lid - Dick and Maurice

–In 1930 they moved from New Hampshire to Calif. looking for their American dream. They tried opening a theater in Glendale but could not make it work.

–In 1937, they opened a small drive-in restaurant in Pasadena - very successful. In 1940, they opened a larger facility in San Bernardino...business exploded.

–Annual sales reached $200,000 and they found themselves splitting $50,000 in profits every year - found themselves in the town’s financial elite.

–In 1948, they did away with carhops...serving walk up customers only. They went from glass to paper and streamlined the process of preparing the food for speed. Fast food! Actually a joke now!

–By the mid-1950's their annual revenue hit $350,000...now spitting $100,000 each year. They doubled what they had been making previously. Very successful.

–Who were these guys...On their sign in front of their restaurant in San Bernardino it simply said McDonald’s Hamburgers...these guys hit the American jackpot and the rest is history, right?  Wrong!

–The McDonalds never went any further because their weak leadership put a lid on their ability to succeed.  Were they financially secure?  Yes! Could they have done more? Yes!

–To make a long story short...a partner of theirs bought them out for $2.7 million dollars. Obviously his lid was much higher than theirs. By 1998 Ray Kroc had opened over 21,000 restaurants in 100 countries.

–What’s the point...leadership ability or more specifically the lack of leadership ability put a lid on the McDonald’s brother’s effectiveness.

3. Increasing Our Leadership Ability.   

--So how can we as Christian leaders increase our leadership ability? Through Discipleship - Becoming a follower and a learner.

Hosea 4:6 (NKJV)

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.   

Prov 3:1-6 (NKJV)

1 My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; 

2 For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you. 

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, 

4 And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man. 

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 

--We all can increase our knowledge by reading and becoming a student of the Word of God and by reading good leadership books. In my Master’s program we had to read 80 books. Some Christian and some secular.

--We can go to classes, seminars, or listen to good teachings from leaders. We can further our education. We can learn God’s laws and leadership principles, and then, He directs our paths.

--We can grow through Mentorship - Following and learning from proven leaders. This can be done personally in our churches or it can be done through podcast and other means. So much available if we want to grow.

1 Cor 11:1 (NIV)

1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.   

--We all should be looking for someone who will stretch us and make us grow. Why I am constantly reading. Not everything I read is good so I eat the meat and spit out the fat.

--We must be careful not to place ourselves too high on the totem pole. We all can learn from those around us.

Also, mentorship implies accountability - someone to answer to in our walk.

--We can increase our leadership ability by learning through Life Experience. Even when we mess up and fall. 

Psalms 37:23 25 (NKJV)

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. 

24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand. 

25 I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.   

--How sad it is when we do not learn from our mistakes and failures. We should also be learning from the life experiences (mistakes, failures, and successes) of others. How dumb are we when we don’t? My brothers.

Insanity - It is continually doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Do what you have always done and get what you always gotten. 

--We can increase our leadership ability by a genuine encounter with God. Wait a minute...lots of people have encounters with God and are obviously not leaders. Correction – we are all leaders at some level. 

--Some who have encounters with God discover what His divine purposes are for them. (Examples - Moses, Noah, Jacob, Isaiah, the disciples, Paul).

--The God of this universe will sometimes disrupt our lives and call us to a divine destiny that has leadership written all over it. Our part is to experience God and obey...Isaiah said, “Lord, send me!”

--Look at the God encounter of the man named Saul who become Paul:

Acts 9:15 17 (NKJV)

15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 

16 "For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake." 

17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 

--Saul’s genuine encounter with God was such that Paul would be thrust into God’s work (leadership) of preaching the gospel. None of us should fear having encounters with God. It helps us find our destiny.

--Even with this encounter and with proven leadership (Pharisee)...Paul did not start his ministry immediately:

Gal 1:15 18 (NKJV)

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, 

16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 

17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.   

--Through the Baptism in the Holy Spirit we increase our leadership ability.

--When Ananias laid hands on Paul, it was so he would receive his sight and that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit. He fills us with power but He is also our teacher, our comforter, and our guide. Personal mentor.

--How can we lead others unless we are being led and empowered by God? Leadership is not just learning and techniques. It is divine empowerment.

--The apostles learned at the feet of the greatest servant leader ever for three and one-half years and still could not stand under persecution. What made the difference?  Power from on High! Holy Spirit!

--Peter could not be a leader to a servant girl or anyone else until he was filled with the Holy Spirit. On the Day of Pentecost after he was filled with power:

Acts 2:14 (NKJV)

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 

--All of the training, all the mentoring, all the life experiences were magnified by the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Summary: To be a leader in the Kingdom of God we must:

1. Be a servant to God and to one another.

2. Be willing to raise our lid by being a disciple learner.

3. Be willing to raise our lid by being mentored and by mentoring.

4. Be willing to raise our lid by learning thru our life experiences and others.

5. Be willing to raise our lid by seeking for an encounter with God.

6. Be willing to raise our lid by being baptized in Holy Spirit.

Praying Circles Around Your Walls – 19

Praying Circles Around Your Walls – 19

Subject – The Conclusion of the Matter

by Rick Welborne

Joshua 6:1-2, 15-20 (NLT)
¹  Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in.
²  But the LORD said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors.
¹⁵  On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the town as they had done before. But this time they went around the town seven times.
¹⁶  The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the town!
¹⁷  Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies.
¹⁸  “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel.
¹⁹  Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the LORD and must be brought into his treasury.”
²⁰  When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. 

--Obviously this has been the longest series I have ever preached in the 27 years that I have been a lead pastor. My hope and prayer has been that you have been encouraged to trust God until walls fall…the miracle comes.

--I believe all of us would agree that discipleship is very important in the church and in our own lives. Have you ever asked yourself, who disciples our pastors?

--Many pastors have favorite preachers who encourage them and speak into their lives. They listen to cds or Podcasts and they are challenged to grow and stretch.

--Your pastor has chosen the venue of reading to keep stretching me and challenging me to be more for God. I markup horribly the books I read making notes on almost every page. Very slow and messy.

--Because I am not insecure, I have always tried to give credit to the authors of the books I read and use their material. Some choose to not reveal the source because they want people to think they are that smart.

--Can you imagine preaching at the same church and to the same congregation for 29 plus years and coming up with new and fresh material without reading or studying…I love to study and prepare sermons. 4350 sermons. 

Tommy Barnett (School of Ministry) – Please feel free to use any of the material I give you in my books and feel free to use anything you hear me preach because everything I share I have stolen from someone else. Make copies of my material and give it away because it is all about expanding the Kingdom of God. 

Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 (NKJV)
⁹  That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.
¹⁰  Is there anything of which it may be said, "See, this is new"? It has already been in ancient times before us. 

--Very few authors have impacted me like Mark Batterson and very few books have impacted me like the “The Circle Maker”. The whole essence of the book is to keep praying until the miracle comes. Until the walls fall.

--I just guess God must have known where I would be at this time in my life and ministry…He knew I would need to be praying circles around my family, my church, my health, my community.

--Going to General Council in 2017 and hearing many of the ministers I honor and respect was such a privilege for me. God filled me with such vision and dreams during that time. It was amazing.

--Coming down the elevator of our hotel and bowing my head and praying a simple prayer…Jesus, I would really like to meet Mark Batterson in person. Thanks, Lord!

--I get off the elevator and walk out the front of the hotel and who is standing just a few feet away, Mark Batterson. I extend a hand and he graciously accepts. I thank him for his impact on my oldest son.

--I tell him I pastor in Florida…He suddenly stops me and I think I have taken too much of his time…He tells me to wait a second and he goes and gets his wife and son.

--He comes quickly back and introduces them to me…This is pastor Rick from Florida…they extend the same grace he had shared. Their kindness and humility told me what I found in his books was real. AG Leadership!

--Don’t you like people who are real…what you see is exactly what you get…people with no ulterior motives. They just want to love God and love people…is that what you want? Is that what you do? Are you real?

--In The Circle Maker Batterson used the example of Honi the circle maker as a springboard to write his book. Honi was a real person who lived in history, he was a Jew, a son of Abraham, a man of faith.

--Honi prayed to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the last time I checked, that is exactly who we pray to. He was not in the Bible but he was a man who had faith in God and God used him to save a generation.

--Charles Greenaway, David and Beth Grant, Hulda Buntain, Hudson Taylor, and other saints are not mentioned in the Bible but all of them could be used as examples of faith. Harriet Browne is right up there with them.

--Honi was just an example of someone who dared to believe God to send rain…He drew a circle around himself and said God I will not leave here until you answer my prayer. We used this parallel verse:

Joshua 6:5 (NKJV)
⁵  It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him." 

--The children of Israel circled the walls seven times…We have heard so many testimonies of those who made a decision to start circling their walls in prayer until they fell…Shawna Cortez. 

“Joy unspeakable, faith unsinkable, love unstoppable, anything is possible!” Casting Crowns couldn’t have said it any better. This song came on as I was leaving the courthouse parking lot and it couldn’t have been better timing. In November of 2016 I was faced with the impossible. As a single parent with a young daughter whom I adored, I received devastating news. At the time I had no clue what to do so I prayed. I prayed circles around this situation, every chance I could. I never prayed for what happened today to happen. My prayer was simple, just for the big man upstairs to take control of this situation and his will to be done. In April I received a text message that would forever change my life. Vic and I had only been married for a few months and he was faced with a huge decision. Needless to say there was no hesitation on his behalf, he stepped up the plate and did what any father would. I’m super excited to announce that Kelsie is now a Cortes! Our prayers were answered and surpassed all expectations. Happy Adoption Day KELSIE CORTES!

--Because Victor and Shawna prayed circles around the situation with their daughter…God made the walls fall and they received their miracle! They got custody and were able to adopt! Praise God!

--Today we will wrap up this series and look at what is the conclusion of the matter. 

1. When we face our Jericho or the walls that seem unwilling to fall, we must trust God!

--It is impossible to stay in one place as long as I have been here and not see person after person or family after family face oppositions and trials that seemed to be insurmountable.

--There have always been, and I guess will always be, people who face these trials, these tests with faith and trust, and others who face them with anger and doubt.

--Listen to me my brothers and sisters, you may think you know how someone will react when they face these things but you really do not know…you do not know what is in an orange until it is squeezed. 

--This is why it is so imperative that we have certain godly patterns in our lives like Daniel. Three times a day he would make it to his upper room, open his windows toward Jerusalem, and pray!

--Are you building such a relationship with God that even if your world seems to be crumbling beneath your feet…you are going to trust Him no matter what.

Proverbs 3:5-8 (NKJV)
⁵  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
⁷  Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
⁸  It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. 

--This does not mean you trust God when everything is going well, when there is money in the bank, and everyone is healthy in your house.

--It means that we trust the Lord with all our hearts even when everything is turned upside down…it means we don’t have to have everything figured out…we don’t lean on our own understanding and knowledge.

--In all your ways acknowledge Him…In all your ways get to know Him…allow adversity to push you into a deeper intimacy with Him. If this latest trial seems to be the one that takes you under:

Job 13:15-16 (NKJV)
¹⁵  Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
¹⁶  He also shall be my salvation, For a hypocrite could not come before Him. 

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NKJV)
¹⁷  Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls--
¹⁸  Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
¹⁹  The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. 

2. We circle the walls of Jericho and pray for the right motivation.

--We pray and circle the walls desiring to see God glorified, not for our own selfishness. God gave specific instructions about what was to be done when the walls come down.

Joshua 6:18 (NLT)
¹⁸  “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel.

Joshua 7:11 (NLT)
¹¹  Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings.

--Achan made the mistake that so many make today about why God does certain things, he thought the miracle of the walls falling was about what he could get, not what he could give. 

--God wanted the glory and Achan thought he could take from God what belonged to Him only! Achan and his entire family perished because of his selfishness and disobedience.

--Motivation – why do you want walls to fall? Oh, Pastor, I want healing, I want finances, I want family reconciliation, I want… Shouldn’t the reason we want walls to fall is so God will be glorified?

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV)
³¹  Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

3. Keep on praying.

--What do I do if God doesn’t answer my prayers on my time line? Oh, excuse me, I thought He was the Master and you are the bond slave. You keep seeking His face, not His hand! He is the prize!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 (NKJV)
¹⁶  Rejoice always,
¹⁷  pray without ceasing,
¹⁸  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
¹⁹  Do not quench the Spirit.

--When you have done all you know to do…pray without ceasing…pray without stopping and give Him constant thanks. Don’t quench the Spirit but be filled with Holy Spirit and pray in the Holy Spirit. 

--Summary – Keep on trusting God no matter what, keep on asking with the right motives, and keep praying!