Church Leaders Not Alone in Fulfilling the Great Commission

Church leaders can sometimes get to feeling all alone in fulfilling God's mission for the church. When that happens, you need a reality check.

Ways Church Leaders Are Not Alone

First, you probably are not the only one. There are undoubtedly other people out there who care and would come on board if asked or if nurtured. Remember the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19. At one point he complained to the Lord, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." God made His own presence known in a gentle whisper but He also informed Elijah of seven thousand others in Israel "all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal."
 
Second, even if nobody else cares, you still are not alone for God is with you. Notice some key words in the part of the Great Commission in which Jesus said, "surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." You can know His presence ...
 
with a certainty - "Surely"
... might be going into unknown territory but you can count on His presence
as a constancy - "always"
... might not always be able to count on people to be there but you can know He is present every step of the way
based on the character of the One making the claim - "to the very end of the age"
... might not be able to make sense of everything but you can know only an eternal, unchanging, and faithful God can claim to be with you to the end of the age
As God communicated His presence to Elijah in a gentle whisper, so we too must realize that though He isn't always showing Himself to us in big or obvious ways, He is still with us ... surely, always, to the very end of the age.
 
Third, we are not alone in the spirit realm. God uses His angels to look over and work on our behalf. Remember the story of Elisha. When surrounded by the king's army, his servant feared the worse but Elisha knew they weren't alone.
"Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:15-17)
Perhaps we sometimes get to feeling like we are alone because:
  1. Our spiritual eyes are not open to see all who are with us ... both the heavenly host and believers in our midst.
     
  2. We fail to acknowledge the omnipresence of the Lord ... both around us and within us in the Person of the Holy Spirit.
     

The Steering the Church Toward Discipleship Leadership Guide contains what you read on this page and also looks at the difference God's presence made for Moses in leading the Israelites.
 

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