Five Leadership Guidelines from the Book of Joshua

Five leadership guidelines from the Book of Joshua

1. My influence and strength as a leader come from God. If God is not the one guiding my leadership I could take people into dangerous territory.

• Numbers 14:⁴¹ But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed! ⁴² Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,
• Joshua 1:5 No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.
• The LORD said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that I will be with you as I was with Moses.

2. God knows the importance of rest for leaders and their followers. He has built the promise of rest into our story from the beginning of time. When God takes the time to repeat himself we need to take notice. We must obediently take and give time to rest.

• Joshua 1:12 The servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, 'The LORD your God is providing you a place of rest
• “O, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken afterward about another day. 9 Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God. 10 For the one who enters God’s rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works Hebrews 4:1-10
• God rested on the seventh day, built rest for the land into his commands for Israel and refers to eternity in heaven as "His rest"

3. Great leaders remember the price that was paid by others before them, while still casting the vision for the future.

• Those twelve stones, which they had taken out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal, saying to the Israelites, "When your children ask their parents in time to come, 'What do these stones mean?' then you shall let your children know, 'Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.' For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we crossed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, and so that you may fear the LORD your God forever Joshua 4:6-7

4. Trusting God and giving Him the glory for any victories is how great leaders model a life of worship. Taking the glory for myself is the quickest way to demotion.

• The sun stopped in mid-heaven, and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD heeded a human voice; for the LORD fought for Israel. (NRSV 10:13-14)

5. The ingredients that result in a great leader are; knowing and following God's word, putting the needs of others first, and honoring promises that have been made, no matter the cost to ourselves.

• Now Zelophehad son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh had no sons, but only daughters; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They came before the priest Eleazar and Joshua son of Nun and the leaders, and said, "The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance along with our male kin." So according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the kinsmen of their father.Joshua 17:3-4
• Therefore be very steadfast to observe and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right nor to the left Joshua 23:6.