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6 Ways That God Is a LEADER to Leaders

6 Ways That God Is a LEADER to Leaders

Last updated on: December 7, 2016 at 11:05 pm by Jim Erwin

6 Ways That God Is a LEADER to Leaders 2016-12-07T23:05:18-05:00 Jim Erwin

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6 Ways That God Is a LEADER to Leaders

December 7, 2016 Year A

Psalm 21:1-13

Have you ever thought about the leadership style of God? Have you ever considered how God leads people who lead others?

Psalm 21 was written by a leader (King David) who is dependent upon God to help him lead. It is a reflective psalm on the ways in which God has helped him as David leads the nation of Israel.

This psalm reflects on David’s leadership experience. I believe that this psalm can speak to any leader. Whether one is a king, president, parent, or leader of a group of people, God wants to help you lead. God wants to lead you as you lead others. In this psalm, I see six ways that God is a leader to leaders. I will use the word LEADER as an acrostic to explain how this is true from Psalm 21.

L – Leads by strength

“Lord, the king finds joy in Your strength. How greatly he rejoices in Your victory!” (Psalm 21:1, HCSB)

“Be exalted, Lord, in Your strength; we will sing and praise Your might.” (Psalm 21:13, HCSB)

God leads by His strength. God doesn’t lead His people by weakness. God’s children don’t serve a weak God. I serve an awesome God.

E – Encourages a leader’s heart

“You have given him his heart’s desire and have not denied the request of his lips. Selah

For You meet him with rich blessings; You place a crown of pure gold on his head.” (Psalm 21:2–3, HCSB)

God is in the business of encouraging His children. He makes a special effort to encourage me when I need His help.

A – Answers the sincere prayers of a leader

“He asked You for life, and You gave it to him— length of days forever and ever.” (Psalm 21:4, HCSB)

A great leader prays. As a leader prays, God answers the petitions of His children. He wants to hear my prayer and listen to my petitions. He wants to give to me when I ask for help.

D – Develops a loving relationship

“His glory is great through Your victory; You confer majesty and splendor on him. You give him blessings forever; You cheer him with joy in Your presence. For the king relies on the Lord; through the faithful love of the Most High he is not shaken.” (Psalm 21:5–7, HCSB)

Just like all great leaders, God develops His children who follow His leadership. God spends time sharing His insights with me when I want to learn from Him. He wants to give me blessings. He wants to cheer me up and cheer me on. He wants to give me victory in my life. God does this because He wants to share with me His royal privileges as my King. He leads me from a royal mentality. He wants to lavish me with His love.

E – Enforces justice to protect those He loves

“Your hand will capture all your enemies; your right hand will seize those who hate you. You will make them burn like a fiery furnace when you appear; the Lord will engulf them in His wrath, and fire will devour them. You will wipe their descendants from the earth and their offspring from the human race.” (Psalm 21:8–10, HCSB)

There are times when life seems so unfair toward me as a Christian leader. There are people who act against my leadership style and methods. They may decide to hate me because of changes I my make.

I don’t desire that these enemies receive the wrath of God. Yet, I may feel like that sometimes. This passage describes the emotions of a leader who is upset at how people oppose his leadership.

No matter how I may feel, I can trust that God will enforce His justice against my enemies. When they oppose what God plans for me as a leader, God will act against them. God will act to protect the leaders He leads and loves.

R – Repels the unrepentant who are out to destroy God’s plans for me

“Though they intend to harm you and devise a wicked plan, they will not prevail. Instead, you will put them to flight when you aim your bow at their faces.” (Psalm 21:11–12, HCSB)

God will resist those are out to destroy God’s work in me as a leader. He repels those who devise wickedness. God actively works against them and their plans.

Often, when I am upset and how someone may oppose my leadership, I may feel frustrated and I may vent my frustration. After I express emotion, I can trust that God will protect me. Just like a man who uses a bow, God will aim to keep people who want to hurt me as a leader at bay.

Photo courtesy of Anna Dziubinska on Unsplash.

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