Note: I will be on vacation next week. I need the downtime and we will be with family. Please pray for me. I will post “flashback” messages, but I will not be LIVE and no emails will go out. Just the videos on YouTube and Facebook.
Today, we continue our series entitled “Laser Focus,” emphasizing living with a Laser Focus on the Fixed Purpose God established for us before the world began.
Scriptures we have been looking at all year:
(Proverbs 4:25 TPT)
Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.
(James 1:2-4 TPT)
2 My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can!
3 For you know that when your faith is tested, it stirs up power within you to endure all things.
4 And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.
(Ecc 3:1 ERV)
There is a right time for everything, and everything on earth will happen at the right time.
Focus for today:
Setting the Stage. (From 2 Samuel 2:12-32)
We learned yesterday that the nation of Israel was divided after Saul’s death. 11 tribes were under the rule of Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, and one tribe (Judah) was under the rule of David, Jesse’s son. The tension between the two nations was noticeable. One day, General Abner led Ishbosheth’s troops from Mahanaim to Gibeon. This spelled nothing but trouble because Gibeon was where David had his headquarters. So Joab, the son of Zeruiah and Commander of David’s forces, led David’s troops out to meet Abner and his men at the pool of Gibeon. The two groups sat down there, facing each other from opposite sides of the pool. Abner had no business bringing his troops into David’s territory. Nothing good was going to come out of it.
While the two forces were staring each other down, General Abner came up with a bright idea. I know this did not come from God. Abner suggested to Joab, “Let’s have a few of our warriors fight hand to hand here in front of us.” Joab foolishly agreed. So, 12 men were chosen to fight from each side. Each one grabbed his opponent by the hair and thrust his sword into the other’s side, and before you knew it, all 24 of the men were dead. The field where this took place in Gibeon has been known ever since as The Field of Swords.
A fierce battle followed that day. It was terrible because brother was fighting against brother, cousin against cousin, and uncles against nephews. The two kings were at home in their respective palaces when a civil war broke out because their military commanders were playing around. When it was all said and done, David’s army lost 19 men that day, but Ishbosheth’s army lost 360. Overall, 379 men died because two commanders made a foolish decision. Not only that, the tension between the two nations, which was already high, was amplified even more.
So, what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. The Weight of Leadership Decisions.
Abner and Joab should have known better than to start a civil war without their bosses, the actual kings, involved, but they did it nonetheless. As a leader, know that when you delegate the authority to make a decision to someone, you will have to deal with the consequences, good or bad, of their decisions. So choose wisely. If you put the right people in position and empower them correctly, your job will be much easier, and you can get much more done. However, if you put the wrong people in position and empower them to make decisions, the results can be disastrous.
Leadership decisions ripple through organizations and impact countless lives. The choices made by Abner and Joab demonstrate how leaders’ decisions can have fatal consequences. When you’re in a position of leadership, every decision you make affects not just you, but everyone under your authority. This requires careful consideration, divine wisdom, and a deep understanding of the responsibility you carry.
How this applies to leaders:
— Always seek God’s wisdom before making significant leadership decisions.
— Consider the full scope of impact your decisions will have on others.
— Develop a council of wise advisors who can provide Godly insight.
— Take time to pray and seek God’s direction in leadership matters.
— Remember that leadership is a sacred trust from God and the person you put you in position.
— Every leadership decision creates ripple effects. Some are felt through generations.
— Small decisions can have massive consequences.
— Leadership decisions impact more lives than you can see.
2. The Sacred Trust of Delegated Authority.
When you delegate authority, you’re entrusting someone with power that can either build up or tear down your organization. Both kings, in this passage, had delegated military authority to their commanders, but these leaders proved unworthy of the trust placed in them. Their reckless decisions cost hundreds of lives and deepened the division between the tribes of Israel.
How this applies to leaders:
— Make sure you pray before you empower someone with decision-making authority.
— Ensure those you delegate to understand the weight of their responsibility. They are representing you and your God.
— Establish clear boundaries and expectations for delegated authority.
— Regularly assess how delegated authority is being exercised.
— Be prepared to withdraw authority from those who prove unworthy of the trust.
— If done right, delegation can help you expand your reach and maintain your peace. However, if done wrong, delegation can lead to the destruction of everything God has blessed you to build.
— This is a reminder of the importance of your decisions as a leader.
3. The Responsibility of Those Entrusted with Authority.
If you are the leader who has been entrusted to lead and make decisions, make sure you do so in a prayerful and careful way. A foolish decision made by a leader can negatively impact all those under his or her leadership. When you are a leader, you should look at the ‘big picture’ and ask God for the grace to lead under His direction.
How this applies to leaders:
— Recognize that delegated authority comes with accountability.
— When you’re given authority, you become a steward of that trust. Abner and Joab failed to steward their authority well, making impulsive decisions that led to unnecessary bloodshed.
— Make decisions that honor both God and those who trusted you with authority.
— Seek wisdom and counsel before making major decisions.
— Remember that your decisions impact others’ lives and futures.
— Stay aligned with the vision and values of those who delegated authority to you.
— As a leader entrusted with authority, you must exercise that power with wisdom, restraint, and Godly purpose.
4. The Devastating Cost of Poor Leadership.
The cost of poor leadership decisions often extends far beyond the leaders themselves. In this passage, 379 men died because of two leaders’ foolish choices. This tragic outcome reminds us that leadership decisions can have irreversible consequences that affect families, communities, and entire nations.
How this applies to leaders:
— Consider the long-term implications of your leadership decisions.
— Remember that leadership failures often cost others more than they cost you.
— Take responsibility for the outcomes of your leadership decisions.
— Learn from others’ leadership failures to avoid similar mistakes.
— Lead with the understanding that lives and destinies hang in the balance.
— Count the cost before making leadership decisions.
— Remember that leadership decisions often have a multi-generational impact.
— Consider how your decisions affect families connected to your organization.
— Understand that poor leadership can create lasting division. However, good leadership can bring unity and cohesion and unlock the power of a shared vision.
5. The Danger of Purposeless Time.
We have all heard it said that “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” Abner and Joab had idle time. They led their men to spend idle time and made foolish decisions during the idle time, resulting in 379 dying because these leaders had nothing better to do than sit fierce warriors across from each other. So, the message for you is to stay focused and productive. If you have time on your hands, do something productive with it or get rest, but don’t sit around idly because nothing good will come from it.
How this applies to leaders:
— Idle time without productive purpose creates opportunities for destructive decisions. The military commanders decided to engage in a deadly contest because they had unstructured, purposeless time.
— Purposeless time leads to foolish decisions.
— Fill your time with purposeful activities that align with your mission and vision.
— Structure your day to minimize idle time and maximize productivity.
— Use downtime for strategic planning and reflection rather than impulsive actions.
— Keep your team focused on meaningful objectives and goals.
— Time is your most precious resource; once spent, it can never be recovered.
— Leaders must model good stewardship of time for those they lead.
— Productive rest is different from idle time; know the difference. I will be on vacation next week, getting purposeful rest.
— Time invested in purpose yields eternal dividends.
— Every minute wasted in idle activity is a minute stolen from your purpose and destiny.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I embrace the sacred responsibility of leadership You’ve entrusted to me.
I declare that Your wisdom guides every decision I make as a leader.
I commit to being a faithful steward of any authority delegated to me.
By Your grace, I steward my time, the people You have blessed me to lead, and the resources I oversee in a way that brings glory to Your name!
I lead with purpose and grace.
I declare that my leadership brings life, unity, and prosperity to those I lead.
I steward my time wisely, avoiding idle moments that could lead to poor choices.
I take responsibility for the impact my decisions have on others’ lives.
Your Spirit leads me to make decisions that honor You and benefit others.
I declare that my leadership legacy will be one of wisdom, purpose, and Godly impact.
Living and leading this way, I declare GREATER IS COMING FOR ME!
I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it, and prosper!
