12 Mighty Men & Women

The church needs mighty men and women to rise up. God has gifted all of us in some way. 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 is very clear that He gives grace gifts to each and every one of us. Some of us seem to be gifted more than others, but there is a principle that if we're faithful, even in the little, that He will give us more.

I think we don't fully understand the power of the Holy Spirit. That even those who are the least gifted have the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead alive and working in them. The least of us should be able to put a thousand to flight, according to scripture. So even the least gifted of us are mighty men and women of God. And we need to change the way we see ourselves a little bit. Not in an arrogant way, not in look at me, I'm so amazing, but look how powerful God is, who's alive and working in me.

We need to be mighty men and women who are willing to step out and dare to try the impossible. We need elders and deacons, particularly as leaders in the church, who set the example of being men and women of faith. Who are willing to put themselves out there and willing to risk looking like absolute muppets because we're going to try the impossible.

There has been many times where I have stepped out there and said, this is going to happen and look like an absolute idiot because it didn't. But there's times where I've trusted in God and God has come through more than we could possibly imagine.

We've got to be a risk taking people who are willing to put our lives, our reputations, our ministries, everything on the line for the sake of Jesus and His kingdom. The other thing we need to realize is, God has added many mighty men and women to us who aren't in leadership, or at least yet.

Leaders Must Identify and Train Gifted People

It is our job as leaders to identify those people, to encourage those people and train those people, so that they can understand and walk in the fullness of their calling before God. The reality is, the kingdom and the church is not like the business world where the more gifted you are, the more up the ladder of hierarchy you will get. It's not about that. There can be someone who is anointed to work in signs and wonders way more than any of the elders, but they may not have a governmental gift on them.

They may be more gifted than the elders, but it doesn't mean they should be above the elders. We need to position people correctly and train and equip people correctly so that they can have the confidence to walk in their gifting and calling and find their fulfillment in Christ.

And we can all work together, playing our part. Something that I said to elders, and I think it applies to deacons as well, we must be leaders who are not threatened by strong and gifted people. Sometimes people who are strong and very gifted can be difficult to lead.

The response of leaders can be to try and keep them down. To try and crush them, or try and keep them quiet to make them easier to lead. But that is not the nature of Jesus. If you've got very strong people that you're expected to lead, just be stronger.

Just rise up to be as strong as you can possibly be so that they can be all that they can be. Don't ask them to be less to make it easier for you. An example of that is with David. David obviously was an incredible man of God and a warrior in his own right.

David and His Mighty Men

He killed Goliath, and after that we see many exploits that he did. But God added to him a number of mighty men. And we read about them in many passages, including 2 Samuel 23. We read about Shammah. We read about Eliezer. We read about other men whose names I can't pronounce.

The chief of the three, he raised his spear and with the spear he killed 800 men in one encounter. Now, even if you enjoy watching the most ridiculous Hollywood movies, killing 800 men in one encounter, nobody would believe it. That is a bit over the top, but here's a man who was capable of such great exploits.

Some of his mighty men killed giants. Some of them just got incredible victories. In some ways, some of those mighty men did greater things than David. But they were on David's team. Some of you, as deacons and potential deacons, may consider yourselves more gifted than some of the elders.

That might be pride and arrogance. But it might be true. You might be more gifted. You might be more anointed. But the Lord's expectation for you is that you be like the mighty men and say: I can bring my skills, my gift, my strength for the sake of the community of faith.

The mighty men did it for David and for Israel. And you can bring your contribution for the sake of the leaders and for the sake of the community of faith. For the church and ultimately for the glory of Jesus. One of the principles that is helpful in this, we can find in 1 Chronicles 12.

Honoring the Leader While You Serve

When David was still running away from Saul, and Saul was trying to kill David because Saul was threatened by David's call and gifting. Instead of facilitating the Lord's anointing on David, Saul tried to kill it. So, David was fleeing. Even though David knew the call on His own life, he still honoured his leader.

And whilst he's still in exile, while he's still running around, people are drawn to him. Leaders are drawn to him by the Lord. One of them was Amasai, the chief of the thirty mighty men. And it says that when he met David, the Spirit came upon him and he said, "Oh David, we are with you, O son of Jesse. Success to you, and success to those who help you. For your God will help you." So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands. There is a sense in which, because I know I'm on team, I'm aware of what my gifting is.

Putting Your Gift on the Team

I'm aware of my strengths, I'm aware of my weakness, I'm aware of where I can most effectively play team. But I'm also aware that God has joined me to another man's team. And my heart, certainly within Joshua Generation is, success to you, Andrew.

I will give myself to make you successful, Andrew. I will give myself to make you look good. That is the heart that we need to have. Yes, it's not about Andrew, it's about the Lord. But the Lord has chosen to work through Andrew.

Andrew has been graced to lead Joshua Generation Church and the Four12 field at the moment. And that means his success means we're all successful. His success means the kingdom is advanced. So, our heart needs to be—success to you. A story I've told before, several years ago in an elders meeting, one of the elders said to Andrew, "Andrew, I've been gifted by God to preach and to teach, and I've got to be faithful with what He's given me. I've got to use what He's given me. So, if I'm not able to preach and teach in JoshGen, I would have to leave and find somewhere else where I can. Because I have got to be able to stand before God and say I was faithful with the gift that You gave me."

I heard that and we had a discussion. Afterwards I went to Andrew. Now this isn't to blow my own trumpet, this story is to try and illustrate a point.

I went to Andrew and I said, "Andrew, I believe my gifting is to preach and to teach. And I'm laying it at your feet. You do with it what you want. Then when I stand before God, and God says, 'What did you do with your gift?' I said, 'I laid it at the feet of my leader.' And then my leader will be responsible and answer for whether I was faithful with my gift." I went on to say this, "Andrew, if all you ever want me to do is research and preparation, to put things together to help you with your preaching so that your preaching looks better, I'm willing to do that."

It is incredible what we can achieve if we don't care who gets the glory. It's incredible what we can achieve if we don't consider our own rights and our own recognition to be important.

Raising Up Mighty Men and Women for the Glory of Jesus

Yes, God has added you to us because you can do something amongst us that nobody can. But we need to recognize this amazing balance that God has added many, many mighty men and women amongst us. We as leaders need to recognize them and raise them up and equip them.

But the mighty men and women also need to know what is their place. Where they can make the biggest difference and where they can have the greatest victories. And as a church, we understand this. Your victory is our victory. And our victory is your victory.

If you're listening to this video, I want you to know that we appreciate you as a person for who you are. For what God's put in you, and the fact that He's added you to us. And you together with us can do great exploits, and the least of us can put a thousand to flight.

Let's start to shift our thinking of what we can do in the Lord, as we really position ourselves and position our hearts correctly.