Time to Lead

For six years, Jehoiada noticed the problem.

Athaliah, daughter of Omri, nearly destroyed the entire royal family when she seized the throne of Judah. Only one remnant of David’s line survived: Joash, a newborn child. For six years, Athaliah spread Baal worship, defiled the temple, and blasphemed the name of the Lord.

The signs were obvious. Something needed to be done.

But for six years, no one did anything. Israel played the role of passive bystander, fearing the wrath of the usurper queen.

Until Jehoaida the priest finally had enough:

“Now in the seventh year, Jehoiada gathered his courage, and took captains of hundreds … and they entered into a covenant with him.” (2 Chronicles 23:1)

Everyone in Israel was feeling the tension. Hundreds of households were ready to overthrow Athaliah. But it wasn’t until one man “gathered his courage” that God’s people could gather their resources and take a stand.

All it takes is one. 

One person who will notice—and then kneel in prayer.

One person who will move beyond the critique and bring up a solution.

One person who will stop passively responding to the environment and begin leading into a new spiritual atmosphere.

Where are you letting things deteriorate in a terrain that God has called you to lead?

“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:11-12)

Patience is a virtue, but passivity is not. It is one thing to observe a spiritual problem and wait on God for your orders. It is quite another to watch passively while the environment around you decays and strays from Christ.

Gather your courage. Start with the priestly work. Turn the issues into intercessions. Take your cue from above, knowing that the “right time” is when God says so—not when your circumstances make it easy to lead.

When Jehoiada took initiative, he was all alone.

But after the first solitary step, the resources started flooding in.

God waits eagerly to throw heaven’s support behind all who respond to the Spirit instead of their surroundings.