But Moses’ Hands Were Heavy

Exodus 17:12

But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

One of the great truths that comes from Moses’ life is the importance of others helping the leader as he leads. Israel was in the middle of a battle, and Israel prevailed in the battle every time Moses raised his hands. However, every time he lowered his hands, the enemy began to prevail. Two men noticed the load Moses carried, and these two men stayed up his hands so that Israel could win the battle. Had it not been for Aaron and Hur staying up the hands of their leader, they would have lost this battle.

However, there is another truth that is critical to every leader, and especially the pastor, who carries the heavy load. The load you carry as a leader has caused many leaders to make bad decisions that have hurt the cause of Christ and those they led. The heavy load can cause a leader to ponder many dangerous decisions that Satan would want them to make. Let me share several four dangers a leader faces when he carries a heavy load.

The first danger is the leader becomes short-tempered. The load can cause you to react in the flesh and hurt those you are leading. You must be very careful not to lose your temper with the people you are leading. Many have reacted in anger and lashed out under the load only to regret their actions and what they said. Never let the load you carry cause you to react in a hurtful manner.

The second danger is the leader quits. Quitting has never helped one person. Quitting leaves others wondering if what you taught and led them to do is right. When a leader quits, it leads the follower to quit with them. You may be tempted to quit, but you must not let the load of what you carry cause you to quit. Quitting may seem to be the easy way out, but it is the most harmful way out to you and to those you lead.

The third danger is the leader compromises what he believes. Compromise always says it makes the load lighter, but it changes who you are and what you fought for throughout the years. Compromise invalidates everything you have previously taught to be truth to those to whom you taught. No matter how little the compromise is, the little movement causes those around you to go much further than where you choose to go. I have watched many men compromise just a little, but compromise opens the pandora’s box to every false doctrine and worldly lifestyle.

The fourth danger is the leader chooses to sin. When the load is heavy, sin can seem to be the easy way out, but it always leads to humiliation, loss of a testimony, hurt for the cause of Christ, and followers who don't handle your choice well. Sin always pokes its head and makes its offer when you are under the heaviest of loads.

The answer to these four dangers is prayer and the power of God. My friend, prayer is where you unload your burden on Christ, and the power of God is what allows you to carry the burden. You cannot carry the load of leading by yourself. Walk with God in the Scriptures, spend much time in prayer, get God’s power on your life, and keep going soul winning, and you will find you can carry the heavy load that leadership places on your life.