What Strong Leadership Means

Haggai 2:4

Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts:

God tells Zerubbabel to be strong three times. The command for a leader or a man of God to be strong is often seen throughout the Scriptures. God told Joshua to be strong when he began to lead Israel after Moses died. God told Israel to be strong as they took the Promised Land by faith. God told Solomon through David to be strong so that he could lead God’s people in the manner that God wanted him to lead.

You will never be the leader God wants you to be unless you are strong. Likewise, you will never live a life of faith unless you choose to be strong. Being strong is critical to living a successful Christian life and to being the leader that God wants you to be. Let me share what being strong means.

Being strong means to be tough. It is not easy to lead. You must be tough and take criticism as well as praise if you are to be a strong leader. Strong leadership must be tough to take the hard times as well as the good times. You cannot have a thin skin and lead; you must be calloused to life’s hardships if you are to be a strong leader.

Being strong means to be vigorous. Leadership takes energy. Nobody wants to follow someone who has no energy. Leadership requires you to be strong and exude energy when you have no energy. People will want to follow a leader whose energy never seems to wane.

Being strong means to be forceful. Leadership requires you to be decisive about what you are doing. Timid leadership will get run over. Forceful leadership does not mean that you run over or abuse those you lead, but it means you lead with authority as Christ led. If you lead timidly, you will lead by question. People want to follow someone who believes in what they are doing and knows where they are going. Strong leadership will be decisive about what they are doing and where they are going.

Being strong means to be zealous. Leadership must be enthusiastic about what they are doing. If you are not enthusiastic about what you are doing, those you lead certainly won't be enthusiastic. You must be excited about what you are doing if you expect people to follow you.

Being strong means to be secure. Leadership must always beware of sin. Sin is easier to commit as a leader because Satan provides more opportunities to sin. Always beware of sin and run from it. A strong leader is a leader who runs from sin and avoids situations that can lead to sin.

Being strong means to be firm. Leadership must led by principle. You cannot led by your feelings for they will lead you wrong. Being a principled leader gives those you lead security because they know what you will do in every situation. Being a principled leader will make you a person who chooses to act instead of reacting to situations.

Being strong means you must be resilient. Strong leadership is able to get up after being knocked down. Strong leadership knows how to pick themselves back up after failures or hard times. Resiliency helps those you lead to want to follow you because they see you as a person who uses failure as a stepping stone to the next victory.