THE BATTLE-READY LEADER
“In order to be effective, prayer has to be the first thing we do, not the last.”
- Eugene Peterson
At the beginning of this year our church devoted to 21 Days of Prayer before we proceeded with any of our plans for 2022. With all that happened with the pandemic, and the constant sense of uncertainty, we believed that God knew what was happening and what was in store for us. So we decided to pray as a community. We covered a wide range of issues, needs, and people. We prayed for the church and the church prayed for its leaders. We asked God for vision as well as for victory in the battles that laid before us. It was truly a meaningful and powerful time.
As the list of answered prayers increased, we were left with a strong sense of thanksgiving and confidence in God’s ability. Not only did we learn to pray together, but we also learned to trust together and celebrate together. The victories were God’s victories. The stories were God’s stories. All because we chose to bring everything to God in prayer. Isn’t it amazing when things happen because we prayed and God did something?
Back in the Fall of 2021, I began spending a meaningful amount of time in the Psalms, and at the beginning of this year I was reminded of something I discovered in Psalm 20 & 21. There was something that really stood out about Israel and their king praying for God’s intervention and blessing for the battle that lied ahead. It seemed suitable for me to share it during our 21 Days of Prayer, as I found it set the stage for any success a church or its leader could ever experience. So allow me to offer some of my thoughts…
OVERVIEW OF PSALM 20
Although we don’t know for certain what this psalm was used for, it is believed that it was used prior to the king and his army departing for battle. The congregation would intercede for God to answer him, protect him, send him help, give him support, and remember his heart of worship. The congregation, as a whole, was dispositioned to trust in the name of the Lord, and not place their trust in their chariots and horses as perhaps their enemies did. They were resolute in believing that God would bless the king, and that they would eventually shout for joy because of His intervention and salvation.
The fourth verse, however, really intrigued me, as the congregations said to the king, “May He (God) grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!” Initially this might seem that a congregation should simply accept the leader’s desires and plans as holy guidance. If so, then any person with an ounce of scepticism would raise major concerns with this certain path toward evil decisions. Yes, I say that because none of us would naturally be inclined toward good if given that much power.
However, this doesn’t seem to be the tone of the congregation in their statement. We can assume that the king has sought and submitted to God’s agenda regarding this battle, and if the king succeeds, then the nation succeeds. It’s a universal truth that if a leader focuses on God, then the congregation can as well. This unified posture possesses great power, and we must see the next psalm in order to fully absorb this beautiful display of God’s faithfulness to His people and the king.
OVERVIEW OF PSALM 21
In this psalm we can grasp language of both thanksgiving and confidence, which only came as a result of God’s intervention and blessing in the battle. The king is overwhelmed with the impact of God’s strength that was displayed on their behalf. Any greatness from this battle is fully attributed to God, and in verse two we find that the king did indeed have his desires set upon God’s agenda. In 1 John 5:14 we read, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” This is exactly what the king expresses.
Any longevity to his kingship, any joy in his tenure is attributed to God being the One who made him glad with the joy of His presence (v. 6). Any future victories, or any attempts from others who seek to plan evil against him and fail, are fully attributed to God. It is God’s power that is praised, and His name that is exalted.
When it comes to battles, we can plan all we want, but I can testify to Eugene Peterson’s words, “in order to be effective, prayer has to be the first thing we do, not the last.” Time after time I have seen the strength of God on display when we pray. His timely provision, and His victorious entrance when we needed it most, has not failed us. Therefore, let’s continue turning to God with grateful hearts, and absolute confidence in His ability. Let’s continue praying and being battle-ready leaders. A battle-ready church!