10 WAYS TO LEAD PEOPLE THROUGH FEAR

August 12, 2019

“When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, our sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.” (Nehemiah 4:14)

What do you do as a leader when you see your people gripped with legitimate fear? A fear that is stopping the work of God they are called to do? Here was Nehemiah’s response when enemies were rising against his workers who were rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem (Nehemiah 4).

1. HE PRAYED (VS. 9) and got God’s view on the issues
2. HE ADDRESSED THEIR FEARS HEAD ON. (vs. 14) He immediately spoke to the people.
3. HE POINTED THEM UPWARD. He called them to remember that God was great and awesome and would help them
4. HE MOTIVATED THEM INSTRINSICALLY. (vs. 14) He motivated them by reminding them that what they were doing was going to help others, even their own families. That there was tremendous value in what they were doing. He cast vision.
5. HE GOT GOD’S PLAN. (vs. 16ff) He devised a God-initiated plan that addressed the source of their fears (half of them defending, half of them building) i.e., he didn’t just talk about their fears, but addressed them through action.
6. HE EQUIPPED THEM. (vs. 16) He equipped his people with the tools they needed for battle.
7. HE RALLIED THEM TOGETHER. (vs. 20) He devised a way for them to rally together when needed with the sound of the trumpet, helping them realize they would never be fighting the enemy alone.
8. HE USED GOD’S WORD. (vs. 20) He reminded them that “Our God will fight for us!”
9. HE DIDN’T SLOW DOWN. (vs. 22) He didn’t let the enemies slow the work, in fact, he used it as a motivation to just work harder. “Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day.”
10. HE JOINED THEM. (vs. 22-23) He worked hard, right alongside his people “So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water.”

The result of this good leadership? The work continued and was finished, the enemies were thwarted, and God was forever glorified! Their faith and example is still ministering to us today!

Is there someone around you who is fearful today? In your family? Your church? Your workplace? Then lead them to faith and to finish the work, even in spite of their enemies!

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