Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statues with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. 2 Chronicles 34:31
How does a leader seek victory over self? Consider how Josiah conquered himself.
1. He remained open and teachable – Instead of trying to convince everyone that he knew it all, Josiah humbled himself. He departed from the ways of his arrogant father and sought God.
2. He removed obstacles carried forward from the past – A leader has to win battles involving past problems. Josiah swept the country clean of idols.
3. He realized what he needed to give and gave it – Victory always carries a personal cost. For Josiah, that meant repairing the temple and reinstating the Passover.
4. He recognized the key to victory – For Josiah, the key to victory was repentance.
5. He retained a personal commitment to succeed – People never become more committed than their leader. Josiah’s personal commitment inspired the people to be faithful despite their evil desires and history.
Whole-Hearted Devotion
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
Experts spend a lot of time trying to figure out what makes people successful. They often look at people’s credentials, intelligence, education, and other factors. But more than anything else, passion is what makes the difference.
Take a look at four truths about passion and what it can do for you as a leader:
1. Passion is the first step to achievement – Your desire determines your destiny. The stronger your fire, the greater the desire and the greater the potential.
2. Passion increases your willpower – There is no substitute for passion. It is fuel for the will. If you want anything badly enough, you can find the willpower to achieve it.
3. Passion changes you – If you follow your passion, instead of others’ perceptions, you can’t help but become a more dedicated, productive person. In the end, your passion will have more influence than your personality.
4. Passion makes the impossible possible – Human beings are so made that whenever anything fires their soul, impossibilities vanish.
A fire in the heart lifts everything in your life. A leader with great passion and few skills always outperforms a leader with great skills and no passion.
[tags]Leadership, Self Development, Bible, God, John C Maxwell, Devotion, Whole Hearted, Passion[/tags]