Leading With Help – Part 5

6. Trust your guide. I used to illustrate this in Children’s Church by blindfolding a child and give them verbal instructions that they had to carry out without bumping in to things. It’s impossible to walk by faith not sight in our own strength. Then I would ask another child to come be a guide (just like the Holy Spirit is our guide) and guide the blindfolded child to safety. It’s much easier with a guide to follow the Word of the Lord. I have found practice make perfect not only in playing an instrument or developing a skill but also in trusting our guide!                                 
7. I rely on the help of the Holy Spirit to lead me to people I need to develop to be on my team. I refuse to wait on people to show up that I need to lead. I’m on a mission from God to connect with those He leads me to. Jesus was out and about when he found the twelve disciples. I ask the Lord daily to lead me to the right people who need to be a part of the team He is building!
8. Learn how to let the Spirit refresh you. The biggest challenge for people in ministry is to learn how to leave the stress and pressures of the ministry at the church and don’t bring them home. I have learned to pray in the Spirit on the way home and allow the Spirit to refresh me. It helps me to be able to enjoy my family more. Take time off. Rest is part of God’s plan just like work. I guard my day off and use my vacation wisely. Retreat when you are at your busiest. When we study the life of Jesus here on the earth the Spirit led him away from work and those he was leading to pray and be refreshed.  I believe when we pray in the Spirit it refreshes our spirit and builds up or edifies you. The Spirit still leads Christ followers to times of refreshing and renewal.
9. Take care of the temple. 1 Corinthians 3: 16 asks “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If this is true and it is then it’s important we take care of the temple. I have learned the hard way as I age I must exercise, eat healthy, take vitamins and supplements as well as get plenty of sleep. I don’t stay up all night anymore.
10. The Holy Spirit helps me discern what is right for me to be involved in. What’s of God and what’s not? Learn to be sensitive to the Spirit and recognize or discern if something is good or God as well as bad or evil. Not every good idea is God’s will for me now. Not everything that is wrong or bad now is evil. If every believer has the Spirit on the inside and they do then how much more to we in leadership need the Spirit’s help to be the leaders God has called us to be.

Proverbs 3:5 & 6 tells us “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Are you glad we have a helper to lead us to be the leaders we need to be. Listen to our guide, our helper is right beside us. Listen to Him, Learn from Him, do what He says. Every leader leads better with help!

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Jim Wideman is an internationally recognized voice in children’s and family ministry. He is a much sought after speaker, teacher, author, personal leadership coach, and ministry consultant who has over 30 years experience in helping churches thrive. Jim created the Children’s Ministers Leadership Club in 1995 that is known today as "theClub" which has touched thousands of ministry leaders each month. Jim believes his marching orders are to spend the rest of his life taking what he has learn about leadership and ministry and pour it into the next generation of children’s, youth, and family ministry leaders.