What to Expect When You’re Expecting - Part 2 "The Good Stuff"

In my last blog I talked about what hardships you can expect in your life when you’re expecting to do a great work for God. I’ll admit, the post came off a bit “Debby Downer,” but if you’re like me, you don’t want things sugarcoated. Even Jesus told his disciples, “In this world you will have troubles, but take heart, I have overcome the world!”*

I’ve saved the best news for last. Let’s look at “the good stuff” in Nehemiah’s story. As you’ll see, when you obey God you can absolutely expect His help! 

God will send unlikely people to help you 

King Artaxerxes noticed that Nehemiah, his cupbearer, was “deeply troubled”* and asked him why. When Nehemiah explained how Jerusalem lay in ruins, the king asked how he could help. The king proceeded to give him time off, letters of recommendation, timber, and an armed guard. Did you see that--a heathen king helping his Jewish servant? That’s favor from an unlikely source!

Leaders will follow you

As Nehemiah describes the various people that helped build the wall, nine of the men were specifically referred to as “leaders.”* Why does that matter? Accomplishing a great work for God may require partnering with people of influence. “Influencers” can mobilize their followers. God will bring you “influencers” to help you raise the army needed to do the work.

People will be willing to work outside their specific talents to do the work that’s needed

A goldsmith, a perfume maker, priests, and merchants all became carpenters to help accomplish Nehemiah’s vision. One man even brought his daughters to help repair part of the wall, which back-in-the-day was considered “man’s work.” When you have a God-given vision, Spirit-led people will do whatever it takes to help you see it through.

You will develop a heart for the oppressed and even do something about it 

During a recent famine in Israel, the poor borrowed money at high interest rates from their wealthy family members just to survive. To pay back the debt, some were forced to sell their children into slavery! Nehemiah found out and was furious! He strongly rebuked those greedy relatives and demanded change. Because Nehemiah had proven himself a worthy leader, the people repented and changed their ways. What do you call that? A beautiful and unexpected side effect of obeying God!

My Nehemiah Experience

Just as my husband and I have experienced the difficulties of ministry, we’ve also seen God do all the “good stuff”. The unlikely people He’s sent our way to help, the gifted and talented leaders who serve alongside us . . . well, it’s miraculous. I’m always amazed how people will humbly serve to make our church plant succeed—getting up early to help transform our movie theatre into a church, helping with childcare, ushering, greeting, tearing down after service, etc. 

God also sent us an unlikely supporter--Joel Osteen. We’d only been a church for a few months when I produced a segment with the Osteen’s for The 700 Club. They found out I was a pastor’s wife, we talked about a few common friends we shared, and voila! Matt and I were invited to a private meeting with local pastors, given front row seats at his local “Night of Hope,” invited to become a Champion’s Network church and attend a CN pastors' conference at Lakewood Church. My husband and I eagerly attended and found ourselves laughing at the improbability of us being there. Looking around, pastors with mega-churches and multi-site campus churches surrounded us—and there we were, with our unknown little church plant of 200 people. Only God! 

My unexpected side effect of starting a church? I’ve developed a heart for women and children suffering from domestic violence. Before 3n1 Church, this cause was nowhere on my radar! While searching for some local community groups where our women could volunteer, I came across the H.E.R. Shelter, a temporary home for families escaping abusive situations. We’ve been working there almost 2 years, and I absolutely love these women and children!

I sincerely hope you will stick with the call of God on your life. It will be hard and you will be tempted to quit (BIG understatement). But if you will hold on to your God-given vision with the tenacity of a bulldog and the stubbornness of a mule, you will see God do unbelievable miracles. Keep expecting! 

* John 16:33
*facts taken from Nehemiah 2-4

You Can't Lead if You Won't Follow

As a leader, I’ve learned that some people in the church understand spiritual authority, but many don’t. What a pleasure to lead those people that understand this concept! How difficult and energy-zapping it is to lead those who don’t! Let’s face it--most people have a problem with authority because nobody likes being told what to do. But this is the way God has organized His kingdom. Apostles, pastors, prophets, teachers, elders—God appoints and anoints people to lead and we are to follow.

David understood God’s delegated authority when he refused to kill Saul (even though Saul would have taken him out in a heartbeat!). He even repented for tearing off a piece of his robe. After doing so, he said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD." 1 Sam 24:6 David set the bar high for all of us. We must respect those in authority over us and never cause them harm by our words or actions.*

More importantly, we must NOT be like Saul—taking advantage of our position because of pride and insecurity. Several years ago I taught from Watchman Nee’s book Spiritual Authority and it had a profound effect on the way I view leadership in the church. As leaders, we must realize the importance of staying under God’s authority. Too often we’ve seen pastors fall when they come out from under the protective umbrella of God’s covering and arrogantly try to lead in their own strength and know-how.

As Nee puts it, “One is not fit to be God’s delegated authority unless he himself first knows how to be under authority.” Also, it is “obedience that qualifies us to be God’s delegated authority.” Along with obedience, we must “lose our cleverness and opinion,” and allow God to break us of self. The only way to live in this state of mind is to constantly stay in communion with God. It is in this place of intimacy that we “clearly see our own faults” and our need for Him.

As leaders, our followers will benefit from our leadership to the extent that we have surrendered to God and been changed by His activity in our lives. In Watchman Nee’s A Balanced Christian Life, he explains this point. “Unless we are delivered, we cannot expect other people to be delivered. If we do not have vision, how can we expect others to see God’s way? Except we walk in it, no one else will be able to follow. Today God wishes to deal with us first. And after He has gotten some of us, we can then expect to gain other people.”

Oh God, give me the grace to be led by you and to lead others well!

*I’m not saying there’s no occasion to remove someone from their position in the church. That’s why we have things like church by-laws. I’m just saying we must tread very cautiously when it comes to these delicate matters—with a heart and attitude like David.