Powerful leaders see the future through eyes of faith, not fear! Their faith gives them confidant assurance they are on the right path.
In contrast, weak leaders see the future through eyes of fear, not faith. Last week we examined the Israelite’s failure to enter the Promised Land because they fell victim to a cycle of fear.
This week let’s examine six ways of seeing the future through eyes of faith. Living in this way enables powerful leaders to achieve breakthroughs in their personal and business lives.
1) Faith shrinks my problems.
While a weak leader allows fear to exaggerate their problems, a powerful leader’s faith shrinks their problems. Powerful leaders have faith that with God, nothing is impossible.
“Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14a).
“For nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).
So, powerful leaders see their problems as small relative to the strength of the Lord.
2) Faith opens the door for God.
Repeatedly in the Scripture, God performed miracles for men and women of great faith. Their faith opened the door for God to perform a miracle.
“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:22-24).
“And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith” (Matthew 13:58).
The Scripture is clear. God does not perform miracles for people who lack faith.
3) Faith moves God to act.
While faith enables you to believe God can act on your behalf, it is not enough. Believing God can do something differs from believing he will do something! Faith also enables you to believe God will perform a miracle. To be clear, God is not a genie to be called upon to do your bidding. That is not faith. Faith is believing God can do a miracle if it is His will.
“Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29).
Before He restored the sight of the blind men, Jesus asked, “Do you believe I am able to do this” (Matthew 9:28)?
The men not only had faith that God could do a miracle, but they also had faith He would!
4) Faith unlocks all the promises of God.
A man in Canada spent a year and a half counting all the promises God made to mankind in the Scripture. He produced a list of 7,487! There is a catch, though, to claim the promises of God. God’s promises are for those who believe and trust in Him.
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
The Hebrew word “Amen” means “so be it,” or “let it be done.” So, the promises of God are directed to those who believe in Him and trust in His faithfulness.
5) Faith turns God-given dreams into reality.
Weak leaders limit God by their unbelief. Would Noah have built an ark when it had never rained without great faith in God? Or would Moses have led the people of Israel to the Promised Land without faith?
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).
Powerful leaders take the first step of action, turning God-given dreams into reality.
6) Faith gives me the power to hold on in tough times.
No great work was ever accomplished without facing trials. Moses dealt with the Egyptian army chasing him as he stood before the Red Sea with no means of escape. Nehemiah dealt with outside oppressors and internal traitors.
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).
Powerful leaders have faith to hold on and persevere in challenging times because they trust in God.
Powerful Leaders with Eyes of Faith
There are many examples of powerful leaders throughout the Scripture who saw the future through eyes of faith. For example:
- Noah believed God and, by faith, built the ark (Genesis 6).
- Nehemiah believed God and His promise to restore the people in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2).
- Joseph was fully devoted to God throughout His trials. Joseph knew what others did to harm him; God turned to good (Genesis 50).
- Ruth lost her husband yet had faith in God’s promise to protect her (Ruth 1).
- Esther trusted in God to protect her and the nation of Israel from annihilation (Esther 4).
- Daniel maintained his faith in God, even as a slave in a foreign land, against oppressors, and even in the lion’s den (Daniel 6).
- Elijah, the prophet, defended the worship of God against hundreds of priests of Baal (1 Kings 18).
- Peter’s great faith allowed him to walk on water (Matthew 14).
- Saul, the persecutor of Christianity, became the greatest apologist and evangelist for Christianity because of his faith (Acts 9).
Conclusion
Every one of the powerful leaders listed here endured trials of one kind or another.
Faith doesn’t take you out of the problem. Faith often takes you to the problem! Faith doesn’t take away the pain or bring you out of the storm.
Faith allows you to persevere, the power to hold on in tough times. Faith gives you resilience. It gives you the ability to bounce back from failure, pain, problems, and the pressures of life.
To be a powerful leader, you need to see the future through eyes of faith, not fear!
Discussion Questions
These questions can serve as a valuable framework for a thoughtful and engaging discussion about the article and how its insights and perspectives apply to our lives today.
- How can leaders develop a mindset that empowers them to approach problems and challenges with confidence and resilience?
- What role does belief or faith play in creating opportunities for extraordinary outcomes and positive change?
- Can you share any real-life examples where a strong sense of faith or belief in a vision has led to the realization of significant goals or dreams?
- In difficult or uncertain times, how does maintaining a sense of faith or belief in something larger than oneself contribute to personal or professional perseverance?
- What practical strategies or habits can leaders adopt to cultivate a mindset of faith or belief in their decision-making and leadership style, while also balancing it with practical considerations and realities?
More Articles
I have written several articles on Courage. You can find them by typing “Courage” in the search bar. Meanwhile, here are several of my favorites.
- #364: Are You Waiting for Perfect Conditions?
- #323: From Victory to Defeat, Breaking Down and Burning Out
- #259: Two Obscure Women Whose Courage Saved a Nation
- #231: Is it Wrong to Leave God out of the Workplace?
- #125: 5 Truths Esther Taught Me about Leadership in the Face of Death
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Have you worked for or with powerful leaders who saw the future through eyes of faith? What organizational effect did they have?
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Category: Personal Development | Courage/Risk-Taking
Fear holds so many people back in life, and faith does the opposite. I like what you wrote about how “faith gives you resilience.” I have found this to be true in my own life. Thanks, Ron.
Thanks, John! I had the very same experience in my career–fear held many from achieving and being all they could be in life!
When I look inward, I am using my own determination and will power. If I include God, then the power of HS enables me to accomplish God’s purpose for my life. Is God my partner every day? Only when I say yes and really trust him, does the fear and doubt go away.
Amen Jim! Our own determination and power is a poor substitute for the power of the Holy Spirit!