Introduction

This month could be called a very difficult time in the history of our church. We are walking under a fresh wave of persecution that erupted on the 3rd of this month.  Persecution is definitely not something pleasant. Yet I am glad that God permitted me to walk through it and in this sermon I am going to tell you why?

In my desperate search for direction from God in this situation, the Holy Spirit led me to the story of Jonathan and his Armor Bearer where I learned a couple of practical principles that every Leader should know if they want to lead in times of crisis. Let’s see how a young warrior called Jonathan led through his time of crisis?

1. Jonathan took an Initiative

A. Jonathan stepped out in faith and convinced his Armor Bearer to do the same. In the first strike alone they slaughtered 20 Philistines (1 Samuel 14:1;14)

B. The Lord honored their bold move by sending a panic upon the enemy,  confusing them that they killed each other, shaking the earth, and sending king Saul and his 600 warriors to aid, (1 Samuel 14:15;20-22)

C. Once again the Lord miraculously saved Israel, (1 Samuel 14:23). It all started with one man who dared to take an initiative!

2. Jonathan had a loyal Helper

A. Loyalty is the greatest asset of any Leader both in times of crisis and in prosperity

B. The armor bearer’s words recorded in 1 Samuel 14:6-7 shows the extent of his loyalty

C. Armor Bearers in ancient times had to be unusually brave and loyal since the lives of their masters depended on them

D. The function of Jonathan’s armor-bearer was especially important because of the scarcity of weapons in Israel

3. Jonathan used discernment

A. The Leader is God’s chosen channel for providing direction. Without God, the Leader cannot and without the Leader, God shall not!

B. It’s Jonathan that introduced the sign and its sequel, (1 Samuel 14:8-10). He instructed the Armor Bearer about what to do and when

C. Leaders are responsible for making sound decisions and guiding the followers even in times of crisis

4. He remembered his Identity

A. Jonathan said to his Armor Bearer “Let’s cross over to the camp of those  uncircumcised Philistines” (1 Samuel 14:6)

B. Had King Saul remembered his identity in God, he could have marched forward and attacked the enemy instead of sitting back with 600 warriors, wasting time,  (1 Samuel 14:2)

C. Jonathan was different. He remembered that he indeed is an individual from God’s chosen nation. He believed that God will fight for him

5. Application and Conclusion

There are four wonderful applications we can draw from this passage as the Leaders of God’s people today.

A. The Leader must be a man of Initiative

I. Procrastination is the most powerful enemy of the church. Not persecution

II. Leaders must not procrastinate. Must not wait until everything becomes perfect before moving forward, (1 Samuel 14:9b). He should identify God’s move even when things are not in perfect shape and step out in faith.

III. Once he takes the first step and starts moving forward everything else becomes clearer and easier. New opportunities spring up, (1 Samuel 14:21). Remember, God will not move until you start moving

IV. “Attempt great things for God – expect great things from God” – William Carey

B. The Leader must earn Loyalty

I. Loyalty is every Leader’s greatest asset. Jonathan would have never crowned over the enemy if it wasn’t for his loyal armor bearer

II. Today loyalty is a very rare virtue in the church as well as in the world. A congregation not loyal to Leadership poses an internal threat to the church. Internal threats are more destructive than external threats.

III. Loyalty is something that you earn. You receive loyalty only once you earn the trust of your followers. Remember, you can’t earn your followers’ trust overnight. It takes a lifetime.

C. The Leader must exercise sound Discernment

I. The Leader is God’s channel for providing directions. Making decisions in times of crisis requires discernment and sound judgment.

II. All the great warriors in the Bible discerned the Lord before marching to Battle, (Ex: Gideon, David)

III. The Leader needs to walk with God regularly because sound discernment is not enlightenment that occurs out of the blue. It flaws only from wisdom and wisdom can be gained only through fear of God, (Proverbs 9:10)

D. The Leader can’t forget his identity in Christ

I. The Leader who forgets his identity in Christ in times of crisis aims to fail because he is subject to be controlled by fear and confusion

II. It’s obvious that great men in the Bible at times of crisis found their strength through their identity in the Lord, (Ex: David referred to Goliath as an uncircumcised Philistine)

III. We are not serving a master who doesn’t care for us. Jesus said he will be with us to the end of the age, (Matthew 28:20)

Conclusion

Every Leader should be able to lead in times of crisis as well as in times of comfort. Crisis, persecution, and times of uncertainty are inevitable in Christian ministry. How you lead through these, defines what type of a Leader you are.

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