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It can be perilous to lead. We may be surrounded by critics who love to magnify our every mistake. We may face aggressive competitors who are eager for us to make one misstep. Temptations abound. There may be those who speak evil about us and to us. Even the best-intentioned leader can fall as a result of the machinations of evil people.

The key to successfully navigating through an evil world is discretion. Discretion is applying God’s wisdom to our specific circumstances. It is being wise, rather than naive. It is striving for what is best but keenly aware of the worst that people can do. It entails avoiding placing ourselves in compromising, no-win situations. Using discretion protects us from being put in a corner where there is no escape.

Many leaders cry out to God for deliverance when their enemies are surrounding them and their circumstances are overwhelming them. Yet discretion protects leaders from getting into that situation in the first place.

Discretion comes from depending upon the Lord’s guidance throughout the day and not just during our morning devotions. It results from resisting the temptation of making decisions rashly or without proper counsel. Discretion originates from listening to the Holy Spirit’s voice when He makes you uneasy about a proposal or an opportunity that looks too good to be true. It comes from expecting the best but preparing for the worst. It also results from doing our homework!

Are you a leader who is known for your discretion? Or, are you constantly stumbling from one crisis to the next as a result of regularly making hurried and careless decisions? We live in confusing, evil, and complex days. In such times, discretion for leaders is mandatory.

Soldiers never take their shield for granted. Before entering every battle, they ensure it is in good working order so they have maximum protection. No warrior, no matter how skilled or valiant, can survive battle without proper protection. A weak or ineffective shield will mean quick and certain destruction. What manner of shield do you currently have from those who would assail you?

God does not promise to exempt us from facing attacks or criticism. He does assure us He will be our shield. Those who trust in the Lord and rely upon His wisdom will have the God of the universe personally protecting them.

Sadly, in today’s world, anyone who seeks to live for Christ and to uphold biblical standards, will inevitably be misunderstood, criticized, and attacked. It is not “safe” to do things God’s way! One way to avoid this is to simply play it safe and not do anything that makes you susceptible to the attacks of others. Another way to protect yourself is to take your defense into your own hands and aggressively lash out against anyone who dares to assault you. A third approach is to trust in the Lord’s protection.

God does not merely provide you a shield; He is your shield! Your enemies must go through Him to get to you. Could there be any greater safety than that? If you are currently under attack, take your focus off of your enemies and on to God. As long as God is your shield, you have nothing to fear. Your enemies may threaten and rage, but they cannot harm you without God’s permission. Put your trust not in God’s protection but in the God who defends you. Could there be anything more reassuring than having God Himself, personally protecting you?

The key to gaining wisdom is not going to school. Modern universities graduate many fools every year! There are even university professors to whom Scripture would apply the label of “fool.” Wisdom also does not come from attending seminars or reading books and journals. It does not result from enlisting a mentor. While of course all these things can be good, they make no difference to a person whose heart and mind are sealed shut. All the profound wisdom in the world is worthless if you are not in a position to receive and apply it.

Judas received the same teaching as the other twelve disciples, but he made enormous mistakes with his life nonetheless. King Rehoboam had two sets of counselors yet made one of the greatest blunders in his nation’s history. King Saul had godly counselors just as David did yet he made mistakes that cost him his kingdom and his life. The availability of wisdom is not the key. It is a heart and mind that is predisposed to believe and apply what is shared.

How do you set your ear to hear and your heart to understand? First, you radically deal with sin in your life. Sin can blind the most brilliant people and cause them to act like fools. Humility leads us to humble ourselves to seek a word from the Lord. Cultivating a love relationship with God puts us in a place where we will do anything for Him, even if it does not make sense to us. Unfortunately, no one can care for our ears or hearts but us. Their tenderness and receptivity to a word from the Lord are our responsibility. What is the best way to develop an obedient heart? Obey! The more you obey, the easier it gets! The more time you spend in God’s word and prayer, the easier it becomes to detect His voice. What are you doing today to ensure your ears and your heart are prepared for the next important thing God wants to teach you?

Godly wisdom is available to all who seek it (Proverbs 1: 20-21). Unfortunately, some people assume they don’t need God’s wisdom to accomplish their work. They are bright people with an education and experience. They may have enjoyed previous success that assures them they will be successful once again. The Bible calls such people “fools” (Proverbs 1:32).

Wisdom is not something you quickly download when you are facing a crisis. It comes from daily walking with God and allowing Him to teach you through daily life experiences. It results from processing the events of your day with your Lord and allowing Him to give you His perspective on them. It results from learning from your mistakes. It is a process.

But, if you neglect the process, a time will come when you face a challenge that is beyond you. A crisis will strike that leaves you bewildered. Then you may, as countless others have done before, cry out to the Lord to deliver you from your predicament. Only this time there will be silence. Having neglected God’s counsel in making your decisions, God will not rescue you from the foolish choices you made. God stands by His word and His will. He does not feel obligated to make your decisions come to pass.

Have you become angry with God because He is not rescuing you from the fruit of your choices? Don’t be. If you want the benefit of God’s wisdom, seek it at the front end of your leadership, not at the back end when the roof is now collapsing on your head.

There is a spirit of “political correctness” today that argues that we should not “fear” the Lord. Better to translate that word in the Bible as “respect” or “revere” they claim. But the Bible tells us to fear the Lord. The Bible does not need is to tone it down so it is more palatable to modern people. God means what He says!

Why is it important to fear God? It is because only then will we take Him as seriously as He intends for us to. Today we are told that God loves us “just the way we are.” The problem is that we do not dread sinning against someone who loves us just as we are. When we neglect our time with Him in the morning, we comfort ourselves in the knowledge that, whether we ignore Him, disobey Him, or even profane His name by our actions, He will love us anyway. Such an attitude leads to some extremely foolish and God-dishonoring living!

But when we fear God, we take Him and His word extremely seriously. We are like the apostle Paul who said, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men . . ” (2 Corinthians 5:11). When we have a proper view of God, we will have an accurate perspective of ourselves, which will lead us to heed God’s commands. In Scripture, whenever people encountered an angel, they had to be reassured not to be terrified. Whenever someone encountered the risen Christ, they would prostrate themselves in worship. The apostle John, who knew Jesus when He walked on earth, fell to the ground as a dead man when he saw Him in His risen form (Revelation 1:17). Those who have accomplished the most for their Lord have been those who had a healthy dose of fear for Him.

It is tempting to be satisfied with only a fraction of the Holy Spirit’s manifest presence in our lives. He will not force Himself upon us. He will not demand His right to control and direct our lives. He will assume the place He is given. If we think, as Samson came to believe, that we can do things in our own strength, then He will allow us to. If we choose to quench or resist or grieve the Holy Spirit, He will step aside and let us live our lives apart from Him. But then we will also miss out on the peace, power, and joy that only comes when we are Spirit filled.

Others make the mistake of assuming they can fill themselves. All they need is a good prayer time or a Spirit-filled worship service, or a visit from their minister, and they will be filled once more. But the truth is, we cannot fill ourselves. Just as the Holy Spirit will not fill us against our will; so neither can we have Him fill us against His will. There are no incantations or rituals or prayers we can pray that compels the Spirit to do our bidding.

The key to being Spirit-filled is surrender. It comes when we recognize our absolute dependence upon Him for our life and well-being. It occurs when we are so desperate for His presence that we are willing to renounce any sin, humble ourselves to any extent, and to plead for Him to restore our relationship with Him. It happens when we are no longer content to live with only a fraction of what God can and wants to do in our lives. Are you ready to allow the Holy Spirit to fill every part of your life? Then lay everything down. Immediately obey what He commands. Then enjoy the experience of having the Holy Spirit permeate every corner of your being.

In an age as complex and fast moving as ours, with as many opportunities and crises surrounding us as we have, it is crucial for leaders to understand what God’s will is. At times in our hectic lives we feel as if there is no time to wait until the Lord reveals His will. “After all” we say, “God gave me a brain. He must want me to use it!” True. God does want you to use the gray matter He gave you. But what does that mean? Does it mean making decisions based solely on what makes the most sense to you and hoping it is the right decision? Does it mean making your best guess and then praying and asking God to bless it? Does using your brain mean trying to speculate how the future will turn out and then “going for it?”

Or, could the smartest thing you do be to take time in God’s presence, reading His word, conversing with Him in prayer, and waiting for His answer, before launching into important undertakings?

For that matter, how important does a decision have to be before you seek God’s input? Does it have to involve a major expense? A new hire? A long range plan? How small of a decision does it have to be before you don’t think God cares to be involved? How much of your life are you willing to “go it alone” without God’s guidance and support? Remember, God is not obligated to bless your plans; only His will. If you want His blessing; you need His directions. As you enter your day today, are you sure you understand God’s will?

The days in which we live are filled with evil. Countless numbers of people are blinded to their spiritual condition. Many have never heard the Gospel clearly presented even one time. Crime, drugs, addictions, domestic violence, broken families, corruption are at epidemic proportions. The world is filled with people suffering from crippling needs. The church desperately requires help in addressing the plethora of challenges it faces today.

In light of so much to be done, how ought spiritual leaders spend their time? Do they have time to waste? If Satan cannot thwart our desire to serve our Lord and to invest in His kingdom work, then he will strive to have us invest in secondary issues that bring the least return on our investment. It is possible to serve the Lord diligently and yet misguidedly. As has oft been said, “The ‘good’ is the enemy of the ‘best’.”

And what about the time we squander so it produces nothing of consequence? How many of our activities are nothing more than an abject waste of time? Over the course of our lifetime, the amount of our precious life that was casually misspent could be appalling.

To “redeem” means to purchase back something that was previously lost. Have you lost control of your time? Do you need to reclaim it? Reclaiming time is like regaining lost ground in battle. You do it step by step. The enemy does not want you to redeem your time. He knows how valuable it is. He understands how much God could do with your time if it was under His control. But you must reclaim your time. It is simply too valuable to treat carelessly.

God delights in strongly supporting those whose hearts are loyal to Him. God wants to demonstrate His strength to a watching world through the lives of His servants. God intends to receive glory from the way His people live their lives. He is constantly alert to the person who is in need of His strength.

However, we tend to want God’s strength without producing the requisite loyal heart. God does not promise to strongly support anyone in need. He does not even promise He will assist those who profess to be Christians. What God does guarantee is His strong support for those whose hearts are loyal to Him.

God is no person’s debtor. He will not allow you to trust fully in Him while He lets you down. That has never happened and it never will. If your heart truly is steadfast, wait patiently for Him and He will prove Himself strong on your behalf. However, if God is not demonstrating His strength toward your cause, take time to evaluate your circumstances and your heart. Perhaps God wants you to wait upon Him. It could be that His perfect timing requires a delay. It may be God wants to develop your character through the trials He allows you to endure. He may have a greater purpose than merely alleviating your distress. Or, it may be that when He views your heart, He does not consider it to be loyal toward Him. Despite our protests to the contrary, if God sees our heart as disloyal, it is. Is God strongly supporting you today? If so, what is the evidence?

Our primary problem is not so much that we sin, as that we do not prepare our hearts to serve the Lord. Sin cannot force us to succumb to it. It cannot compel us to do anything our heart refuses to do. But when we neglect our heart, we become susceptible to any temptation that comes along.

Leaders are often strong-willed people. We are accustomed to facing adversity. We are called upon to be decisive. We make hard decisions. Because of that we can assume that when the time comes, we will make the right decision. But that is not true if our heart is not set toward the Lord. Our hearts do not naturally seek after God (Jeremiah 17:9). If left to its own devices, our heart will deceive us every time.

No one can tend our heart for us. That is a responsibility that cannot be delegated. If we allow thorns and weeds to take root, it will soon be too cluttered to properly respond to God. Attending to our heart is not something that can be postponed. There are no priorities more urgent than keeping our heart healthy, pure, and loyal to God.

When busy leaders make excuses about not having time to properly focus on spiritual matters, they are in danger. Circumstances and temptations will inevitably come that press directly against the spot where we have become vulnerable. We might never have dreamed we would fall in that area, but we will. What have you done today to prepare your heart?