Joshua 1:2-4
2 “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. 3 I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you— 4 from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea[a] in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’
I came across this statement made by Bob Logan describing vision;
Vision: the capacity to create a compelling picture of the desired state of affairs that inspires people to respond; that which is desirable, which could be, should be; that which is attainable. A godly vision is right for the times, right for the church, and right for the people. A godly vision promotes faith rather than fear. A godly vision motivates people to action. A godly vision requires risk-taking. A godly vision glorifies God, not people.
God gave Joshua a very clear vision. The position to lead was for the sake of a vision, to get the people from where they are to where they need to be. The people had no idea where they needed to be but God directed Joshua by giving him a very clear picture of where they ought to be.
To be an effective leader, you must have a clear vision. You must understand where the people are and you must have a clear picture of where they ought to be. Without this clear picture and understanding, then what is the purpose of your leadership? Your effectiveness as a leader is not determined by how well you dress or speak or how much material wealth you have, rather it is determined by your vision and your capacity to get people from where they are to where they ought to be. Habakkuk 2:2 tells us to write down the vision and to make it plain so that the runner may be able to run with it. That is what a good leader does.
Having a vision is one thing but you also need a strategy to know how to get the people there and that is where you depend on God and not on your own understanding. This goes hand in hand with your integrity as a leader. The people have to trust you.
Joshua depended on God for the strategy and God had a different strategy for every enemy they faced on the way to the Promised Land. Joshua also ensured that he stood out as a man of faith and integrity.
Are you a leader? Do you have a vision? Remember,
Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no vision, the people perish.
