MFM Daily Devotional 8 December 2023 

TOPIC:  Essential Ingredients for Effective Leadership (V)

FIRE SCRIPTURE: Exodus 17:8-16 
⁸ Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

⁹ And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

¹⁰ So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

¹¹ And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

¹² But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

¹³ And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

¹⁴ And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

¹⁵ And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:

¹⁶ For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

MEMORY VERSE
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES: You cannot make progress without making decisions.

PROPHETIC WORD FOR TODAY: Receive the spirit of wisdom and the ability to make the right decisions, henceforth, in the name of Jesus.

PRAISE AND WORSHIP: Take praise and worship songs led by the Holy Spirit.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Amos 3 – 4; Hebrews 9 – 10

MFM Daily Devotional 8 December 2023 MESSAGE

The fourth important ingredient for effective leadership is decision-making. All leaders are constantly involved in this.

Decision-making is the task of a leader to conclude so that people can act accordingly. A wrong decision leads to a wrong course of action as well as grave consequences on the part of the leader and the entire members of his team. In Exodus 32:1-4, the Bible reveals that Aaron, Moses’ second in command, made a bad decision while Moses was on the mountain to meet with God.

The people suggested to Aaron that since Moses was long in coming back to them, he should make them a god, and Aaron agreed. When Moses came back and discovered what they had done, he raged and the people paid dearly for going into idolatry. Also, on one occasion, David took the census of Israel and God became very angry with him. Seventy thousand Israelites died as a result of that wrong decision (2 Samuel 24:1-4).

READ MFM Daily Devotional 7 December 2023 – Essential Ingredients for Effective Leadership (IV)

Conversely, great results are produced when a leader makes the right decision. Moses stands out as a leader who took the right decision on many occasions. In Exodus 17, when the Amalekites came against Israel to war, Moses instructed Joshua to choose valiant men and go out to war against their enemies. In contrast, he, Aaron and Hur went to the mountain. On the mountain, Moses lifted his hand to God and prayed.

As long as his hands were lifted to God in intercession, Israel gained the upperhand over the Amalekites. In the end, Israel defeated their enemies. What a great decision and war strategy! Here are some decision-making routine you can follow: (1) Clearly assess the problemn (2) Gather all the facts (3) Endeavour to identify the “real” problem (5) Opt for the “best” solution (6) Initiate action.

Beloved, Christian leaders should seek the help of the Holy Spirit when they have to make any decision and ask Him for wisdom whenever they need it. He will certainly give it (James 1:5). Finally, anyone who faces difficulty in making decisions should pray for the ability to hear God’s voice.

MFM Daily Devotional 8 December  2023 Prayer Points

MORNING
1. Spirit of error, I am not your candidate, die, in the name of Jesus.
2. The grace to make the right decision at all times come upon me, in the name of Jesus.
3. Holy Spirit, be my Guide at all times, in the name of Jesus.

EVENING
4. The grace to hear God’s voice clearly, come upon me, in the name of Jesus.
5. I receive the grace to always obey the prompting and leading of the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus.
6. Father, by Your mercy, deliver me from the consequences of any wrong decision that I have ever made, in the name of Jesus.
7. I shall be head and not tail. I shall be above only and not beneath, in the name of Jesus.