Now we all know that Joshua was never referred to in the Bible as Moses' armorbearer, but he was called Moses' minister in Joshua 1:1. The verb form of the word minister means: to attend, to contribute to, to minister to, to wait on, and to serve. From this definition we see that Joshua's duty was to wait on Moses, to contribute to his success, and to serve him in everything that he did. Had Moses had an armorbearer, it would have been Joshua because of their relationship.
Today, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers all across our land are crying out for a man like Joshua to come to their aid. But my question to them is: are you willing to be a Moses to your Joshua? Now that puts the shoe on the other foot.
What about you? Moses was willing to invest his anointing, and his whole life, into Joshua. He was willing to relinquish control and allow Joshua to take the people on into the Promised Land, even though Moses had personally shepherded the people for 40 years in the wilderness. He knew that the children of Israel belonged to God, not to him. He obeyed God when the voice came saying, "Now Joshua will be the one to bring them into the land which I have promised to give them."
I am not saying that this is the situation in your ministry, but I would like for you to see, first of all, that it's not your ministry, it's God's.
God placed the vision in you. He birthed it in your spirit. When God starts something, He finishes it. The work God has begun will continue long after you - if you are wiling to put yourself into other people, without fear of giving them the authority they need to help you. You can tell how good a leader is by the quality of people following after him.
Here is a list of the basic things to look for and to do , when seeking a Joshua for your own ministry:
- Pray for God's divinely-appointed people to come your way
Ask God to send you quality people to carry your vision forward. The people whom God sends you may be your own personal family, or they may not be.
I once heard a minister say, "I would never let anybody but a member of the family run my ministry." That's a very strong statement, and total unscriptural. The unity between a leader and his staff is in the spirit and not by blood.
God raised up Joshua, not one of Moses' children. God raised up David and elected him to be king, and not Jonathan, who was legal heir to the throne. God told Elijah to go and anoint Elisha as his successor, not one of Elijah's own family members. God anointed Samuel to be priest, not the sons of Eli.
Now I will say that God may raise up your son or daughter to carry on your vision, but He could send someone else. The key is for you to do the will of God for your ministry, no matter who He may choose to help and succeed you.
Whatever kind of people you need, ask God for them. He will send you an associate, a music director, a head usher or whatever you may need or desire. You just need to petition Him, and start thanking Him for answering your prayer.
- Be willing to invest yourself in the lives of your helpers
Some leaders wonder why they have problems with their staff. Many times the reason is because they have never invested themselves in their associates.
In the Old Testament (Num. 11:17), the Lord spoke to Moses about those who had been chosen to assist him in leading the children of Israel. At this time, God took the spirit He had put upon Moses and placed it upon the 70 elders. This was for these elders to function and minister to the people with the same love and anointing with which Moses operated. This was accomplished when Moses laid his hands on his associates, thus imparting the spirit to them.
Where would we be today had Jesus not invested Himself in the disciples? What would have happened if His attitude had been, "I am the leader here, and I don't have time to waste on you weak, faithless disciples"? This kind of attitude has been evident in some leaders, and it is of the devil, not of God. The Lord has not called any of us to control the lives of other people, but to be an example to the flock.
- Delegate authority
God desires to send you quality people who can flow with you. But do not be afraid to let them fully express their God-given creativity. Sometimes leaders live in fear that they are losing control because others are beginning to grasp the vision and "run with it."
Do not stifle the enthusiasm, anointing, wisdom and ability of your staff. A smart leader knows how to direct the talents and abilities of this people. You must provide opportunities for your staff members to develop, minister and release their latent creativity. This applies especially to armorbearers who have proven themselves faithful to bless you and help you minister to the people.
If you are going to give anyone responsibility in any area, then be big enough to give him the authority he needs to carry out that responsibility.
An official from Washington, D.C., shared how he had a real problem with authority. He liked the feeling of power it gave him. After becoming a Christian and being called to the pastorate, he said that it was still a struggle for him to delegate authority. In order to break this spirit, he shared how he began to "sow" authority in others.
You will find that, with God, the more you give away, the more God will give back to you.
- Look for the spirit of an armorbearer in people
- Do they have a disciplined prayer life?
- Are they faithful to the church?
- Is their family intact?
- Are they tithers?
- Are you at ease in their presence?
- Are they at east in your presence?
- Are they interested in people of all types and races?
- Do they possess a strong and steady will?
- Do they avoid murmuring and complaining?
- Are they optimistic?
- Do they submit to authority?
- Are they good listeners?
- Are they disciplined mentally and physically?
- Are they loyal?
Here is a checklist for determining if the people who come your way have the qualifications to become armorbearers:
As you ask and answer these questions about others, always remember to ask yourself this important question: What good is a general without an army to follow him?
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
