josh whitehead

It has been difficult to choose the battles that leaders face. These posts could go on forever! But let’s finish them with the last battle that leaders face.

Battle #4 – Longevity

There’s a battle against you finishing the race. The enemy, Satan, is looking to use pride, fear, holes in your integrity or something else to destroy you. Consider this:

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8b, NIV

Unfortunately we often become very complacent in the battle. It’s a struggle for me. We realize that there is the war raging around us and that the enemy is looking to “devour” us. Yet, at the same time, we lose sight of the battle. It’s like charging into an area of Iraq knowing that there is a war going on, but doing that without any protective gear or weapons. It would never happen!

But the first part of 1 Peter 5:8 helps us to understand how to have longevity. It says:

Be self-controlled and alert. 1 Peter 5:8a

Look at what MacArthur says about self-control:

Self-control…includes the ideas of steadfastness, clarity of mind and moral decisiveness. This person is correctly in charge of his priorities and not intoxicated with the various allurements of the world.

One of the biggest battles for leaders is not becoming “intoxicated with the various allurements of the world.” The world has become such a huge part of our lives. Things in the world keep getting better and better and more accessible. But we have to be able to see the traps for us and overcome them.

I’m praying for you to win the battle and experience longevity in the journey. See you at the end.