By Pastor Wale OlaOluwa
“Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.”
Psalm 16:9
The greatest thing a leader can give is hope; not money, not food, not gift, not cloth etc.
Hope is an essential ingredient needed by leaders to lead well. Without hope, life will be totally lost.
Hope is not just an emotion; it is a spirit with life and ability of its own to lift, transform, restore, revive and give life to a dying mind.
Hope is also a force ,a strong weapon that can help people break barriers, and win over battles – either physical, biological, emotional and psychological in nature.
• The hope of victory makes nations risk war.
• The hope of survival makes us fight to live.
• The hope of success makes us remain in competition.
• The hope of achievement makes us to keep trying.
• The hope of healing makes our faith in God to increase.
• The hope of a better tomorrow makes us rejoice over today.
• The hope for reward; offering salvation and raising eternal children, made Jesus to lay down His life for us (Heb.12:2, 2:10).
Our Lord Jesus was a great leader who understood the power of hope. He was a merchant of hope.
He gave us hope in His words, promises and actions. He gave us hope of eternity and the mansions in heaven; even though we weren’t sure they actually exist (John 14:1-3).
But because the assurance and the word came from the one who can not; and has never failed, we believed; and we will get there by His grace.
A hopeless leader will raise hopeless followers. A hopeless leader will live, move and walk in fear; and also raise fearful people.
A hopeless leader over a ministry, state, business or even a nation will mislead and misdirect the energy of people under him or her.
A hopeless leader can not motivate or inspire people under him or her for new ideas, method, creativity and practical solutions to matters or challenges.
A hopeless man or woman will even die before death comes.
Today, the world is on its knees because of corona virus. Corona virus is not just a disease, it is a declaration of war on humanity! And you don’t go to war without having the hope of winning.
But to win over this rampaging virus is to have a strong hope. Marshall Foch, the hero of Battle of Verdum said, “There are no hopeless situations: there are only men who have grown hopeless about them.”
If there is anything you must give, share, ‘sell’, distribute, communicate or spread; let it be hope. When and where there is hope, faith rises. But when and where there is hopelessness, despondency, panic, rumour and fear will reign supreme.
Never allow the daily news, fear, confusion and panic of corona virus to take away hope from you.
Never allow it to challenge your faith, trust and hope in God.
Never allow this health crisis to make you kill the hope of people around you.
Be the merchant…the one who gives hope to the hopeless.
Stop adoring and pushing the rising figures of Covid-19 death or infection statistics. Rather, rejoice over the statistics of those recovering and gaining life over death. If you keep following and hearing the media, you will stop hearing God.
I pray today:
May you gain hope over this situation,and defeat hopelessness in your life. And may your hope energise people under your leadership, and around you for survival, greatness and happiness.
As you keep safe, the Lord will keep you safe.
You are lifted!
• Pastor OlaOluwa’s is the senior pastor of Priesthood Covenant Assembly, Lagos. ((0803 331 4312 email: growingwave@yahoo. com)