Strategy

<<plan of action, tactics>>

God expects us to plan and use the powers of reasoning He has given; for example, “The men of Issachar, understood the times and knew what Israel should do” (1 Chr 12:32). The Bible advises to make plans by seeking advice from God – “What message does my Lord have for His servant?” was the question Joshua asked (Josh 5:14). God instructed

Do I seek advice from God and others in my planning?

him how to conquer Jericho, yet when they attacked the smaller city of Ai they were initially defeated. It appears they did not invite God into their ‘planning session’ but were going ahead in their own wisdom and ability, and there was certainly sin in the camp (Josh 6:2-5, 7:2-5,11). Both self-reliance and sin are counter-productive to any victorious outcome. God’s message to all of us is that you cannot stand against the enemy unless you deal with the issues and rely on Him (Josh 7:12, 8:1; Zech 4:6). If I have been experiencing defeat, do I need to put matters right with God and then others?

“David enquired of the Lord” and He was given a different strategy for the second battle (2 Sam 5:19,23). God is so creative He seldom duplicates the same approach and so, to keep in step with Him, we must humbly rely on

Am I alert to the risks of not doing so?

fresh directions each time and not get complacent, using a lifeless, ritualistic and predictable method, thus inferring we can manage without Him. Be sensitive to His guidance when He says, “This is the way walk in it” (Isa 30:21).

God said to Moses, “What is in your hand?” (Ex 4:2). Be resourceful and see what is available – maybe even as a boy’s meagre lunch was used by Jesus, God will multiply what you have to feed a multitude (Mt 14:15-21).

Leaders have a particular responsibility to clearly share their proposals and plans with those who will be involved in any project. It goes without saying that their strategies should all be honest and legitimate, adhering to the principles of Scripture.

Even the best strategy cannot succeed without the right people to carry it forward. God does not hand a vision to a single individual and leave it there; He calls and equips a body of people to share both the labour and the responsibility. When Moses grew weary, Aaron and Hur held up his hands so that Israel prevailed (Ex 17:12). The early church appointed seven Spirit-filled men to serve so that the apostles could give attention to prayer and the ministry of the word (Acts 6:3-4). God's pattern is to distribute gifts and authority among many, not to concentrate them in one magnetic personality. Yet human nature is drawn to charisma. We can be tempted to build a work around a single gifted leader, allowing the whole venture to rise and fall with that one person. When they move on, retire or are no longer able to lead, the organisation often falters because the strategy was never embedded in a community of faithful people. The body of Christ has many members, each indispensable (1 Cor 12:14-20), and the New Testament appoints plural elders rather than lone heroes (Acts 14:23; Tit 1:5). A godly strategy, therefore, includes the development and release of others.

Am I building around a personality, or around the purposes of God?

Let us be careful not to confuse giftedness with godliness, or platform with wisdom. The goal is not to make a name for ourselves but to prepare a people who can continue the work long after we have gone. As Paul urged Timothy, entrust what you have heard to faithful people who will be able to teach others also (2 Tim 2:2). In this way the strategy outlasts the strategist, and the glory belongs to God alone.

God's way of operating is the reverse of normal selfish human reasoning (Isa 55:8). The Bible says God does nothing without first informing those walking close to Him (Amos 3:7). The code of conduct He expects His followers to live by (and by which Jesus lived) includes loving and praying for our enemies, and not returning evil with evil but with good (Mt 5:44; 1 Thes 5:15). Be in step with Jesus and live by the principles of His Kingdom (Gal 5:25). Our salvation was bought not by force but sacrifice, not by vengeance but by forgiveness. Jesus surrendered in order to win, He destroyed His enemies by dying for them and conquered death by allowing death to conquer Him.

Satan has schemes too of which we should not be ignorant, for then we can resist him and not fall for his deceptive tactics (2 Cor 2:11; Eph 6:11; Jas 4:7). Some of the strategies he uses are compromise, offence, complacency,

None of Satan's plans are for our good

deception, blinding the spiritual eyes of people to the truth and all sorts of temptations that lead to sin besides getting Christians busy in non-essentials (Jas 1:14). However, what Satan and ungodly people devise for evil God uses for good (Gen 50:20; Rom 8:28). Had Satan comprehended the means of salvation Jesus would not have been crucified (1 Cor 2:8). Why would anyone want to be on the same team as this loser, who when in heaven embarked on a disastrous plan to exalt himself; this will culminate in everlasting damnation (Rev 21:10)?